Golden Valley, Minn., Code of Ordinances ch. 16, art. III § 16-56

(a) When Required.
(1) No person shall operate a rental dwelling unless the owner thereof shall have first obtained a rental license for such rental dwelling as provided for in this article. Any rental license received under this article shall commence upon the date of issuance and, unless revoked or suspended, shall remain valid until the next applicable annual renewal date, provided no rental license shall extend for more than a 12-month period. A person who is operating a rental dwelling after the rental license has expired is operating an unlicensed rental dwelling.
(2) Exceptions:
a. A rental dwelling is not subject to this article if it is within a hotel, motel, hospital or a nursing home, assisted living, and other residential facilities or portions thereof licensed and inspected by the State for compliance with State building or fire codes or the City of Golden Valley Property Maintenance Code. A rental dwelling within any of the following types of facilities is subject to this article unless the facility has a facility license issued by the State and is inspected by the State for compliance with State building or fire codes or the City of Golden Valley Property Maintenance Code: group homes, independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, board and lodging homes, and other residential facilities or portions thereof, including those facilities that provide support services for their residents or that receive program reimbursement or financial assistance.
b. A room temporarily leased to a natural person within a dwelling unit while the owner of that dwelling unit resides in the dwelling unit shall not be subject to this article, provided no more than three persons shall so lease a room within a dwelling unit at one time.
(b) What the Rental License Covers. There shall be one rental license for each rental dwelling, provided when a building on a single premises contains two or more rental dwellings and all the rental dwellings within such building are owned by the same owner, only one rental license shall be required for such building. The City shall have authority to exercise its licensing powers under this article, including the power to issue, renew, deny, revoke, and suspend rental licenses, with respect to an entire building or only a portion of a building.
(c) Fees. There shall be annual license fee for each rental license. Such fee shall be in the amount established by the City Council pursuant to Section 16-24 . There shall be no proration of rental license fees for a rental license that extends for less than 12 months. The amount of the rental license fee may vary based on the type of rental dwelling, the type of building in which the rental dwelling is located, the number of rental dwellings located in the building that is the subject of a rental license, and the owner or property manager's participation in the STAR program (or similar program) as provided in paragraph (h) of this section. There shall be no fee charged for an initial inspection to determine the existence of any violations of the City Code at a rental dwelling. The City Council shall establish a fee for any reinspections necessary to determine whether identified violations have been corrected, to restore a rental license that has been revoked or suspended, or for any other reason a reinspection may be required under this article. The Code Official may waive the reinspection fee in event of an error or other reasonable cause determined by the Code Official, including extension of time granted for compliance.
(d) Application. Application for a rental license shall be made in writing on forms promulgated by the Code Official and accompanied by the fee amount. In the case of a license renewal, such application shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the then-existing rental license. If the application for a license renewal is not received by the City at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the existing rental license, the applicant shall pay a late fee in the amount established by the City Council. The Code Official may waive the late fee in event of an error or other reasonable cause determined by the Code Official. All applications shall specify the following:
(1) Name, address, and telephone number of the owner of the rental dwelling, including name of the contact person if the owner is a legal entity.
(2) Name, address, and telephone number of any property manager actively managing said rental dwelling.
(3) Name and address of the vendee if the rental dwelling is owned or being sold on a contract for deed.
(4) Legal address of the rental dwelling.
(5) Number of rental dwellings that are the subject of the application if the application involves a building in which two or more rental dwellings are located and all such rental dwellings are owned by the same owner.
(6) Name, address and telephone number of on-site operating manager, if any.
(7) Any other information requested by the Code Official to establish compliance under this article.
(8) If the owner identified in the application is a legal entity, the applicant shall submit, upon request of the Code Official, the name and address of all partners, shareholders or interest holders.
(e) Inspections Required. Each rental license application and rental license is at all times subject to the Code Official's right to inspect the affected rental dwelling to determine whether it is in compliance with the City Code and State law. The Code Official shall determine the schedule of periodic inspections. Inspections may include all common areas, utility and mechanical rooms, garages, exterior of structures and exterior property areas.
(f) Access for Inspection. No rental license shall be issued under this article unless the owner of the rental dwelling agrees to permit inspections, upon reasonable notice from the Code Official to the owner, to determine compliance with the City Code and State law. The submission of a rental license application or the possession of a rental license issued by the City shall constitute such agreement by the owner identified in the application or on the rental license. Each tenant shall grant access to any part of its rental dwelling at reasonable times for the purpose of effecting inspection, maintenance, repairs or alterations as are necessary to comply with the provisions of this article. If any owner, owner's agent, property manager or tenant fails or refuses to permit entry to a rental dwelling under its control for an inspection pursuant to this article, the Code Official may pursue any remedy at law or under the City Code, including, but not limited to, securing an administrative search warrant for the rental dwelling, issuing an administrative citation, denying a rental license application, revoking or suspending a rental license, or denying a renewal license. Without limiting the foregoing, should an owner, owner's agent, or property manager fail to keep a scheduled inspection without reasonable cause or refuse to permit entry to the rental dwelling, a reinspection fee may be charged.
(g) Resident Agent Required. No rental license shall be issued for a rental dwelling unless:
(1) The owner thereof resides within the Counties of Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Scott, Washington, Sherburne or Wright; or
(2) The owner designates in writing an agent or property manager residing or located within such counties who is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the rental dwelling and who is authorized to provide the Code Official access to the rental dwelling, to receive service of notice of violations of the City Code, to receive orders from the Code Official and to institute remedial action to effect such orders and to accept all service of process pursuant to law.
(h) Landlord Training. An owner or property manager that owns or manages more than one rental dwelling in the city may qualify for a discounted license fee by participating in the Safer Tenant and Rental (STAR) program (or similar program) approved by the City Council.
(i) Reserved.
(j) Posting. All apartment buildings shall post the rental license issued for that building. The rental license shall be conspicuously posted (in a frame with a glass covering), in a common area, hallway or lobby. All other rental dwellings shall have a copy of the rental license on the premises.
(k) Applicable Laws. Rental licenses shall be subject to the applicable provisions of the City Code and State law relating to rental dwellings.
(l) Transfer of License. No rental license under this article is transferable:
(1) If any owner holding a rental license transfers ownership or legal control of the rental dwelling that is the subject of the rental license
(2) If the owner appoints or changes the agent required under Subsection (g) of this section; and/or
(3) If the owner authorizes a property manager to manage the rental dwelling (other than a property manager identified in the application for the rental license), then the owner shall provide the Code Official written notice of such event within 72 hours thereafter. Such notice shall include, as applicable:
a. The name and address of the person succeeding to the ownership or control of such rental dwelling
b. The name and address of the appointed agent; and
c. The name and address of the authorized property manager.
Any new owner shall apply for a new rental license within three days after its acquisition of the rental dwelling.