Key Takeaways
- Minneapolis charges $7,228.70 a year: After two years, a registered house can move to citations of up to $2,000 a month.
- The Minneapolis fee follows the house: The buyer inherits unpaid fees, so the balance is usually settled at closing.
- St. Paul uses three categories: Fees run $2,705 or $5,410. Category II needs City approval to sell, and Category III needs a code certificate first.
- Winter raises the stakes: Minnesota's standard fire policy suspends coverage after 60 straight days of vacancy unless the policy says otherwise.
- A cash sale can stop the bills: The TISH report or sale review still happens, but the carrying costs can end at closing.
Selling a vacant house in Minneapolis or St. Paul starts with one question: has the City registered it as a vacant building? If it has, a yearly fee is running and the sale has extra steps. If it has not, one Minnesota winter can change that.
Maybe the house belonged to a parent, or a tenant left, or a repair stalled. Either way, you are paying for a house nobody lives in. This guide covers what each city's program does to a sale and how to end the carrying costs.
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Let's chatMinneapolis Vacant Building Registration: The Fee and the Two-Year Limit
A Minneapolis house registered as a vacant building owes $7,228.70 a year and can stay in the program for up to two years (City of Minneapolis, September 2026). After that, the fee gives way to monthly citations.
What puts a house on the list
The ordinance (Minneapolis Code § 249.80) covers a building that is:
- Condemned
- Unoccupied and unsecured for 5 days
- Unoccupied and boarded, or cited for multiple code violations, for 30 days
- Unoccupied for over a year with a nuisance order
- Unable to get a certificate of occupancy after permits expire or work stops for 180 days
An heir who boards up a parent's house for a month can trigger registration without meaning to.
The fee and the two-year limit
The fee is due at registration and on each anniversary. It rose from $7,087 on June 1, 2025. That works out to about $602 a month (illustrative arithmetic), before taxes, insurance, or utilities. Unpaid fees become special assessments on the tax bill at 8% a year (§ 249.80).
A July 2024 ordinance change capped registration at two years. After that, the house moves to Prolonged Vacancy Enforcement. Owners stop paying the fee but "may receive a monthly citation of up to $2,000 until the property no longer qualifies as vacant," the City says. An owner making substantial repair progress can apply for a one-year extension.
How Do You Sell a Registered Vacant Building in Minneapolis?
You can sell a registered vacant building in Minneapolis as-is, but unpaid fees and the City's rehab plan pass to the buyer. The sale also needs a Truth in Sale of Housing (TISH) report, or code compliance documents for a condemned house.
Does the fee follow the house?
Yes, the fee follows the house. The new owner is "responsible for all unpaid and subsequent annual fees" and must re-register within 30 days of the transfer (§ 249.80). The City also withholds building permits, other than demolition, until the fees are paid. Title work usually finds the balance, and it is typically paid from your proceeds or reflected in the price.
TISH on a vacant house
A vacant house is not exempt from TISH. The City lists "Sale by owner" and "Other title transfer" among the sales that need a report, so a direct cash sale needs one too (City of Minneapolis, September 2026). Required repairs on the report pass to the buyer, who must finish them within 90 days of closing.
A condemned house works differently. The owner provides a code compliance certificate or the City's code compliance orders instead, and the house may then be sold "as is" (Minneapolis Code ch. 248).
St. Paul Vacant Building Registration: Categories I, II, and III
St. Paul vacant building registration covers unoccupied buildings that are unsecured, dangerous, condemned, cited for multiple code violations, or empty for over a year. The annual fee is $2,705 or $5,410, depending on the category (City of Saint Paul, June 2025).
The owner files a registration form within 30 days, with a plan to rehab or demolish (City of Saint Paul, September 2026). A fee still unpaid 45 days after its due date goes onto the tax bill. The rates since June 16, 2025:
- $2,705 a year: Category I, and the first year of Category II
- $5,410 a year: Category II renewals, and Category III
Where St. Paul's vacant buildings are
The City's list, updated September 23, 2026, holds 409 registered vacant buildings (City of Saint Paul, September 2026). Of those, 291 are Category II, 101 are Category I, and 15 are Category III. Most sit in ZIP codes 55106, 55104, 55130, and 55103, which cover the East Side, Dayton's Bluff, Payne-Phalen, and Frogtown.
How Does the St. Paul Category II Sale Review Work?
A Category II vacant building in St. Paul cannot be sold until the City approves the buyer's application. The application carries a $324 fee and a package showing the buyer can finish the repairs (City of Saint Paul, June 2025). The City asks for:
- The Application for Sale Approval and the $324 fee
- Current fees, or a settlement statement line paying them at closing
- A code compliance inspection report no more than one year old
- A state-licensed general contractor's estimate covering building, electrical, plumbing, and heating
- A signed buyer timeline for the work
- The purchase agreement and proof of funds to buy and repair
The buyer also agrees that nobody will occupy the house until all code corrections are made.
Category III and Category I
Category III is stricter: "No sale without a Certificate of Code Compliance or Certificate of Occupancy." The repairs come first. Category I is lighter: pay the fees, notify the City of the new owner, restore utilities, and get a TISH report. The St. Paul TISH page confirms that Categories II and III use a code compliance inspection instead of TISH.
After more than a year of registration, a building's legal nonconforming status must be re-established, or the building converted to a conforming use (City of Saint Paul, June 2025). A long-vacant duplex can lose its second unit.
Minneapolis vs St. Paul Vacant Building Rules
Minneapolis charges more and adds citations after two years, while St. Paul charges less but controls the sale itself.
| Rule | Minneapolis | St. Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Registration trigger | Condemned; unsecured 5 days; boarded or cited 30 days | Unsecured, dangerous, condemned, cited, or empty over a year |
| Annual fee | $7,228.70 | $2,705 or $5,410 |
| Time limit and penalties | Two years, then citations up to $2,000 a month | No cap; fee doubles after year one of Category II |
| What a sale requires | Buyer takes unpaid fees, re-registers in 30 days | Category II: City approval; Category III: code certificate |
| TISH | Required; condemned houses use code compliance | Category I only; II and III use code compliance |
Winter, Insurance, and Utilities in an Empty House
An empty Minnesota house faces its biggest risks from October through April: frozen pipes, suspended insurance, and a shutoff rule that does not protect it.
Frozen pipes and winterization
Either the heat stays on and someone checks often, or a professional winterizes the house: water off, lines blown out, antifreeze in the traps. Minneapolis requires condemned houses to be winterized and can bill the tax roll if the owner does not. St. Paul's Butler Ordinance (Legislative Code § 43.03) requires gas and water shutoff in registered vacant buildings.
The vacancy clause in your insurance
Minnesota's standard fire policy excludes loss while the premises are "vacant or unoccupied beyond a period of 60 consecutive days," unless the policy says otherwise in writing (Minn. Stat. § 65A.01). Many homeowners policies carry a similar clause, and terms vary. Tell your insurer the house is empty and ask about a vacancy endorsement.
Coverage is already costly. The average Minnesota premium reached $3,530 at the end of 2025, after a 34% rise that year (Insurify, March 2026).
Utility shutoffs and the Cold Weather Rule
The Cold Weather Rule runs October 1 through April 30, but it protects heating service at a "primary residence" (Minn. Stat. § 216B.096). A vacant house is not one. If a utility confirms a dwelling is unoccupied, it can disconnect ten working days after mailing notice.
Which Costs and Clocks Run While the House Sits Empty?
A vacant house keeps generating property taxes, insurance, utilities, and snow removal on top of the city fee. In St. Paul, the fee alone is about $225 or $451 a month (illustrative arithmetic). Minneapolis also requires sidewalks at houses to be cleared within 24 hours after snow, and it can add the City's bill to your taxes (City of Minneapolis, September 2026).
Losing the homestead
The homestead market value exclusion lowers the taxable value of an owner-occupied house (Minn. Stat. § 273.13). Once no qualifying owner lives there, the house can lose it. An heir can face a higher bill than the late owner paid.
Tax forfeiture and foreclosure clocks
An owner behind on property taxes usually has three years after the tax judgment sale to pay (Minn. Stat. § 281.17). For abandoned premises, a city or county can sue to cut that to five weeks (Minn. Stat. § 281.173). The evidence includes boarded windows, terminated utilities, and accumulated debris. Our guide to Minnesota tax forfeiture covers the full timeline.
Mortgage foreclosure has a parallel rule. For an abandoned house at least 60 days in default, a court can cut the usual six-month redemption period to five weeks (Minn. Stat. § 582.032). A vacant house in default can move faster than its owner expects.
Selling a Vacant House in Minneapolis or St. Paul for Cash
A cash sale can end the fees, the insurance gap, and the winter risk in one closing, once the City paperwork for that house is in place.
What a cash buyer needs
- Title work showing unpaid fees, special assessments, liens, and back taxes
- Minneapolis: a TISH report, or code compliance documents if condemned
- St. Paul: a TISH report (Category I), the sale review (Category II), or a code certificate (Category III)
- Access for the evaluator or code compliance inspector
Payoffs, liens, and back taxes come out of the proceeds. A Minnesota title company typically handles the closing.
How Propcash approaches a vacant house
Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer. We buy houses ourselves, as-is, and make one transparent, data-backed offer with the reasoning shown. No cleanout, no repairs, and no commission or fee to you.
On a registered vacant building, Propcash may buy the house in its current condition and take on the code work after closing. For a St. Paul Category II house, that means preparing the buyer's side of the sale review. The City decides whether to approve it, and no buyer can promise that outcome.
Cash sales can close in as few as 7 days on a clean file. A TISH evaluation, code compliance inspection, or sale review adds time, so the City often sets the earliest date. You pick the closing date from there.
See how we buy on our sell your house fast in Minneapolis and St. Paul cash home buyer pages, or read our vacant house selling guide. Telling us about the house to get a cash offer takes about two minutes. Statewide details are on our Minnesota cash home buyer page.
If the house is in good shape and you can carry it through a listing, an agent may net you more. Minneapolis listings took 53 days on market in August 2026 (Minneapolis Area Realtors, August 2026). The Propcash Promise: our offer stands, no aggressive follow-up, and if we are not the right buyer, we will say so.
Why wait? Sell your house “as is” for cash today
Tell us about your house. We'll make you a cash offer based on local market data.
Let's chatFrequently Asked Questions
Does the Minneapolis vacant building fee transfer to the buyer?
Yes, the Minneapolis vacant building fee transfers to the buyer. Minneapolis Code § 249.80 makes the new owner responsible for all unpaid and future annual fees, and the new owner must re-register within 30 days. Unpaid fees become special assessments, so title work usually finds them and they are typically paid at closing.
How much is St. Paul vacant building registration?
St. Paul vacant building registration costs $2,705 a year for Category I and first-year Category II buildings. It costs $5,410 a year for Category II renewals and Category III buildings. Fees unpaid 45 days after the due date are assessed to the tax bill.
Can I sell a Category II vacant building in St. Paul?
Yes, you can sell a Category II vacant building in St. Paul with City approval. The buyer files a $324 application with a code compliance report under one year old, a licensed contractor's estimate, a timeline, and proof of funds. Nobody can occupy the house until all code corrections are made.
Do I need a TISH report to sell a vacant house in Minneapolis or St. Paul?
Usually, yes, a vacant house sale in Minneapolis or St. Paul needs a Truth in Sale of Housing report. Minneapolis requires a Truth in Sale of Housing report for direct sales too, though a condemned house uses code compliance documents instead. In St. Paul, Category I vacant buildings need TISH, while Categories II and III need a code compliance inspection.
Does homeowners insurance cover a vacant house in Minnesota?
Often not in full, because a standard policy limits coverage once a house sits empty for long. Minnesota's standard fire policy excludes loss after a house has been vacant for more than 60 consecutive days, unless the policy says otherwise in writing. Tell your insurer the house is empty and ask about a vacancy endorsement.
How fast can I sell a vacant house in Minneapolis or St. Paul?
A cash sale can close in as few as 7 days when the title is clean and the City paperwork is ready. A TISH evaluation, code compliance inspection, or St. Paul sale review adds time. In those cases the City's review often sets the earliest closing date.
Sources: City of Minneapolis and City of Saint Paul program pages; Minneapolis Code chapters 248 and 249; Minnesota Statutes; Insurify; Minneapolis Area Realtors. Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer, not a law firm.