Uncontested: 30–60 days ·
Contested: 60–150 days · Under Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant)
The Minnesota eviction process requires a court-ordered judgment before a landlord can remove a tenant. Timeline figures below begin after the pre-filing notice period expires and the landlord files the complaint with the court. Add 3–60+ days for the applicable pre-filing notice period (pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or no-fault) depending on the eviction reason.
Each row's day-label is the cumulative start of that stage on the worst-case clock.
Pre-filingNoticeFileCourtLockout
14–60d
1
Stage 1 · Gate
Serve the notice period required by your city
Day 1
Statewide 14 days; Minneapolis/Saint Louis Park/Brooklyn Center 30; Saint Paul 60 (30 starting 2027). Service by certified mail or hand-delivery.
1–3d
2
Stage 2 · Serve
File the eviction action
Day 61
Housing Court for Hennepin and Ramsey counties; District Court elsewhere. Filing fee $285-$355.
7–14d
3
Stage 3 · File
Service and 7-14 day hearing
Day 64
Sheriff or process server delivers summons. Hearing within 7-14 days.
0–7d
4
Stage 4 · Court
Hearing and judgment
Day 78
Bench trial. Common defenses: wrong notice period for the city, habitability, retaliation, missing rental license. Same-day judgment in uncontested cases.
5–14d
5
Stage 5 · Lockout
Writ of recovery and sheriff lockout (with redemption right)
Day 85
No statutory post-judgment grace period. Tenant may redeem the tenancy up to the moment the sheriff arrives by paying full arrears plus $5 attorney fee (Minn. Stat. § 504B.291(2)).
Day 99
✓
Possession recovered
Worst case · Day 99
Timelines begin at court filing, not notice service.
The Minnesota timelines above start when the landlord files the eviction complaint with the court.
Add pre-filing notice periods (3–60 days depending on eviction reason) to get the full end-to-end timeline.
Self-help eviction, changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities, is illegal in Minnesota and exposes the landlord to significant damages.
About this page. Researched and written by the NextGen Properties research team — the underwriters, asset managers, and acquisitions staff who have priced, bought, and operated rental property for more than two decades. Reviewed before publication by the NextGen Properties editorial desk. How we work: editorial guidelines · scoring methodology.
