Minnesota Legal Aid (Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid / LawHelpMN)
Last updated August 2026
LawHelpMN is the statewide legal-aid portal: free self-help resources and referrals to Minnesota's civil legal aid programs for low-income residents. If a housing problem or court papers just arrived, start at lawhelpmn.org, and the referral line is 1-877-696-6529.
Start with the rule that changed in your favor. Since a 2023 law, a landlord must give the tenant written notice at least 14 days before filing an eviction for nonpayment of rent. That notice must itemize the total due, name the person authorized to receive the rent, and point you to legal and financial help. A landlord cannot go straight to court the day rent is late.
Even after a case is filed, money can still stop it. Tenants have a right to redeem: paying the back rent, interest, and costs any time before possession is delivered stops the eviction. The landlord's attorney fee in that total is capped at just $5, so the number to clear is the rent and costs, not a big legal bill.
You do not have to raise that money alone. Redemption can also be made using a written guarantee from a government agency or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit running a rental-assistance program. So a pledge letter from a rent-assistance fund can be as good as cash to stop the eviction. Dial 2-1-1 to find those funds fast.
There is relief for your record, too. Courts must expunge an eviction record when the tenant won, the case was dismissed, the parties agreed, a settlement's terms were met, or three years after the eviction was ordered. A past eviction does not have to haunt every future application.
For information you can use right now, lawhelpmn.org hosts free self-help guides with no income screen. Pair the legal side with the money side: 2-1-1 finds local rent funds, and applications for SNAP, cash, and health coverage run through the state.
Phone 1-877-696-6529
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Low-income Minnesota residents with a civil, noncriminal legal problem; each program sets its own income guidelines and service area
- Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid also serves people 60 and older and people with disabilities, and the self-help information at lawhelpmn.org is free for everyone
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
How to apply
- 1
Start at lawhelpmn.org for free self-help guides, or call the referral line at 1-877-696-6529.
- 2
If you got a 14-day nonpayment notice, read the itemized total and the help resources it must list.
- 3
To stop a filed eviction, gather the back rent and costs; the landlord attorney fee in that total is capped at $5.
- 4
Ask 2-1-1 about rental-assistance funds; a written guarantee can also satisfy redemption.
What the application looks like
Common questions
How much notice must a landlord give before an eviction?
Since 2023, at least 14 days' written notice before filing a nonpayment eviction. The notice must itemize the total due and point to legal and financial help.
Can I stop an eviction by paying?
Yes. You have a right to redeem: paying the back rent, interest, and costs before possession is delivered stops it. The landlord's attorney fee in that total is capped at $5.
What if I cannot raise the money myself?
Redemption can also be made with a written guarantee from a government agency or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit running a rental-assistance program. Call 2-1-1 to find one.
Can I clear an eviction from my record?
Courts must expunge it when the tenant won, the case was dismissed or settled with terms met, the parties agreed, or three years after the eviction was ordered.
Is LawHelpMN free?
Yes. The self-help guides are free for everyone with no income screen, and it refers low-income residents to civil legal aid programs.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
See all Minnesota programs →Free · Private · No account needed