Sartell, Minn., City Code title 4 ch. 8 (2026) § 4-8-4

4-8-4:         FEES AND LICENSING:
A.    License Required: No person shall occupy, allow to be occupied or let to another for occupancy
     any rental property in the City for which an application for a rental license has not been properly
     obtained from the City. A person who allows to be occupied, lets or offers to let to another, any
     rental unit, without a license as required by this Chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject
     to penalty as provided in Title 1 of the City Code. The practice of pre-leasing new rental
     construction shall be exempt from the provisions of this section. In addition to, or in lieu of,
     charging a misdemeanor, the City may impose an administrative penalty in an amount set in the
     City of Sartell Schedule. For violations of this Section 4-8-6(A), the City shall not be required to
     issue a notice of violation and may proceed directly to issuance of an administrative citation.

     1. A rental license is not required if the rental unit is only occupied by immediate family
        members of the owner. A rental license is required if the rental unit is occupied by any non-
        immediate family members of the owner. The Housing Inspector may require sufficient written
        proof from the owner stipulating the relationship and living agreements.
     2. Any “lease to Own” type arrangement is still technically a rental and must be licensed as such
        until the purchase transaction is completed.
     3. These rental licensing requirements do not apply to residential property that has been sold on
        a contract for deed so long as the vendee occupies the property and the sale document used
        to memorialize the sale is recorded with the county recorder’s office and a copy is provided to
        the City upon request.

B.    Application:

     1. Fee Prerequisite: A license fee for each rental unit as determined by the City of Sartell Fee
        Schedule shall be due at the time of an initial and/or renewal application. An application will
        not be processed or considered until the license fee is paid. If licensees wish to fully
        participate in the Sartell Crime Free Multi-Housing program, they may qualify for a rental fee
        reduction.

         a. A multi-family rental property will pay the full rental license fee for its initial rental license
            and will receive a credit refund from the City if they complete all the requirements for the
            crime free multi-family housing program discount within ninety (90) days of issuance of a
            certificate of occupancy for the property. If all requirements are not completed within the
            established time period, the property will not receive a refund and the property will then
            need to meet renewal license requirements as specified hereafter to achieve rental fee
            reduction in future years. For rental license renewals, a Multi-Family Rental Property shall
            not be eligible for a rental fee reduction unless:

             1. The rental license renewal applications for the current licensing year were filed on
                time,
             2. The rental license fees for the current licensing year were paid on time.
             3. The licensee has completed all the requirements of the Sartell Crime Free Multi-
                Family Housing program by October 1st of the year in which the rental license
                renewal application is submitted.

         b. License fees shall not be prorated or refunded in whole or in part for single family rental
            licenses. Multi-family rental licenses will not be refunded, but newly issued rental licenses
            will be prorated to the 1st day of the month in the month in which occupancy first occurs.

     2. Required Information: The application for a rental license shall be submitted on a form
        accepted by the City and shall contain the following information:

         a. Name, residence address and phone number of the owner of the rental property and, if
            applicable, of an agent authorized by the owner to accept service of process and to
            receive and give receipt for notices.
         b. Owner shall indicate their assigned agent and provide address and phone number of

agent actively managing said rental property.
        c. Street address of the rental property.
        d. Tax parcel number of the rental property.
        e. Number and kind of units within the rental property (dwelling or rooming units).
        f. Name, phone number and address of the person authorized to make or order repairs
           and/or service the building or rental property to provide required services necessary to
           protect the health, safety, and welfare of the occupants or is able to contact the person so
           authorized.
        g. Maximum number of people per rental unit.
        h. Additional information as deemed necessary by the City.

    3. Required Updates: An applicant or licensee must notify the City within fourteen (14) calendar
       days after any change to the information contained in the Application.
    4. Manner of Application: The application shall be made by the owner if such owner is a natural
       person; if the owner is a corporation, cooperative or limited liability company, by an officer
       thereof; if a partnership, by one of the partners; and if an unincorporated association, by the
       manager or managing officer thereof, in the office of the Housing Inspector. In cases where
       the owner of the rental property lives outside of the City of Sartell, application shall be made
       by an agent who shall be legally responsible for compliance with this and other City
       Ordinances.

C. License Term/Renewal. All rental licenses shall expire on December 31st each year. An owner
   who is operating a rental property after the license has expired is operating an unlicensed rental
   property. License renewal as required by this Ordinance may be made by filling out the required
   renewal application. Such license renewal may only be made where there has not been a change
   of ownership, agent or type of occupancy as originally licensed. License renewal fees shall be
   paid and renewal applications shall be filed as provided in this Section 4-8-6. If the license
   renewal fee required hereunder is paid and/or the renewal application is filed after the deadline,
   the license renewal fee may be increased as set by the City of Sartell Fee Schedule.
D. Denials: The City may deny the issuance or renewal of a rental license for the following reasons:

    1. The applicant has an ownership interest or management role in other rental properties that
        are in a suspended or revoked status.
    2. The applicant fails to provide any information required on the City’s form or provides false or
        misleading information.
    3. The applicant has real estate taxes and/or special assessments levied against the rental
        property and/or other fines, fees, charges or other financial claims owed to the City or the
        State of Minnesota that have not been paid.
    4. The rental property or any rental unit fails a property inspection in the opinion of the Housing
        Inspector.
    5. The applicant has outstanding building, fire or property maintenance standards violations,
        fines, penalties, or delinquent utility charges owed to the City.
    6. A development contract or land use requirement that restricts rental units.

    An applicant who is denied a rental license will receive written notice of the denial and reasons for
    the denial and may request a hearing before the City Council pursuant to the provisions of this
    Chapter.

E. Inspection: All rental properties required to be licensed, will be inspected by the Housing
   Inspector as follows:

    1. Initial License Issuance: No license shall be issued under this Ordinance unless the rental
        property conforms to the Ordinances of the City and the laws of the State. An inspection of
        the rental unit shall be conducted and verified by the Housing Inspector that it complies with
        this Ordinance prior to issuance of an initial rental license. If the license application is
        incomplete, or the applicant does not meet the requirements of the licensing process,

including the inspection requirements, within 30 days of the submittal date, the application will
       be canceled.
    2. License Renewals: No license shall be renewed under this chapter unless the rental property
       conforms to the Ordinances of the City and the laws of the State. An inspection of the rental
       property may be conducted either prior to, or after issuance of a renewed rental license.
       Issuance of a renewal license prior to inspection is not a determination that the rental
       property complies with all the requirements of this Ordinance. Every rental property may be
       re-inspected after a renewal application is filed to determine if it still conforms to all applicable
       Ordinances and laws of the State.

        a. Inspection Policy: The City shall adopt a policy for inspecting all existing rental property
           required to have license renewals under this chapter. The policy shall contain objectives
           for the systematic inspection of all rental property and priorities. The inspection policy
           shall take into account the property’s inspection history, history of compliance with this
           Ordinance, City or State laws, and any other enforcement violations or complaints of the
           property.
        b. Notification for Inspection: Upon determination by City policy that an inspection is
           required, the City will notify the licensee that an inspection of the rental property is
           required to ensure compliance with this Ordinance. The licensee must contact the City to
           schedule the inspection within thirty (30) days from the date of the notification letter. If the
           licensee does not schedule an inspection or fails to respond to the City’s request for
           providing an inspection, the licensee may be subject to an administrative citation in
           accordance with Title 1 of the City Code. In addition, the rental license may be subject to
           revocation as permitted by this Ordinance.

F. Access for Inspection: Every applicant for and/or holder of a rental license shall permit the
   Housing Inspector and/or his or her authorized representatives, either voluntarily or pursuant to
   an administrative or other warrant, to enter upon the premises for the purpose of conducting
   inspections to verify compliance with this Ordinance. No license shall be issued or renewed under
   this chapter unless the owner of the rental unit(s) agrees in their application to permit inspections
   to determine compliance with City Code during the effective period of the rental license. The
   submission of a license application, or the possession of a license issued by the City, shall
   constitute the express consent of the owner to grant free access and entry to the structure or
   premises under the owner’s control for inspection pursuant to this chapter. If any owner refuses to
   permit or schedule free access and entry to the structure or premises under their control for such
   inspection or refuses to be present during any such inspection when requested by the Housing
   Inspector, the application for a new or renewal rental license shall be immediately denied or an
   existing license may be revoked for such refusal. If at any other time the Housing Inspector seeks
   entry to a licensed rental unit for inspection and the Housing Inspector is refused free access and
   entry, the City may pursue any remedy at law, including, but not limited to, securing an
   administrative search warrant for the property, revoking, or suspending the rental license, or
   seeking such other remedies provided by law.
G. Transfers: No license under this chapter shall be transferable to another person or to another
   rental unit. Every new owner of a rental property (whether as fee owner, contract purchaser,
   lessee subletting the entire rental property or otherwise entitled to possession) shall apply for a
   new rental license within fourteen (14) calendar days of transfer of the rental property. No license
   fee shall be required of the new owner for the remaining term of the existing license for such
   rental property, provided the previous owner has paid the license fee, and further provided the
   new owner does not change the type of occupancy as originally licensed. An inspection shall be
   made within 14 days of the application for such new rental license due to transfer. Violation(s), if
   any, shall be corrected by the owners and a re-inspection will be made within 30 days of the initial
   inspection. Additional re-inspections required after the initial re-inspection will be charged a re-
   inspection fee according to the City fee schedule. Any uncorrected violations may be subject to
   the penalty provisions of Section 4-8-10 below.
H. Changes in the Rental Property or Rental Unit: If changes are made in the number or type of
   units within the rental property, the licensee shall file an application to amend the rental license.

Such application shall be accompanied by the fee required for any additional units. Depending on
        the nature of the changes, the City may require a new property inspection.