Rules below are from the City's TISH evaluations, common repairs and re-inspections pages, read 23 October 2026.
How it works
| Step | Minneapolis rule |
|---|---|
| Who orders it | The seller, before selling |
| Who does it | A private evaluator licensed by the City; evaluators set their own prices |
| Report | Filed online; seller must display it at showings |
| Valid | Two years or one sale |
| Repairs done before closing | City issues a Certificate of Approval |
| Repairs not done | Buyer signs an acknowledgment, filed within one day of closing; repairs done and reinspected within 90 days of closing |
| After reinspection | City issues a Certificate of Completion |
| Need more time | Submit the City's extension request application |
Sellers may fix things before the evaluation so they never appear on the report.
Which repairs need a permit or a licensed contractor
From the City's common-repairs list:
| Item on the report | Permit? | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Missing or broken boiler pressure relief valve | Yes, to install or replace | |
| Missing or broken water heater T&P relief valve | Yes, to install or replace | |
| Improper furnace or boiler flue | Yes | Licensed contractor only |
| Gas or flue repair on a heating plant | Yes | Licensed contractor only |
| Improper water heater flue | Yes | Homeowner can get the permit |
| Improper gas line to dryer, stove or water heater | Yes | Homeowner can get the permit |
| Improper gas line to the furnace or boiler | Yes | Licensed contractor |
| Uncapped gas line | Only if an appliance is installed; capping needs none | |
| Faucet below the spill line | Inline check valves need a permit; replacing the faucet does not | |
| Exposed wires in an open box | No permit to cap, tape and cover; a permit to install a fixture | |
| GFCI that will not trip, missing ground jumper, missing clean-out plug, non-anti-siphon toilet fill valve, threaded faucet without backflow device | Generally no permit | |
| Smoke alarms outside each sleeping area; CO alarm within 10 feet of a sleeping room | Battery is fine, except existing hardwired alarms must stay hardwired |
The heating items are where the 90 days get tight, because they need a licensed contractor, a permit and a City inspection. Book the contractor before closing if the report lists one.
Who reinspects, and what it costs
| Repair type | Reinspection by | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Permitted building, plumbing or mechanical | City inspector on the permit | No extra City fee (charges possible for missed or repeat visits) |
| Permitted electrical | State inspector on the permit (651-284-5064) | |
| Needs a safety check | A licensed contractor in that trade | Contractor's charge; may lead to more permitted work |
| No permit needed | Any Minneapolis-licensed TISH evaluator | Evaluator's own fee |
Permit fees themselves are set by the value of the work, and one repair list can need more than one permit.
What Minneapolis plumbing and HVAC permits show
| Measure | Plumbing | HVAC |
|---|---|---|
| Permits, October 2023 to September 2026 | 20,012 | 18,180 |
| Firms | 497 | 298 |
| Usual days from issue to final | 113 | 85 |
| Reached final (permits a year or more old) | 70.6% | 75.6% |
| Firms with 10+ permits finishing under 70% | 37 of 227 | |
| Busiest month | April | July |
Those usual times to final sit close to, or past, the 90 days the buyer has, which is why the order matters: the repair, the permit and the inspection request should all happen in the first weeks after closing. A firm's finished share is the number to check here; among busy plumbers it runs from 61.4% at the 10th percentile to 91.9% at the 90th. Ask the contractor to book the final inspection and send you the result, and you need not wait for the permit's "usual" pace.
Compare Minneapolis plumbers by finished share →
More on each permit: Minneapolis plumbing permit, Minneapolis HVAC permit. Find open permits on a house you are buying: Minneapolis building permit search. Check a license: Minneapolis contractor license lookup. HVAC firms: compare Minneapolis HVAC contractors. Totals by year: Minneapolis permit statistics.
What this does not tell you
We cannot see TISH reports or tell which permits were pulled to clear one. Days to final is a middle value across all residential plumbing or HVAC permits, including large jobs. Minneapolis plumbing permits carry no filed value, so we cannot price TISH repairs. Saint Paul's program is different, with one required item; see Saint Paul Truth-in-Sale of Housing.
How we know this
Program rules, the repair list and reinspection rules are from the City of Minneapolis TISH evaluations, common-repairs and re-inspections pages, read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are City of Minneapolis plumbing and mechanical permits on homes, October 2023 to September 2026; finished share uses permits a year or more old, and days to final is the median from issue to final.
Numbers come from City of Minneapolis construction permits (CCS), data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a TISH evaluation to sell my house in Minneapolis?
Yes. The City says that before you sell you need a Truth in Sale of Housing evaluation by a City-licensed evaluator, who files the disclosure report online. You must display a copy at showings; a pre-inspection report does not replace it.
- Who has to make TISH repairs in Minneapolis, buyer or seller?
Either. If the seller completes required repairs, the City issues a Certificate of Approval. If not, the buyer signs an acknowledgment of responsibility, files it with the City within one day of closing, and has 90 days from closing to complete the repairs and have them reinspected.
- Do TISH repairs need a permit in Minneapolis?
Some do. The City's common-repairs list says a missing boiler pressure relief valve, a missing water heater T&P valve and an improper heating flue all need permits, and flue or gas work on a furnace or boiler can only be done by a licensed contractor. Taping wires back into a covered box, replacing a GFCI or adding a backflow valve to a threaded faucet do not.
- Who reinspects TISH repairs?
Permitted building, plumbing or mechanical work is reinspected by the City inspector on the permit, at no extra City fee; permitted electrical work by the state inspector. Repairs that need no permit are reinspected by a licensed TISH evaluator, who sets their own fee.
- How long is a Minneapolis TISH report good for?
2 years or one sale, whichever comes first. A buyer who wants to resell must finish all the repairs before getting a new report.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- How to check a contractor's license in Minnesota
- Does a contractor need a license? By trade, in 10 states
- Minneapolis building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Minneapolis contractor license lookup: which license, where to search, and what the permits show
- Minneapolis lead service line replacement: free through the City, or your own plumber at your cost
For one city
- Truth in Sale of Housing evaluations — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
- TISH Common Repairs (PDF) — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)
- TISH re-inspections — City of Minneapolis (accessed 2026-10-23)