Landlord-Tenant Law in Clearwater County, Minnesota
Clearwater County is one of Minnesota’s most remote and sparsely populated counties, with approximately 8,600 residents spread across nearly 1,000 square miles of boreal forest, wetlands, and agricultural land in northwestern Minnesota. The county seat of Bagley — a small city of roughly 1,300 residents — is both the commercial center and governmental hub for a county whose economy rests on a combination of timber, agriculture, and county government. Bagley and the smaller communities of Shevlin, Gonvick, and Leonard provide minimal rental inventory for a tenant pool drawn almost exclusively from county government, school district, healthcare, and agricultural service employment. Clearwater County is among the least active residential rental markets in the state — vacancy risk is the dominant landlord concern, and tenant pools are exceptionally thin. The county’s remote character is compounded by its geographic position on the eastern edge of the Red Lake Band’s territory and within the White Earth Nation’s reservation boundaries, creating meaningful tribal land jurisdiction considerations that any landlord in the county must understand.
All residential landlord-tenant matters on fee land in Clearwater County are governed by Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B. Eviction actions on fee land are filed at the Clearwater County District Court in Bagley. Minnesota has no statewide rent control and no just-cause eviction requirement. No Clearwater County municipality has enacted a local rent stabilization ordinance. Critical tribal jurisdiction note: Clearwater County contains overlapping reservation lands of both the White Earth Nation and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa. White Earth Nation trust land parcels are subject to White Earth tribal court jurisdiction. Red Lake Reservation trust land is subject to Red Lake tribal court jurisdiction — and Red Lake is a closed reservation where state court authority does not extend. Landlords with properties on or adjacent to trust lands of either nation must independently verify parcel status before filing any action in state court.
Bagley (~1,300), Shevlin (~300), Gonvick (~280), Leonard (~300)
Median Rent
~$500–$700
Major Economy
Timber, agriculture, county government, healthcare, White Earth & Red Lake tribal employment
Rent Control
None (no statewide or local ordinance)
Landlord Rating
5/10 — extremely thin market, dual tribal jurisdiction complexity, among lowest rents in MN
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
14-Day Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
Reasonable time to cure
No-Cause (Month-to-Month)
One full rental period written notice (≥30 days)
Court
Clearwater County District Court, Bagley
Process Name
Eviction (Unlawful Detainer)
Post-Judgment Move-Out
As ordered by court; writ issued after judgment
Avg Timeline
3–6 weeks (uncontested; fee land only)
Clearwater County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Minnesota state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No county-wide rental registration or landlord licensing in Clearwater County. No municipality within the county has enacted a mandatory rental inspection or licensing program. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. Pre-1978 properties require federal lead paint disclosure under 42 U.S.C. §4852d. Given the county’s very low housing stock turnover, many properties may be pre-1978 construction.
Rent Control
None. No Clearwater County municipality has enacted rent stabilization. Minnesota has no statewide rent control statute. Rents in Clearwater County are among the lowest in the state, reflecting the thin market and modest income base. No regulatory constraint applies.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap in Minnesota. Minn. Stat. §504B.178 requires return within 21 days after tenancy ends and landlord receives tenant’s forwarding address, whichever is later. Itemized written statement required for any deductions. Interest must be paid annually at the rate set by the MN Dept. of Commerce. Wrongful withholding: up to 2× damages plus attorney’s fees.
Landlord Entry
Minimum 24 hours’ advance notice for non-emergency entry under Minn. Stat. §504B.195. Emergency entry permitted without notice. Entry must be at reasonable times only.
White Earth Nation, Red Lake Reservation & Clearwater County’s Dual Tribal Overlap
Clearwater County is one of the few Minnesota counties where two distinct tribal reservation territories overlap — a jurisdictional reality that requires careful attention from any landlord operating here. The White Earth Nation reservation extends into Clearwater County from the south and east, covering portions of the county’s landscape alongside Becker and Mahnomen counties. White Earth Nation trust land parcels within Clearwater County are subject to White Earth tribal court jurisdiction; fee land within the White Earth Reservation boundary is generally subject to state court. Separately, the Red Lake Reservation extends into the northern portions of Clearwater County. Red Lake Nation is a closed reservation — it retained its entire land base through allotment, meaning all lands within the Red Lake Reservation boundary are tribal trust land and state court has no jurisdiction whatsoever over them. Any rental property within the Red Lake Reservation footprint in northern Clearwater County must be handled through Red Lake tribal court exclusively. Outside these reservation boundaries, on unambiguous fee land, Minnesota Ch. 504B governs entirely. The practical takeaway: any landlord in Clearwater County should verify parcel trust/fee/reservation status before acquiring any property and before filing any legal action. Clearwater County property tax records, the county assessor, the White Earth or Red Lake land departments, or a licensed Minnesota attorney familiar with federal Indian law can assist with verification. Bagley and the county’s other small communities outside the reservation boundaries sit on fee land where state law applies without complication.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Clearwater County municipalities operating under state law. Month-to-month tenancies on fee land may be terminated with one full rental period’s written notice (§504B.135). Minneapolis’ just-cause ordinance has no application here. Properties on White Earth or Red Lake trust land are subject to the respective tribal courts’ rules.
Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Clearwater County
⚡ Quick Overview
14
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
Varies - reasonable cure period; immediate for illegal activity
Days Notice (Violation)
21-90
Avg Total Days
$$285-320
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type14-Day Notice to Pay or Quit
Notice Period14 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes - tenant can pay all rent within 14 days to stop eviction
Days to Hearing7-14 days
Days to WritImmediate after judgment (24 hours to vacate) days
Total Estimated Timeline21-90 days
Total Estimated Cost$400-800
⚠️ Watch Out
CRITICAL (2024): 14-day notice must include specific accounting of total due (rent; late fees; other charges); landlord contact info; statement that tenant has right to seek legal help and emergency rental assistance; information about financial/legal resources. Court MUST dismiss and expunge case if notice is deficient. Tenant can 'redeem tenancy' by paying all rent owed plus court costs before sheriff executes writ. Eviction records sealed from public until final judgment entered. For leases over 20 years: 30-day notice required. 2025 change: landlord must also send court papers electronically if regularly communicates with tenant electronically.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the District Court or Housing Court (Hennepin/Ramsey Counties). Pay the filing fee (~$$285-320).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Minnesota eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Minnesota attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Bagley (county seat), Shevlin, Gonvick, Leonard. Remote NW Minnesota. White Earth Nation and Red Lake Reservation both overlap county — Red Lake is closed reservation (no state court jurisdiction on trust land); verify all parcel status before filing. Extremely thin rental market. No rent control, 14-day pay or vacate, no just-cause eviction.
Clearwater County
Screen Before You Sign
County government, school district, and healthcare employees in Bagley are your most stable tenant profiles. Agricultural service workers and timber industry employees round out the pool. Vacancy risk is high in this thin market — front-load screening with income verification at 3× rent and Minnesota court records check. Verify parcel trust/fee/reservation status before any legal action.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Clearwater County, Minnesota
Clearwater County presents one of the most distinctive operating environments in Minnesota for landlords — not because of regulatory complexity, but because of its combination of extreme thinness as a rental market and genuine jurisdictional complexity from overlapping tribal reservation lands. With fewer than 9,000 residents across nearly 1,000 square miles, Clearwater County has one of the lowest population densities in the state, almost no rental housing inventory outside Bagley, and a dual tribal jurisdiction landscape involving both the White Earth Nation and Red Lake Nation. Understanding this county requires understanding both its limitations as a market and its legal complexities as a jurisdiction.
Bagley: The County’s Sole Market
The county seat of Bagley is the only community in Clearwater County with any meaningful rental inventory. With roughly 1,300 residents, Bagley provides the county’s healthcare, retail, and county government services and is the hub for a wide radius of rural agricultural and forested land. The Clearwater County Social Services and Public Health departments, the county road department, the Bagley school district, and the Clearwater-Polk Electric Cooperative employ the county’s most stable workforce. A small clinic or critical access hospital-affiliated facility provides healthcare employment. This is the entirety of the stable rental demand base. Vacancies in Bagley can take weeks or months to fill, and the total number of rental units in the county can be counted in the dozens rather than hundreds. For landlords, this means tenant retention is paramount — a good tenant who pays reliably and maintains the property is far more valuable than the theoretical right to raise rent aggressively.
White Earth Nation: Reservation Overlap in Southern Clearwater County
The White Earth Nation reservation — the largest Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota by enrolled membership — extends from its headquarters in Mahnomen County into portions of Clearwater County (as well as Becker County). White Earth’s reservation contains a mix of tribal trust land and fee land resulting from allotment under the Dawes Act. Trust land parcels within the White Earth Reservation footprint in Clearwater County are subject to White Earth tribal court jurisdiction; fee land parcels are generally subject to Minnesota state court. For landlords, the practical implication is straightforward: verify the trust/fee status of any parcel before acquiring or taking legal action. Fee land in and around Bagley and other established communities is generally free from tribal jurisdictional complications, but properties in more rural areas within the reservation boundary require verification.
Red Lake Nation: The Closed Reservation in Northern Clearwater County
The northern portion of Clearwater County falls within the Red Lake Reservation footprint. As discussed at length in other northern Minnesota county pages, Red Lake Nation is a closed reservation — it retained its entire land base and did not undergo allotment. This means every acre within the Red Lake Reservation boundary is tribal trust land, and Minnesota state court has no jurisdiction whatsoever over those lands. Any rental property in the northern portions of Clearwater County that fall within Red Lake Reservation boundaries must be handled entirely through Red Lake tribal court. There is no fee/trust land distinction to navigate on Red Lake land — it is all trust land. Landlords with properties in the northern parts of the county must verify whether their specific parcel is within the Red Lake Reservation boundary before taking any legal action.
Fee Land Operations: State Law Applies Cleanly
For the majority of rental properties in Clearwater County — those on fee land in and around Bagley and in rural areas outside both reservation boundaries — Minnesota Ch. 504B governs exclusively. The eviction process runs through Clearwater County District Court in Bagley. The standard notice requirements apply: 14-Day Pay or Vacate for nonpayment, reasonable time to cure for lease violations, one full rental period written notice for no-cause month-to-month termination. Security deposits must be returned within 21 days with interest and an itemized statement. Entry requires 24 hours’ advance notice. Heat must be maintained at 68°F from October 1 through April 30 — in Clearwater County’s severe northwestern Minnesota climate, this is an essential operational compliance item. Self-help eviction is illegal and exposes landlords to civil penalties of up to $500 per day plus misdemeanor liability.
Clearwater County landlord-tenant matters on fee land are governed by Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B. Nonpayment notice: 14-Day Pay or Vacate (§504B.285). Lease violation: reasonable time to cure. No-cause termination: one full rental period written notice (§504B.135). Security deposit return: 21 days; up to 2× damages for wrongful retention plus attorney’s fees (§504B.178). Security deposit interest required annually at MN Dept. of Commerce rate. Landlord entry: 24 hours’ advance notice required (§504B.195). Minimum heat: 68°F, Oct. 1–Apr. 30. No rent control. No just-cause eviction requirement. Eviction actions on fee land filed at Clearwater County District Court, Bagley. Self-help eviction: illegal, up to $500/day civil penalty + misdemeanor (§504B.375). White Earth Nation trust land: White Earth tribal court jurisdiction; fee land generally subject to state court. Red Lake Reservation in northern county: closed reservation — all land is trust land, no state court jurisdiction. Verify parcel status independently before any legal action. Minneapolis just-cause ordinance does not apply. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Clearwater County, Minnesota and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Minnesota attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
