Minnesota 14-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Payment of Rent

In Minnesota, a landlord who wants to evict a residential tenant for unpaid rent must first deliver a written 14-day notice to quit for nonpayment of rent. The rule lives in Minn. Stat. § 504B.321, Subd. 1a, and it took effect on January 1, 2024.¹ The notice gives the tenant 14 days to pay the full amount owed or move out. Skip the notice, get the contents wrong, or deliver it the wrong way, and the eviction case is likely to be dismissed at the initial review.

When the Notice Is Required

The 14-day notice applies any time a landlord is trying to evict for unpaid rent or another financial obligation under the lease. That includes missed rent, unpaid late fees, and other charges the lease says the tenant owes. It applies whether the tenancy is under a formal written lease or an informal arrangement.¹

The requirement is limited to nonpayment. Evictions based on lease violations unrelated to money, such as property damage or illegal activity, run under different rules in Minn. Stat. § 504B.285, and evictions tied to certain illegal activity move faster, with hearings in five to seven days.²

One thing landlords miss: some Minnesota cities and counties have adopted notice periods longer than 14 days. The statute itself requires the notice to mention that possibility, so check local rules before serving anything.

What the Notice Must Contain

Minn. Stat. § 504B.321, Subd. 1a sets six required elements. Missing any of them can invalidate the whole document.¹

The total amount due as of the date on the notice.
An itemized breakdown showing how much is unpaid rent, how much is late fees, and how much is other lease charges. A lump sum is not enough.
The name and address of the person authorized to receive rent for the landlord.
A statement telling the tenant they have the right to seek legal help, directing them to Legal Aid and LawHelpMN.org.
A statement directing the tenant to their local county or Tribal social services office, MNBenefits.mn.gov, or the United Way information line at 2-1-1.
A statement that the landlord can file an eviction case if the tenant does not pay the total or move out within 14 days, and noting that some local governments may require a longer notice period.

The legal help, financial help, and eviction warning statements use specific language set by the statute. Landlords who draft the notice from scratch risk getting the wording wrong. Using a template from the Minnesota Judicial Branch or a legal aid organization is the safer approach, because the required text is already built in.

The date on the notice matters. It starts the 14-day clock, and if it is missing or unclear, the tenant can argue the notice was defective. Keep a copy, because the court will want to see the original notice if the case moves forward.

How to Deliver It

Only two delivery methods are allowed for this notice: handing it directly to the tenant in person, or sending it by first-class mail to the tenant’s address at the rental property.¹ The landlord can do it or send an agent. Certified mail, posting on the door, email, and text message are not listed as acceptable methods for this particular notice.

The 14-day period starts on the date of delivery or mailing, not the date the tenant reads it. For personal delivery, the clock begins the day the notice is handed over. For first-class mail, it begins the day the letter is dropped in the mail. Keep the postal receipt as proof of the mailing date, and if delivering in person, document the date, time, and manner. A witness or a third-party delivery agent helps if the tenant later claims they never received it.

What Happens if the Tenant Pays

If the tenant pays the full amount listed on the notice within 14 days, the landlord cannot file an eviction based on those charges. The notice is satisfied and the process stops.¹

Partial payments are trickier. Under Minn. Stat. § 504B.291, a landlord and tenant can agree in writing that accepting a partial payment does not waive the landlord’s right to continue with the eviction. Without that written agreement, accepting partial rent creates ambiguity that can work against the landlord in court.³

Filing the Eviction After 14 Days

Once 14 days pass without full payment or the tenant moving out, the landlord can file an eviction action in the county district court. The filing includes a summons and complaint, with a filing fee currently at $322.⁴ The court will schedule an initial hearing, typically within seven to 14 days of filing.

The summons and complaint must be served on the tenant at least seven days before the court date, and someone other than the landlord has to handle that service.⁵ That is a separate service step from delivering the 14-day notice, and it has its own rules.

The Tenant Can Still Pay After Filing

Minnesota gives tenants a generous safety net even after the case is filed. At any point before physical possession is returned to the landlord, the tenant can redeem the tenancy by paying the full amount of back rent plus interest, court costs, and an attorney’s fee capped at $5.³ Redemption restores the tenant to full possession as if the eviction never happened.

The tenant can also redeem using a written guarantee from a government agency or a tax-exempt organization that administers rental assistance, provided the organization has sufficient funds and commits to paying the landlord.³ Many tenants qualify for emergency rental assistance and can use it even after a judgment.

If a tenant can cover the back rent but not the interest, costs, and attorney’s fee, the court can give the tenant extra time to pay those remaining amounts and still be restored to possession. Redemption is not available, though, if the landlord has also alleged a material lease violation under § 504B.285, Subd. 5, alongside the nonpayment claim.

Defenses That Can Sink the Case

The hearing is not a rubber stamp. A defective notice is the most common defense. If the 14-day notice was missing any required element, used the wrong delivery method, or miscalculated the amount owed, the court can dismiss the case and force the landlord to start over.

Retaliation is another recognized defense. If the tenant recently complained to a government authority about health, safety, or building code violations, the law presumes the eviction is retaliatory when filed within 90 days of the complaint. During that window, the landlord has to prove the eviction is legitimate.⁶

An eviction also cannot proceed if the tenant failed to pay utility charges during the cold weather period, or if the tenant or a household member is experiencing a medical emergency that requires electricity-dependent life-sustaining equipment.⁶

Tenants who can produce copies of money orders or original receipt stubs showing they paid rent get a rebuttable presumption that the rent was paid, as long as the amounts and dates line up. The landlord can overcome that by producing business records showing no payment was received.³

Active-Duty Servicemembers

If the tenant is on active military duty, federal law adds another layer. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, a landlord generally cannot evict an active-duty servicemember or their dependents without a court order when the monthly rent falls below a threshold that adjusts annually for inflation.⁷ For 2026, that threshold is approximately $10,240 per month, which covers virtually all residential rentals in Minnesota. The court can stay the proceedings for up to 90 days, or longer if the servicemember’s duties materially affect their ability to appear or pay rent. Landlords who evict a servicemember without court approval face serious penalties under federal law.

1
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 504B.321 – Complaint and Summons
2
Minnesota Attorney General. Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities – Other Important Laws
3
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 504B.291 – Eviction Action for Nonpayment; Redemption; Other Rights
4
Minnesota Judicial Branch. Fees – Hennepin County District Court
5
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Code 504B.332 – Summons and Complaint; How Served
6
Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 504B – Landlord and Tenant
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 50 USC 3951 – Evictions and Distress