Do Minneapolis rental licenses count bed rooms in the unit?

Question

It seems the definition of a bed room in Minneapolis is 7 feet in any direction. MANY listings count rooms as bed rooms that clearly do not align with this definition. Do rental licenses note how many legal bedrooms are in the unit? Trying to make my math work within the letter of the law! What have been your experiences? What are good resources to research this topic further?

James Hamling · Answer

@Jennifer Cogley not to contradict @Tim Swierczek but yes, there is a factoring for bedrooms with Mpls rental license. The factoring is with the rental license inspections and license issuance, that they will require persons ONLY use legal "sleeping rooms" (bedrooms) for such use. If they come out, see a room in basement that does not have egress and there is a bed or even a couch with evidence someone is using it as a sleeping room, they will order corrections and that it not be used as such.

I will add that your thought on what defines a bedroom in Mpls is not correct, and I suggest you review the city information for landlords as it details what requirements must be meet to be considered a legal bedroom by rental license standards.

And as FYI Sec8 has a different standard for whats required to meet standards for being a bedroom.

Arguably the #1 mistake I see newer investors make is thinking the "room-in-a-room" won't be of issue, it will be. Egress is a close 2nd.

Tim Swierczek · Answer

@Jennifer Cogley I defer to @James Hamling on this point. Jame is a very experienced property manager and I'm sure he has clients and even renters that push the limits. We only manage our own properties and don't illegally rent bedrooms so I have not encountered any corrective measure for this issue but I"m sure he is correct. That being said, you will not have a number of bedrooms listed on your license or be charged for the number of bedrooms.

John Woodrich · Answer

Here is a listing from Mpls' webpage, a bedroom must be 70 square feet: https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/business-services/licenses-permits/construction-permits-certificates/building-requirements/habitable-room-definitions/

The definition doesn't list 7 feet but anything under 7 feet would probably be looked at as a closet by most people looking to live there.

Bruce Runn · Answer

@Jennifer Cogley-a legal bedroom has to be at least 7'x10' of unobstructed space especially for section 8 ect. You can be smaller for market rate people but that is the definition in the code.

Jennifer Cogley · Answer

Thanks, all. Helpful to have the enabling legislation to review as well. No one likes a tiny bedroom ... and yet there seem to be quite a few of them out there!

John Woodrich · Answer

Looks like the ceiling height was too short for the bedroom. Believe the link I posted also discusses ceiling height requirements.

Rohit Kumar · Answer

I recently came across a TISH for a Minneapolis duplex which listed this.

Jennifer Cogley · Answer

Tim, Thanks so much ... since I have also been researching Section 8, I thought the parameters might be similar. Back to the hunt!

Tim Swierczek · Answer

@Jennifer Cogley Minneapolis rental licenses do not list or factor the number of bedrooms.

Do Minneapolis rental licenses count bed rooms in the unit?

Do Minneapolis rental licenses count bed rooms in the unit?

Most Popular Reply

9 Replies