Rental License

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

License fee (effective September 21, 2010)

Buildings with 3 or more units and duplexes

$50 per building + $7.50 per unit

Single family units (including individually owned condos or townhouses)

$50 per unit

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

Applying for a rental license

Return your completed rental license application with the appropriate fee to the City of Hopkins. If you meet the following requirements, the City will grant your license and issue you a license receipt, which should be kept for your records.

Pre-rental inspection

An inspection is required in order to obtain a new rental license.  Once you’ve applied and paid for the rental license, contact Mark Lucht, Housing Inspector, at 952-548-6328 to schedule an inspection.  The Inspection fee schedule and rating system is the same as that of the routine rental inspection.

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.

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) or equivalent that prohibits the disorderly behavior identified in City Code Section 407.13.

Downloads

  • Rental License Application
  • Return with appropriate fee to:
    Inspections Department
    Hopkins City Hall
    1010 1st St S
    Hopkins, MN 55343

Contacts

  • Inspections & Fire Secretary

    952-548-6320
    Fax: 952-935-1834
Hopkins Village Apartments

See Rental Property Management for more information for owners and managers of rental property in Hopkins.

Rental Property Inspections

Licensed rental properties in the City of Hopkins are subject to a rental property inspection a minimum of every three years.

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.