Bemidji, Minn., Code of Ordinances ch. 10, art. II § 10-52

(a) The city building department, with the assistance of the police and fire department personnel, will make inspections necessary to the enforcement of this article. The city building official will adopt a policy with guidelines for the systematic inspection of all rental units and priorities for the use of available inspection resources. A rental unit must meet all code compliance requirements to be issued a rental license and to retain a license after issuance and subsequent renewal(s). Guidelines will be based upon the following factors and any other factors which promote an efficient inspection program:
(1) Receipt of a completed renewal or new rental application form and payment of the applicable fee(s).
(2) Property inspections will be conducted on each rental unit at least every two years. Rentals that require three or more inspections to complete a compliance order, or have substantiated complaints, may move to a one year inspection schedule until brought into compliance and prove that compliance is maintained. Inspection fees will be applied per the city's fee schedule ordinance as the same may be amended from time to time.
(3) Property identified as having an excessive number of housing code violations or a history of noncompliance or slow compliance with housing inspection orders. If excessive code violations exist for a rental property, the building official will be required to research all rental properties held by that person to determine if immediate inspections are required for any additional properties.
(4) Geographic distribution and concentration of rental units.
(5) Rental units with delinquent property taxes.
(6) Rental units for which no rental license has been applied.
(7) Sales of rental property.
(8) Rental units for which a written complaint is received.
(9) Reason to believe a rental ordinance violation exists.
(10) A copy of the rental inspection report will be provided to the tenant of the unit either by email (if known) or a printed copy will be left at the inspected unit.
(b) The building official may elect to issue a renewal license pending completion of an inspection, or in the opinion of the building official and based upon and warranted by the rental history of the registered premises, decide to issue a renewal license and postpone an inspection until the next renewal or sooner as compliance issues and conditions warrant. Issuance of a license prior to inspection is not a determination that the rental unit complies with code requirements.
(c) Egress requirements .
(1) All new rental units within the City of Bemidji will comply with current Minnesota Residential Building Code for egress requirements.
(2) Existing rental units will follow the requirements listed below:
a. If the dwelling unit was constructed before July 1, 1972, any window is acceptable for egress in a room constructed as a bedroom, provided that a window is original. New/updated windows must be the largest possible for the existing opening.
b. If the dwelling unit was constructed after July 1, 1972 through January 14, 1976, the minimum requirement is 5.0 square feet, 22-inch width and 22-inch height of opening and a maximum 48-inch sill height.
c. If the dwelling unit was constructed after January 14, 1974 through September 17, 1978, the minimum requirement is 5.0 square feet, 22-inch width and 22-inch height of opening and a maximum 44-inch sill height.
d. If the dwelling unit was constructed after September 18, 1978 through February 15, 1987, the minimum requirement is 5.7 square feet, 20-inch width, 24-inch height and a 48-inch sill height.
e. After February 17, 1987, the minimums are 5.7 square feet, 20-inch width, 24-inch height and 44-inch sill height.
f. After July 10, 2007, 5.0 square feet is acceptable for grade level.
g. If a bedroom does not have an egress door or window that meets these requirements, the license holder will have one year from the date of inspection to install an egress door or window that cannot be less than the standard based on the age of the building. If compliant egress is not provided, that bedroom will no longer be included in the square footage used to determine the permitted number of occupants. If no bedroom space is available after one year, the license will be revoked.
h. If any bedroom window is replaced, that bedroom window cannot be less than the standard based on the age of the building. In addition, the replacement window must be the largest standard size that will fit within the existing framing or existing rough opening and must be the operating style of window that will provide the largest window opening area. If the window rough opening is reframed, that window must meet the current Minnesota Residential Building Code.