Rules by state
Minnesota
Minnesota does not use one statewide resale inspection or resale certificate-of-occupancy system for ordinary home sales. Instead, local ordinances create city-by-city requirements such as Truth-in-Housing or point-of-sale sewer inspections, while state law separately requires disclosures about material defects, wells, and septic systems. ([revisor.mn.gov](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/513.55?utm_source=openai))
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State law
- Minnesota law requires seller disclosures for material facts, wells, and septic systems; it does not impose a statewide septic compliance inspection at sale, and it allows cities with waterworks or sewerage systems to adopt local plumbing inspection ordinances that do not conflict with the state plumbing code. ([revisor.mn.gov](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/513.55?utm_source=openai))
Official resources in Minnesota
Explains Minnesota seller disclosures and notes that some Minnesota cities require a Truth-In-Housing or code-compliance report. ([ag.state.mn.us](https://ag.state.mn.us/consumer/Handbooks/HMSellers/default.asp?utm_source=openai))
Explains septic disclosure at sale and states Minnesota does not require a statewide septic compliance inspection before transfer, though many local ordinances do. ([pca.state.mn.us](https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/wq-wwists6-11.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Shows the statewide well-disclosure process used at purchase agreement and closing. ([web.health.state.mn.us](https://www.web.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/wells/disclosures/welldisclosure.html?utm_source=openai))
Official Minneapolis resale-inspection page covering when a TISH report is required and when a certificate of occupancy can substitute. ([minneapolismn.gov](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/resident-services/property-housing/buying-selling/tish/?utm_source=openai))
Official Austin page for its sewer-service and sump-pump point-of-sale inspection program effective March 1, 2026. ([ci.austin.mn.us](https://www.ci.austin.mn.us/point-of-sale-requirements?utm_source=openai))
Key facts for Minnesota
- The Minnesota AG says some Minnesota cities require a Truth-In-Housing or code-compliance report when a home is sold. ([ag.state.mn.us](https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Consumer/Handbooks/HmSellers/CH5.asp?utm_source=openai))
- Minneapolis requires a TISH evaluation before many sales; a city certificate of occupancy for new construction is valid for one sale. ([minneapolismn.gov](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/resident-services/property-housing/buying-selling/tish/?utm_source=openai))
- In Minneapolis, buyers may assume TISH repairs by signing an Acknowledgement of Responsibility; the city form says repairs are due within 90 days after closing. ([minneapolismn.gov](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/resident-services/property-housing/buying-selling/tish/acknowledgement-of-responsibility/?utm_source=openai))
- Minneapolis’ buyer-assumption form says buyers may wish to set up an escrow at closing to help ensure repair funds are available. ([minneapolismn.gov](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/media/-www-content-assets/documents/acknowledgment.pdf?utm_source=openai))
- Adams requires point-of-sale sewer certification for property on city sanitary sewer; defects must be disclosed before closing, with escrow proof if repairs are needed. ([adamsmn.com](https://www.adamsmn.com/uploads/1/2/3/6/12365068/point_of_sale_ordinance_190.pdf?utm_source=openai))
- Austin’s point-of-sale sewer/sump inspection program applies at property transfer beginning March 1, 2026; failed sewer service inspections get six months for repairs. ([ci.austin.mn.us](https://www.ci.austin.mn.us/point-of-sale-requirements?utm_source=openai))
Cities with sale-triggered rules in Minnesota
| City | program | type | fee | valid | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Mower | Point of Sale Inflow/Infiltration Compliance | inflow/infiltration | $150-300 to televise sewer connection | — | Before a sale, the seller must arrange a sewer service line inspection, submit it to the City for review, and disclose any prior City-issued corrective notices. |
| Bloomington Hennepin | Time-of-Sale (TOS) Housing Inspection Program | evaluation (TISH) | $250 plus service charge fee | 1 year; valid only for the owner named on the report | If the seller will not correct immediate hazards, the buyer may assume them only with written consent from the City of Bloomington. |
| Golden Valley Hennepin | Inflow & Infiltration (I/I) Compliance | inflow/infiltration | $250 residential | If the certificate is more than 1 year old, a sump-pump inspection is required before sale | Cross connections such as sump pumps to the sanitary sewer must be fixed before a home can be sold in Golden Valley. |
| Maplewood Ramsey | Truth-in-Sale of Housing | evaluation (TISH) | — | 1 year or one owner | The evaluation is for disclosure purposes only and the sale is not contingent on the listed report deficiencies. |
| Minneapolis Hennepin | Truth in Sale of Housing (TISH) | evaluation (TISH) | — | 2 years or one sale | If required repairs are not completed before closing, the buyer must sign an acknowledgment and complete the repairs within 90 days of closing. |
| New Hope Hennepin | Point of Sale Inspection | interior+exterior | — | — | If the seller cannot make the repairs, the buyer may purchase the property as-is with escrow and must complete the work within 90 days of closing. |
| Richfield Hennepin | Point of Sale Housing Inspection Program | interior+exterior | $190 single-family; $270 two-family; $140 condominium | — | The inspection must be completed prior to title transfer, and if repairs are needed they must be completed and re-inspected before closing unless the buyer assumes responsibility under the city’s conditions. |
| Saint Paul Ramsey | Truth-in-Sale of Housing (TISH) | evaluation (TISH) | — | 1 year (365 days), one sale | A TISH disclosure report must be available for viewing by any potential buyer within three calendar days of listing the property for sale. |
| South St. Paul Dakota | Time of Sale | evaluation (TISH) | $35 filing fee | — | The city requires repairs of items marked as hazardous to obtain a Time of Sale certificate. |
| St. Louis Park Hennepin | Property Maintenance Inspection | interior+exterior | $360 single-family/townhouse; $460 duplex; $250 condo | 1 year for single-family/townhome/duplex; 2 years for condo | Buyers may use a temporary property maintenance certificate with escrow and complete the required work within 90 days from closing. |
| Vernon Center Blue Earth | Property Sales-Water & Sewer Inspection | sewer lateral | — | — | Whenever you sell property with city water and sewer utilities, a point of sale inspection must be performed and reported to the City before closing. |
What to do next
- Ask your city building, inspections, or public works office first; Minnesota resale inspection rules are highly local, not statewide. ([mn.gov](https://mn.gov/law-library/legal-topics/ordinances.jsp?utm_source=openai))
- If the property has a private well or septic system, complete the state disclosure forms before signing and verify whether local septic inspection rules also apply. ([web.health.state.mn.us](https://www.web.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/wells/disclosures/welldisclosure.html?utm_source=openai))
- If a city report finds repairs, review whether the ordinance allows buyer assumption, escrow at closing, or a post-closing correction window before scheduling closing. ([minneapolismn.gov](https://www.minneapolismn.gov/media/-www-content-assets/documents/acknowledgment.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Helpful guides
- What is a point-of-sale inspection?
- Point-of-sale inspection vs. a buyer's home inspection
- Minnesota Truth-in-Sale-of-Housing (TISH) evaluations explained
- Ohio point-of-sale inspections: how the Cleveland-area programs work