Columbia Heights, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 5A (2026) § 5A.406
OCCUPANCY LICENSE TRANSFER
Operative Text
(A) The license is transferable upon application to the Property Maintenance Enforcement Officer and payment of the license transfer fee by the prospective owner if the licensed premises is in compliance with the code. The license shall terminate if renewal or application for transfer is not made within 30 days after transfer of ownership of the premises. The amount of the transfer fee shall be set by resolution of the Council. (B) It shall be unlawful for the owner of any premises who has received a compliance order or upon whom a notice of violation has been served to sell, transfer, mortgage, lease or otherwise dispose of such premises to another until the provisions of the compliance order or notice of violation have been complied with, or until such owner shall first furnish the grantee, transferee, mortgagee or lessee a true copy of any compliance order or notice of violation issued by the Code Official and shall furnish to the Code Official a signed and notarized statement from the grantee, transferee, mortgagee or lessee, acknowledging the receipt of such compliance order or notice of violation and fully accepting the responsibility without condition for making the corrections or repairs required by such compliance order or notice of violation. (Ord. 1532, passed 11-26-07) Penalty, see § 5A.702
Columbia Heights Ch. 5A Rental Housing § 5A.406 establishes rules for transferring an occupancy license when rental property changes hands. The license can be transferred to a new owner only if the property is in compliance with the code and the proper application and fee are submitted to the Property Maintenance Enforcement Officer; if no transfer application is made within 30 days of ownership changing, the license terminates automatically. Additionally, an owner who has received a compliance order or notice of violation may not sell, transfer, mortgage, lease, or otherwise dispose of the property until either the violations are corrected or the incoming party receives a copy of the outstanding order and provides a signed, notarized statement accepting full responsibility for making the required corrections.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Columbia Heights Ch. 5A Rental Housing § 5A.406 generally ensure that any pending compliance orders or notices of violation are resolved—or formally disclosed—before completing a sale, transfer, mortgage, or lease of the property. Compliant operators submit the license transfer application and pay the applicable fee to the Property Maintenance Enforcement Officer within 30 days of any ownership change to avoid automatic license termination. When disclosure is the chosen path rather than prior correction, operators obtain a signed and notarized acknowledgment from the incoming party and deliver it to the Code Official before the transaction closes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants in Columbia Heights may find § 5A.406 relevant when a rental property is sold or otherwise transferred, because the provision requires that outstanding compliance orders or notices of violation either be resolved or formally passed to the new owner before the transaction is completed. If a new landlord takes over a property with unresolved code violations, that new owner should have signed a notarized statement accepting responsibility for making the required repairs, which can be a meaningful document in any subsequent code-enforcement or habitability dispute. Tenants who believe this provision has not been followed can contact the local Property Maintenance Enforcement Officer, consult a tenant-rights organization, or explore whether the violation can be raised as a defense or basis for a complaint in relevant 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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