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The City of Hopkins requires an annual license for all premises rented in whole or in part as a dwelling unit (City Code Section 407). This includes:

  • all apartment complexes
  • single family homes
  • condominiums
  • townhomes
  • double bungalows
  • rooming units
  • owner occupied double bungalows

Applying for the Rental License

Rental licenses expire annually on October 31. Rental licenses must be renewed before October 31 of each year. License fees are doubled when an application is received more than 30 days after it is due.

Return the completed license card Acrobat Document with the appropriate fee to the City of Hopkins (1010 1st St S, Hopkins, MN 55343). If you meet the requirements, the City will grant your license and issue you a license receipt, which should be kept for your records.

Annual License Fees (effective for license period beginning October 31, 2008)

  • Buildings with 3 or more units and duplexes : $35 per building + $5 per unit
  • Single family units, including individually owned condos or townhouses: $35 per unit

Requirements for the Rental License

Criminal Background Check

Any rental licensee in the City of Hopkins must conduct criminal background checks on all prospective tenants. The criminal background check must include the following:

  1. A statewide (Minnesota) criminal history check of all prospective tenants covering at least three years. The check must be done utilizing the most recent update of the state criminal history files.
  2. A statewide criminal history check from the prospective tenant’s previous state of residence, if available, if the tenant is moving directly from the previous state.
  3. A criminal history check of any prospective tenant in their previous states of residence, if available, covering the last three years if they have not resided in Minnesota for three years or longer.
  4. A criminal history check of any prospective tenant must be conducted in all seven counties in the metro Twin Cities area (Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Scott and Washington) covering at least the last three years including all misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony convictions.

Learn more about applicant screening »

Disorderly Behavior Lease Provisions

All tenant leases must contain crime-free drug-free provisions (view example of a Crime-Free Drug-Free Housing Lease Addendum Acrobat Document) or equivalent that prohibits the disorderly behavior identified in City Code Section 407.13.  These lease provisions must be incorporated into every new lease for a tenancy beginning February 14, 2008 and all renewed leases by January 1, 2009.

Rental Property Inspections

Inspection Point System

The City of Hopkins has put in place an inspections point system program to help identify substandard dwellings (as defined in City Code Section 407.10) and to classify dwellings into three categories to determine how often a dwelling needs inspection. Deficiency points are associated with the severity of the deficiency as listed in the Rental Licensing Inspection Deficiency Point System Acrobat Document.

  • Category A: Properties with a deficiency point average of 4 or fewer points; will be inspected on approximately a three-year cycle. It is in everyone’s best interest to pass the initial inspection and score in the Category A range so another inspection will not be done for approximately three years.
  • Category B: Properties with an average of 5 to 10 points; will be inspected on approximately a two-year cycle.
  • Category C: Properties with an average of 11 or more points; will be inspected on approximately a one-year cycle.

The Inspection Process

Approximately thirty days prior to the rental inspection, property owners and/or management companies will be contacted by the City of Hopkins to schedule an inspection time. The City will send out the Rental Licensing Inspection Deficiency Point System Acrobat Document, along with a list of the most common repair orders (see below), so property owners, management companies, and tenants can prepare for the inspection. It is the goal of the City of Hopkins to have everyone prepared to pass the initial inspection.

What Will Be Inspected?

For a complete list of what is going to be inspected, download the Rental Licensing Inspection Deficiency Point System Acrobat Document. You may also want to view these lists:

Inspection Fees
  Cost/Building Cost/Dwelling Unit Inspected
Periodic Inspection Fee - Initial Inspection $65 $20
First Re-inspection $35 $5
Each Additional
Re-inspection		 Double the previous amount. Double the previous amount.
Final Compliance Inspection $0 $0
Inspection Fees—Condominiums
  Cost/Building Cost/Condo Unit Inspected
Periodic Inspection Fee - Initial Inspection Per Condominium $0 $45
First Re-Inspection $35 $35
Each Additional Re-Inspection $0 Double the previous amount.
Final Compliance Inspection $0 $0

Why is an annual rental license required?

The City of Hopkins believes that providing for the public health, safety and welfare of its citizens mandates the existence of a residential rental dwelling units license and maintenance program.

The Hopkins City Council approved the original program in 1995 (Ordinance No. 95-764) and amended it in January of 2008 (Ordinance No. 2008-994). See City Code Section 407: Rental Registration.

Additional Resources

Contact

For more information, contact at 952-548-6320.