A Claim Against the Government
Minn. Stat. 466.05 and Minn. Stat. 3.736 — notice within 180 days to a municipality or to the state
A person claiming damages from a Minnesota municipality, or from a municipal employee acting within the scope of employment, presents a notice to the municipality's governing body within 180 days after the alleged loss or injury is discovered. It states the time, place and circumstances, the names of the municipal employees known to be involved, and the amount of compensation or other relief demanded.
Who handles this in Minnesota: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Minnesota directory.
A claim against the state or a state employee follows the same pattern. The notice goes to the attorney general, or for a claim against the University of Minnesota to the university attorney, and to any state employee the claimant will seek compensation from, within 180 days after the alleged loss or injury is discovered.
| The claim | Notice within |
|---|---|
| The claimAgainst a municipality or its employee | Notice within180 days after the loss or injury is discovered |
| The claimAgainst the state or a state employee | Notice within180 days after the loss or injury is discovered |
| The claimFor a death by wrongful act or omission, against either | Notice withinOne year after the injury or loss resulting in the death |
Actual notice of facts enough to put the governing body, the state or an insurer on notice of a possible claim complies. Leaving out the amount does not invalidate a notice, but full information about the injuries is furnished within 15 days after a demand. The time does not include any period the injured person is incapacitated by the injury from giving notice.
The time to sue afterward, whether an immunity or an exclusion applies, and when a loss was discovered are questions for a licensed Minnesota attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Minn. Stat. 466.05 — Notice of claim
- Minn. Stat. 3.736 — Tort claims
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.