Minn. Stat. § 504B § 504B.345
JUDGMENT; EXECUTION.
Operative Text
Subdivision 1.General. (a) If the court or jury finds for the plaintiff, the court shall immediately enter judgment that the plaintiff shall have recovery of the premises, and shall tax the costs against the defendant. The court shall issue execution in favor of the plaintiff for the costs and also immediately issue a writ of recovery of premises and order to vacate. (b) The court shall give priority in issuing a writ of recovery of premises and order to vacate for an eviction action brought under section 504B.171 or on the basis that the tenant is causing a nuisance or seriously endangers the safety of other residents, their property, or the landlord's property. (c) If the court or jury finds for the defendant, then the court: (1) shall enter judgment for the defendant, tax the costs against the plaintiff, and issue execution in favor of the defendant; and (2) shall expunge the records relating to the action under the provisions of section 484.014 or under the court's inherent authority at the time judgment is entered or after that time upon motion of the defendant. (d) Except in actions brought: (1) under section 504B.171; or (2) on the basis that the residential tenant engages in behavior that seriously endangers the safety of other residents, or intentionally and seriously damages the property of the landlord or a tenant, the court shall stay the writ of recovery of premises and order to vacate for a reasonable period, not to exceed seven days. This paragraph does not apply when the court has issued a default judgment. Subd. 2. MS 2024 [Repealed, 2026 c 88 art 1 s 226] Subd. 3.Motion to vacate judgment. Any party may bring a motion to vacate a judgment in an eviction action. An order denying a motion to vacate a judgment is considered a judgment for purposes of appeal under section 504B.371.
Minnesota Statute § 504B.345 governs what happens after a court or jury reaches a verdict in an eviction (unlawful detainer) case. When the plaintiff (typically the landlord) wins, the court must immediately enter judgment, award costs against the defendant, and issue a writ of recovery along with an order to vacate — though in most residential cases the writ must be stayed for up to seven days before it takes effect, with exceptions for nuisance, serious safety endangerment, and certain drug-related cases. When the defendant (typically the tenant) wins, the court must enter judgment in their favor, tax costs against the plaintiff, and expunge the eviction record at the time judgment is entered or later upon motion.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 504B.345, a landlord who prevails in an eviction action is entitled to an immediate court judgment, recovery of costs, and issuance of a writ of recovery and order to vacate. Operators should be aware that in most standard residential eviction cases the writ is automatically stayed for up to seven days, meaning a tenant cannot be removed the same day judgment is entered. Landlords pursuing actions under § 504B.171 or those grounded in nuisance or serious safety endangerment are generally entitled to priority issuance of the writ without the standard stay period.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 504B.345, a tenant who prevails in an eviction action is entitled to a judgment in their favor, an award of costs against the landlord, and — importantly — expungement of the eviction record, which the court must order at the time of judgment or later upon the tenant's motion. Even when a landlord wins, most residential tenants are entitled to a stay of the writ of recovery for up to seven days before they are required to vacate, giving them a short window to make arrangements. Tenants who believe a judgment should be reconsidered may bring a motion to vacate under § 504B.345, Subd. 3, and a denial of that motion is itself appealable; tenant-rights organizations can help explain what these procedural options generally involve.
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 2, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.