Statewide, MN · Overview
Minnesota Large Building Energy Benchmarking
Minnesota's 2023 climate law (Minn. Stat. § 216C.331) establishes a statewide benchmarking requirement for buildings 50,000 sq ft and larger served by an investor-owned utility in the 7-county metro area, or in a city over 50,000 population outside the metro. Class 1 (>=100,000 sq ft) began June 1, 2025; Class 2 (50,000-99,999 sq ft) begins June 1, 2026. Of prior city programs, only Minneapolis and Edina continue; St. Paul, St. Louis Park, and Bloomington discontinued their ordinances and handed compliance to the state.
Verified against primary sources
Filing deadline
Jun 1
Annually, for the prior calendar year
- City fee
- No city fee on file.
- Files via
- ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® — you respond to the jurisdiction’s data request.
Filing facts
What the registry knows
- Who’s covered
- Buildings 50,000 sq ft or larger — applies only if the property is served by an investor-owned utility in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington County, OR is located in a city outside the metropolitan area with population over 50,000 (served by a municipal or investor-owned utility). Metro buildings served only by a municipal utility are not covered. Statutory exclusions include residential under 5 units, manufacturing, energy-intensive trade-exposed customers, agricultural buildings, and some multitenant buildings lacking aggregated utility data.
- Deadline
- Jun 1, annually
Class 1 (>=100,000 sq ft) reports began June 1, 2025; Class 2 (50,000-99,999 sq ft) begins June 1, 2026; every June 1 thereafter. Of the city programs, only Minneapolis and Edina (25,000-49,999 sq ft) continue; St. Paul, St. Louis Park, and Bloomington discontinued their city ordinances in 2024-2025 and handed compliance to the state.
- Files via
- ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® — you respond to the jurisdiction’s data request.
- City fee
- No city fee on file.
- If you miss it
- Civil fine of $1,000 on the owner for failure to comply (assessed after the July 15 post-deadline cure date, or August 15 if an extension was granted); the commissioner may increase the fine by rule to adjust for inflation (Minn. Stat. § 216C.331).
How to comply
Step by step
Confirm the building is 50,000 sq ft or larger and located within the Twin Cities metro area or another covered large city.
Benchmark the building in ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® with a "Minnesota" Standard ID and check the state Department of Commerce's current phase-in guidance for 2025-2026.
Separately confirm whether a continuing city-level program (Minneapolis, or Edina for 25,000-49,999 sq ft buildings) also applies to the same building; St. Paul, St. Louis Park, and Bloomington discontinued their city ordinances, so buildings there report only to the state.
FAQ
Common questions
Does the state law replace Minneapolis's or St. Paul's city ordinances?
It replaced St. Paul's: the City of Saint Paul discontinued its own benchmarking ordinance in 2025 and handed compliance to this statewide program, which is why St. Paul buildings land on this page. Minneapolis and Edina still run their own city programs alongside the state law, so a building in those cities may owe both the city and state requirements.
When does the Minnesota state program take effect?
It phases in during 2025-2026, administered by the state Department of Commerce.
Want Minnesota Large Building Energy Benchmarking handled for you?
Run the compliance checker to confirm this program actually applies to your building. Sign-up is open today — and the readings behind a filing come back to you as trends you can compare year over year.