Minnesota roofing contract rules
What a Minnesota roofing contract must say, how long you can back out, how much a roofer may ask up front, when a lien can follow and what a roofer may do about your insurance claim. Each rule is quoted from the statute or agency rule. Checked 2026-10-09.
Short answer: You can cancel a Minnesota home-solicitation sale, including a roofing sale made away from the seller's place of business, until midnight of the third business day after the sale (3 business days, Minn. Stat. §325G.07). The federal rule adds 3 business days for sales made at your home (16 CFR 429). If your Minnesota roofing contract is paid from an insurance claim and the insurer denies the claim, you can cancel the contract within 72 hours after you are told of the denial (Minn. Stat. §326B.811, subd. 1). A Minnesota roofer's lien ends 120 days after the last work or materials unless a statement is filed with the county recorder and a copy is served on you within that time (Minn. Stat. §514.08, subd. 1). 15 rules on this page are quoted from official statutes, agency rules or regulator pages; 5 more are marked not confirmed.
State cancel period
3 business days
Minn. Stat. §325G.07
Deposit rule
not confirmed
No deposit rule confirmed
Lien filing deadline
120 days
Minn. Stat. §514.08, subd. 1
Written contract
Rule quoted
Minn. Stat. §326B.809(a)-(c)
Find your last day to cancel
Only the signing date is needed for the cancel dates. Add the other dates when they happen and the rules that start from them get a calendar day too. Counting starts the day after the date you enter.
Enter the signing date to see your dates.
Days are counted the way each rule defines them: federal “business days” skip Sundays and federal holidays and count Saturdays; where a state rule defines business days as Monday to Friday we skip Saturdays and Sundays; where a rule says business days without defining them, or just says “days”, we count every calendar day and show the earliest possible date. State holidays are not subtracted, so a real deadline can fall a day or two later than shown. If the last day lands on a weekend, do not wait for it. General information from public rules, not legal advice.
Minnesota against the other states
Calendar-day equivalents are used for the bars only (business days scaled by 7/5, months by 30, years by 365); the exact unit is in the tables.
Before you sign: Minnesota checklist
Every line below comes from a rule on this page. Tick a line as you check it.
Minnesota: written contract
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A Minnesota licensed residential roofer must put every agreement, estimate, bid and change order in writing, signed and dated by both sides, and give you a signed copy for free. No dollar threshold appears in this section. |
Minn. Stat. §326B.809(a)-(c) Covers: Licensed residential building contractors, remodelers and roofers. | |
| A Minnesota roofing agreement must include a detailed summary of the services, a description of the specific materials, and the total price or how the price will be calculated. Before the agreement the licensee must also give you written performance guidelines, which must be included or incorporated by reference. |
Minn. Stat. §326B.809(a) Covers: Licensed residential building contractors, remodelers and roofers. |
Minnesota: right to cancel
The federal rule (16 CFR §429.1(a)) gives 3 business days for a sale made at your home. Rules of Minnesota below are added to it.
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| You can cancel a Minnesota home-solicitation sale, including a roofing sale made away from the seller's place of business, until midnight of the third business day after the sale. The statute counts a business day as any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or holiday under section 645.44; the calculator skips weekends only, so a holiday can push the real last day later. Mailed notice is effective when you drop it in a mailbox. |
3 business days counted from the day you sign |
Minn. Stat. §325G.07 Covers: Sales of goods, services or home improvements for personal, family or household use costing more than $25, solicited in person where the buyer's offer is made away from the seller's place of business. |
| For the Minnesota home-solicitation cancellation right, a business day is any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday. | Minn. Stat. §325G.06, subd. 6 Covers: Counting days under sections 325G.06 to 325G.11. | |
| The Minnesota 3-day right covers a sale of home improvements that the seller solicits in person when your offer is made away from the seller's place of business and the price is more than $25. The same subdivision excludes a sale after you first visited the seller's retail establishment and, in some cases, a sale where you started the contact and signed a handwritten waiver of the right to cancel. |
Minn. Stat. §325G.06, subd. 2 Covers: Personal, family or household purchases. | |
| The seller must tell you about the cancel right out loud, hand you a completed copy of the contract showing the date and the seller's name and address, and give you a detachable cancellation form in duplicate. Until the seller has complied, the buyer may cancel by telling the seller in any manner (section 325G.08, subdivision 2). |
Minn. Stat. §325G.08, subd. 1 Covers: Home solicitation sales. | |
| After you cancel a Minnesota home-solicitation sale, the seller must hand back your payments within ten days. If the seller performed any services before you cancelled, the seller is entitled to no compensation (subdivision 6). |
10 days counted from the day the notice is given |
Minn. Stat. §325G.09, subd. 1 Covers: Home solicitation sales that were cancelled. |
| If your Minnesota roofing contract is paid from an insurance claim and the insurer denies the claim, you can cancel the contract within 72 hours after you are told of the denial. Notice by mail is effective when deposited in a properly addressed, stamped mailbox, and no particular form is needed. |
72 hours | Minn. Stat. §326B.811, subd. 1 Covers: A written contract with a residential building contractor, residential remodeler or residential roofer for goods and services to be paid from the proceeds of a property or casualty insurance policy. |
Minnesota: Mechanic's lien
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A Minnesota contractor who hires subcontractors or suppliers must put a bold lien-rights notice in your written contract, or it loses its own lien rights. The notice says you may pay suppliers directly and deduct it from the price, or withhold the amounts due them until 120 days after completion unless you get signed lien waivers. If there is no written contract the notice must be delivered within ten days after the work is agreed. |
Minn. Stat. §514.011, subd. 1 Covers: Contractors who contract directly with the owner and use subcontractors or material suppliers. | |
| A Minnesota roofer's lien ends 120 days after the last work or materials unless a statement is filed with the county recorder and a copy is served on you within that time. A copy of the statement must also be served personally or by certified mail on the owner within the 120 days. |
120 days counted from the last day of work or delivery of materials |
Minn. Stat. §514.08, subd. 1 Covers: A person claiming a mechanic's lien under chapter 514 on the improved premises. |
| A Minnesota lien cannot be enforced unless the lien holder files a court complaint or answer within one year after the last item of the claim. The year runs from the last-item date stated in the recorded lien statement. |
1 year counted from the last day of work or delivery of materials |
Minn. Stat. §514.12, subd. 3 Covers: A mechanic's lien claimant under chapter 514. |
Minnesota: insurance claims and your roofer
| Rule | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A Minnesota roofer may not interpret your insurance policy, advise you on your coverage or adjust your claim unless it also holds a public adjuster license. If a contractor violates this section the insurer is not obliged to consider the contractor's estimate, and the insured or insurer may sue for damages. |
Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(3) Covers: Residential roofers, residential building contractors and residential remodelers providing home repair paid from property or casualty insurance proceeds. | |
| A Minnesota roofer may not advertise or promise to pay all or part of your insurance deductible, or pay you for letting it inspect or for making or referring a claim. | Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(1) Covers: Residential contractors providing repair or improvement services to be paid from property or casualty insurance proceeds. | |
| A Minnesota roofer paid from an insurance claim must give you a good-faith itemized estimate with any repair agreement, and a written notice of these claim rules with its first estimate. | Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(2) and (b) Covers: Residential contractors providing repair or improvement services to be paid from property or casualty insurance proceeds. | |
| In Minnesota an assignment of your insurance benefits to a roofer may only name the roofer as a co-payee, and you can cancel it in writing within ten business days. The assignment must also itemize the work, materials and total amount, and carry a statement in 14-point capitals that the roofer has made no assurance the loss is fully covered. |
Minn. Stat. §325E.67, subd. 2(1) and (4) Covers: Post-loss assignments of rights or benefits to a residential roofer, building contractor or remodeler under a policy on residential real estate of up to four families. |
The insurer’s own deadlines are on the Minnesota claim deadlines page.
Minnesota roofing license
Minn. Stat. 326B.805 covers residential roofers as a separate licensed class from residential building contractors. Source, checked 2026-10-07.
What we could not confirm in Minnesota
- A cap on the deposit a Minnesota roofer may ask for: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (Minn. Stat. chapters 325G, 326B sections 326B.802 to 326B.885, 325D, 325E, 325F and 514).
- A rule that a Minnesota roofer must hold your deposit in trust: not confirmed. Not found in the sections read (chapters 326B, 325E and 514); the lien chapter only lets you withhold sums due to suppliers.
- A Minnesota ban on price gouging after a declared emergency: not confirmed. Searched the full text of chapters 12, 12A, 325D and 325F for price-gouging language and found none.
- Extra registration for roofers working after a disaster in Minnesota: not confirmed. Not found in chapters 12, 12A or 326B; the only disaster text found lets the commissioner send the state building official to help a community (section 326B.106).
- A deposit limit for roofers after a declared emergency in Minnesota: not confirmed. Not found in chapters 12, 12A or 326B.
Minnesota contract questions
- How long can I cancel a roofing contract in Minnesota?
- Minn. Stat. §325G.07: 3 business days, counted from the day you sign. The federal rule gives 3 business days for sales made at your home. The median across the 25 of 27 states with a confirmed number is about 4 calendar days (business days scaled by 7/5). The statute counts a business day as any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or holiday under section 645.44; the calculator skips weekends only, so a holiday can push the real last day later. Mailed notice is effective when you drop it in a mailbox.
- Can I cancel if my Minnesota insurer denies the roof claim?
- Minn. Stat. §326B.811, subd. 1: If your Minnesota roofing contract is paid from an insurance claim and the insurer denies the claim, you can cancel the contract within 72 hours after you are told of the denial. 72 hours, counted from the date the rule names. Notice by mail is effective when deposited in a properly addressed, stamped mailbox, and no particular form is needed.
- What is a mechanic's lien on a house in Minnesota?
- Minn. Stat. §514.08, subd. 1: A Minnesota roofer's lien ends 120 days after the last work or materials unless a statement is filed with the county recorder and a copy is served on you within that time. A copy of the statement must also be served personally or by certified mail on the owner within the 120 days.
- Can a roofer in Minnesota handle my insurance claim for me?
- Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(3): A Minnesota roofer may not interpret your insurance policy, advise you on your coverage or adjust your claim unless it also holds a public adjuster license. If a contractor violates this section the insurer is not obliged to consider the contractor's estimate, and the insured or insurer may sue for damages.
- Can a roofer in Minnesota waive my insurance deductible?
- Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(1): A Minnesota roofer may not advertise or promise to pay all or part of your insurance deductible, or pay you for letting it inspect or for making or referring a claim.
Why contracts get signed fast after a Minnesota hailstorm
NOAA lists 4 Minnesota cities in our data with 111 city-days of hail at 1 inch or more since 2014; the largest stone was 3.5 inches and the busiest month is Jun. County by county: Minnesota hail history.
Minnesota cities we cover
| City | Cost | Roofers |
|---|---|---|
| Duluth | Roof age | Roofers in Duluth |
| Mankato | Roof age | Roofers in Mankato |
| Rochester | Roof age | Roofers in Rochester |
| St. Cloud | Roof age | Roofers in St. Cloud |
Where each Minnesota rule comes from
| Rule | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract: no fixed number A Minnesota licensed residential roofer must put every agreement, estimate, bid and change order in writing, signed and dated by both sides, and give you a signed copy for free. |
Minn. Stat. §326B.809(a)-(c) statute text Quote“All agreements including proposals, estimates, bids, quotations, contracts, purchase orders, and change orders between a licensee and a customer for the performance of a licensee's services must be in writing ... All agreements shall be signed and dated by the licensee and customer. (c) The licensee shall provide to the customer, at no charge, a signed and dated document at the time that the licensee and customer sign and date the document.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Written contract: no fixed number A Minnesota roofing agreement must include a detailed summary of the services, a description of the specific materials, and the total price or how the price will be calculated. |
Minn. Stat. §326B.809(a) statute text Quote“(1) a detailed summary of the services to be performed; (2) a description of the specific materials to be used or a list of standard features to be included; and (3) the total contract price or a description of the basis on which the price will be calculated.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 3 business days You can cancel a Minnesota home-solicitation sale, including a roofing sale made away from the seller's place of business, until midnight of the third business day after the sale. |
Minn. Stat. §325G.07 statute text Quote“the buyer has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until midnight of the third business day after the day on which the home solicitation sale occurs. Cancellation is evidenced by the buyer giving written notice of cancellation to the seller” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number For the Minnesota home-solicitation cancellation right, a business day is any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday. |
Minn. Stat. §325G.06, subd. 6 statute text Quote“"Business day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday as defined in section 645.44” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number The Minnesota 3-day right covers a sale of home improvements that the seller solicits in person when your offer is made away from the seller's place of business and the price is more than $25. |
Minn. Stat. §325G.06, subd. 2 statute text Quote“a sale of goods, services, or improvements to real property by a seller who regularly engages in transactions of the same kind, purchased primarily for personal, family or household purposes ... with a purchase price of more than $25, in which the seller or a person acting for the seller personally solicits the sale, and when the buyer's agreement or offer to purchase is made at a place other than the place of business of the seller” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: no fixed number The seller must tell you about the cancel right out loud, hand you a completed copy of the contract showing the date and the seller's name and address, and give you a detachable cancellation form in duplicate. |
Minn. Stat. §325G.08, subd. 1 statute text Quote“In a home solicitation sale, at the time the sale occurs, the seller shall: (a) inform the buyer orally of the right to cancel; (b) furnish the buyer with a fully completed receipt or copy of a contract pertaining to the sale which shows the date of the transaction, contains the name and address of the seller” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 10 days After you cancel a Minnesota home-solicitation sale, the seller must hand back your payments within ten days. |
Minn. Stat. §325G.09, subd. 1 statute text Quote“Within ten days after a home solicitation sale has been canceled or an offer to purchase revoked, the seller must tender to the buyer any payments made by the buyer and any note or other evidence of indebtedness.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Right to cancel: 72 hours If your Minnesota roofing contract is paid from an insurance claim and the insurer denies the claim, you can cancel the contract within 72 hours after you are told of the denial. |
Minn. Stat. §326B.811, subd. 1 statute text Quote“has the right to cancel the contract within 72 hours after the insured has been notified by the insurer that the claim has been denied. Cancellation is evidenced by the insured giving written notice of cancellation to the contractor at the address stated in the contract.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: no fixed number A Minnesota contractor who hires subcontractors or suppliers must put a bold lien-rights notice in your written contract, or it loses its own lien rights. |
Minn. Stat. §514.011, subd. 1 statute text Quote“shall include in any written contract with the owner the notice required in this subdivision and shall provide the owner with a copy of the written contract ... A person who fails to provide the notice shall not have the lien and remedy provided by this chapter.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 120 days A Minnesota roofer's lien ends 120 days after the last work or materials unless a statement is filed with the county recorder and a copy is served on you within that time. |
Minn. Stat. §514.08, subd. 1 statute text Quote“The lien ceases at the end of 120 days after doing the last of the work, or furnishing the last item of skill, material, or machinery, unless within this period: (1) a statement of the claim is filed for record with the county recorder” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Mechanic's lien: 1 year A Minnesota lien cannot be enforced unless the lien holder files a court complaint or answer within one year after the last item of the claim. |
Minn. Stat. §514.12, subd. 3 statute text Quote“No lien shall be enforced in any case unless the holder thereof shall assert the same, either by filing a complaint or answer with the court administrator, within one year after the date of the last item of the claim as set forth in the recorded lien statement” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number A Minnesota roofer may not interpret your insurance policy, advise you on your coverage or adjust your claim unless it also holds a public adjuster license. |
Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(3) statute text Quote“interpret policy provisions or advise an insured regarding coverages or duties under the insured's policy, or adjust a property insurance claim on behalf of the insured, unless the contractor has a license as a public adjuster under chapter 72B.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number A Minnesota roofer may not advertise or promise to pay all or part of your insurance deductible, or pay you for letting it inspect or for making or referring a claim. |
Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(1) statute text Quote“as an inducement to the sale or provision of goods or services to an insured, advertise or promise to pay, directly or indirectly, all or part of any applicable insurance deductible or offer to compensate an insured for providing any service to the insured.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number A Minnesota roofer paid from an insurance claim must give you a good-faith itemized estimate with any repair agreement, and a written notice of these claim rules with its first estimate. |
Minn. Stat. §325E.66, subd. 1(a)(2) and (b) statute text Quote“provide an insured with an agreement authorizing repairs without also providing a good faith estimate of the itemized and detailed cost of services and materials undertaken pursuant to a property and casualty claim ... The residential contractor must provide a written notification of the requirements of this section with its initial estimate.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
| Insurance claims and your roofer: no fixed number In Minnesota an assignment of your insurance benefits to a roofer may only name the roofer as a co-payee, and you can cancel it in writing within ten business days. |
Minn. Stat. §325E.67, subd. 2(1) and (4) statute text Quote“the assignment must only authorize a residential contractor to be named as a copayee for the payment of benefits under a property and casualty insurance policy covering residential real estate ... the named insured has the right to cancel the assignment within ten business days after receipt of the scope of work by the insurance company.” |
2026-10-09 official page |
Nearby states
Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri or all states.
Related: Minnesota claim deadlines, Minnesota roofers, insurer roof-age rules.