Brainerd, Minn., City Code § 425 (2026) § 425.6001
General
Operative Text
425.6001 General. Doors, windows or hatchways for dwelling unit(s) or rooming
units shall be provided with devices designed to provide security for the occupants and
property within and shall comply with IPMC. Exception:
(a) Rooming houses having six (6) or fewer rooming units and occupied by
six (6) or fewer roomers may provide the required security by dead bolt
locks on all exterior doors of said rooming house. Key locking shall be as
required for other occupancies in this article.
(b) All exterior doors on garages provided for the use of the non-owner
occupants of dwellings shall be equipped with such locks, bolts, security
bars or other approved security devices which, when in a closed, secure
position, will prevent the doors from being opened from the outside.
(c) To be openable without key. Except as hereinafter expressly permitted in
this article, dead bolt locks, as required by this Section, shall be of a type
openable from the inside without the use of a key or any special
knowledge or effort. A lock bolt moved by a skeleton-type key shall not
be used to provide security for any rental unit.Brainerd City Code § 425.6001 requires that all doors, windows, and hatchways serving dwelling or rooming units be fitted with security devices that protect occupants and property, in compliance with the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). Smaller rooming houses of six or fewer units and six or fewer occupants may satisfy this requirement through dead bolt locks on all exterior doors. Garage doors provided for non-owner tenants must also have locks or other approved devices preventing outside entry, and any required dead bolt must be operable from the inside without a key or special knowledge — skeleton-key-style bolts are expressly prohibited for rental units.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Brainerd City Code § 425.6001 generally ensure that every door, window, and hatchway in rental dwellings and rooming units is equipped with IPMC-compliant security hardware before occupancy. For smaller rooming houses meeting the six-unit and six-roomer thresholds, compliant operators install dead bolt locks on all exterior doors as the permitted alternative. Compliant operators also verify that all required dead bolts can be operated from the inside without a key or special knowledge, and that no skeleton-key-type lock bolt is used anywhere in a rental unit, including on garage doors provided for tenant use.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Brainerd City Code § 425.6001, tenants in rental dwellings and rooming units have a right to security devices on all doors, windows, and hatchways that meet IPMC standards, and any dead bolt lock must be operable from the inside without a key or special knowledge. If a rental unit lacks compliant security hardware — for example, if a skeleton-key-style lock is in use or a garage door has no approved locking device — this may constitute a code violation that can be reported to the City of Brainerd's code enforcement or housing inspection office. Tenants who believe § 425.6001 is being violated may also consider consulting a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options, including raising the violation in relevant housing proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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