Minnesota vacation rental tax guide

With a bounty of popular destinations including Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Lake Superior, the North Star State offers ample opportunity for short-term rental (STR) businesses.

But these opportunities come with tax obligations. Like hotel stays, STRs in Minnesota are subject to lodging taxes. Failure to comply with state and local tax laws can result in fines and penalties. Tax jurisdictions are increasingly making STR tax compliance a priority, so it’s important to address compliance before tax authorities address it for you.

Avalara MyLodgeTax put together this guide to help you comply with Minnesota lodging tax laws at the state level. Local jurisdictions may have their own lodging tax rules. For more information on the tax rates and jurisdictions that apply to your rental’s specific location, use our lodging tax lookup tool.

No lodging tax guide is a substitute for professional tax advice. Consider this an asset to help you understand and prioritize your lodging tax questions and concerns. Questions pertaining to specific situations or out-of-the-ordinary conditions are best solved with a certified tax professional familiar with Minnesota tax laws.

Lodging tax basics

Lodging tax is calculated as a percentage of the cost of your guest’s stay and added to the price on the bill. The guest pays the tax, but the STR operator is responsible for collecting the tax and paying it to the proper tax authority.

What’s the definition of “short-term rental” in Minnesota?

In Minnesota, lodging reservations of less than 30 days, or those lasting 30 days or more with no written lease agreement that requires the guest to give notice before ending the rental.

Who’s required to collect and file lodging taxes on short-term rentals in Minnesota?

If you collect payment from short-term guests renting out a room, apartment, house, or other dwelling, you’re likely responsible for collecting, filing, and remitting lodging taxes to Minnesota tax authorities. If you only rent your property out for short terms on an occasional basis or as an isolated incident, you’re not required to collect lodging taxes on those stays.

You’re not required to register with state tax authorities or collect lodging taxes if an accommodations intermediary such as Airbnb or Vrbo, collects and remits lodging taxes for all your rental transactions.

Location is key to compliance

The location of your rental is a crucial piece of information for lodging tax compliance. Your address determines which tax jurisdictions you’re required to report to, which taxes you need to collect, and the appropriate tax rates.

Use our lodging tax lookup tool to get a rate report specific to your Minnesota rental’s address. The report includes the estimated total tax rate to collect from guests, number of required registrations, number and frequency of returns per year, and minimum number of rented days to qualify as a taxable stay.

It should be noted that tax rates and the rules governing them change frequently. Please consider your tax rate report to be informative rather than authoritative.

Local short-term rental regulations

STR operators in Minnesota should be aware of the local regulations that apply to them, including rules covering:

• Legality
• Permits, licenses, and registration
• Zoning
• Advertising
• Neighborhood notification
• Building and housing standards

Homeowner associations (HOAs), condominium communities, co-ops, and landlords may also have specific rules regarding vacation rentals. It’s your responsibility to be aware of STR policies that apply to your property.

Registering with tax authorities

Before you can begin collecting taxes on your STR in Minnesota, you’re legally required to register for a sales tax account with the Minnesota Department of Revenue if you rent your property directly to guests without using a marketplace such as Airbnb or Vrbo. You can register online. You may also be required to register with local tax authorities.

Collecting lodging taxes

Once you’ve registered with tax authorities, you’re ready to start collecting lodging taxes, which you’ll add to your guest’s bill when they pay for their stay.

Which lodging taxes apply to Minnesota short-term rentals?

In Minnesota, a number of different lodging taxes may apply to your STR, depending on your location. These can include:

Tax rates

Before you can begin collecting lodging taxes, you need to know the correct rate to charge to avoid compliance issues. Our lodging tax lookup tool can give you a rate report specific to your Minnesota address.

What charges are taxable?

In Minnesota, all lodging-related services provided within a guest room are taxable. This includes items such as food and drink, cleaning fees, pet fees, rollaway bed fees, extra person fees, charges for providing services such as laundry, etc.

What happens when my short-term rental marketplace (such as Airbnb or Vrbo) collects lodging taxes for me?

In Minnesota, “accommodations intermediaries” such as Airbnb and Vrbo are responsible for collecting all state taxes due on lodging booked through them. Marketplaces may not collect locally administered taxes. If taxes aren’t collected for you, you’re responsible for collecting and remitting taxes.

Are guests ever exempt from lodging taxes?

There are situations in which you aren’t required to collect lodging taxes in Minnesota. For example, a guest who rents for a long term rather than a short term is exempt from short-term lodging taxes.

In Minnesota, lodging billed directly to and paid for by the federal government and its agencies is not taxable. Short-term lodging for tribal officials on an Indian reservation is exempt if the officials are acting in their tribal government capacity and lodging is billed to and paid for by a tribal government. Short-term lodging and related services for tribal officials outside an Indian reservation are exempt when the tribal government has a tax agreement with the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

Filing lodging tax returns

After you’ve collected taxes from your guests, it’s time to file your tax returns with the Minnesota Department of Revenue. In Minnesota, you can file returns and pay the tax online. The Minnesota Department of Revenue allows credit card payments, but you may be charged convenience fees for this type of payment.

When do I need to file my returns?

You’ll be assigned a filing frequency and due dates when you register. For filing with the Minnesota Department of Revenue, state sales tax due dates are as follows:

I didn’t rent my property during this filing period. Am I still required to file a lodging tax return with the Minnesota Department of Revenue?

Yes. STR operators registered with the Minnesota Department of Revenue are required to file returns each assigned filing period, regardless of whether you had any STR income or collected lodging taxes. Such returns are commonly known as “zero dollar returns.” Local tax authorities may have their own requirements.

Are there penalties for filing taxes late?

Whether you choose to offer STRs through a marketplace like Airbnb or Vrbo, or directly to guests, you open the door to tax liability at the state and local level. As tax revenue is a major source of local funding, tax authorities are becoming more aggressive in their efforts to identify individuals and businesses breaking tax laws. Failure to register with tax authorities and file lodging tax returns in Minnesota on time may result in late fees, interest payments, and in extreme cases, legal action.

I’ve been offering short-term rentals without collecting lodging tax. What options do I have?

If you’re already operating an STR but not collecting lodging taxes, you may be in violation of Minnesota tax laws. Take the time to review your legal responsibility (with a tax professional, if necessary) and understand the risk of continuing to not collect tax.

STR operators in Minnesota may be able to take advantage of a voluntary disclosure agreement (VDA). A VDA offers an opportunity for hosts to proactively disclose prior period tax liabilities in accordance with a binding agreement with the Minnesota Department of Revenue. VDAs are offered to encourage cooperation with state tax laws and may result in some or all penalty and interest payments being waived.

Are there options for outsourcing lodging tax filing?

Yes. Many STR operators in Minnesota file several state and local lodging tax returns every year. Filing solutions such as Avalara MyLodgeTax can relieve this burden.