State Regulations for Minnesota

Updated: 01/02/2025

Governing Body:

Youth camps are licensed and inspected by the Minnesota Department of Health | Environmental Health Division. Businesses, including camps, providing lodging, food and beverage, and operating swimming pools are licensed by different agencies within the state.  For more information about licensing based on your camp's location and services, visit the Minnesota Department of Health Licensing website. 

License Required for Day Camps :
No
License Required for Resident Camps:
Yes
License Information:

Resident Camps: Separate license required for youth camps providing lodging, camps providing food service or camps with a pool or spa

Lodging License: Lodging in Minnesota | Youth Camps

Food License: Licensing and Plan Review

Minnesota Statues, Chapter 157 (Section 157.16)

Additional relevant statutes and rules: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 144 (Sections 144.71-144.74) and Minnesota Administrative Rules, Chapter 4630 (4630.2300-4630.4750)

Special requirements for camps in Hennepin County, MN 

Criminal Background Checks Required:
No
Criminal Background Checks Information:

Minnesota Department of Public Safety

Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
CJIS Section
1430 Maryland Ave. E.
St. Paul, MN 55106
651-793-7000

Also see: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 (13.87)

State Allows FBI Checks:
No
Driving Record Checks:

Driver and Vehicle Records are available through the Driver & Vehicle Services website.

  • $9.50 record copy
  • $10.50 certified record copy
State Sex Offender Registry:

Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry

Minimum Wage:

$11.13 per hour* for all employers, including large employers, small employers, youth and J-1 visa wages for hotels, motels and lodging establishments. 

*Federal minimum wage rate applies

Minimum Wage Coverage and Exemptions:

Covers all employees unless specifically exempt.

Exemptions: staff members of a nonprofit organization employed on a seasonal basis in an organized children’s resident or day camp; bona fide executives, administrators, and professionals; volunteers for nonprofit organizations; minors under age 18 working less than 20 hours a week on municipal recreational programs

"Minnesota also exempts the following individuals from its minimum wage and overtime requirements:

staff members employed on a seasonal basis by an organization for work in an organized resident or day camp operating under a permit issued under Minnesota Statute 144.72" From Minnesota Employment Law Handbook

Subminimum Wage:

$9.08/hour for employees under age 20 for the first 90 consecutive days of employment. The Department may issue rules for the handicapped, apprentices, and learners.

Minnesota Minimum Wage

Minimum Wage Source:

Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Acts (Minnesota Statutes 177.24)

Overtime Pay Requirements:

1½ times regular rate after 48-hour week. State and political subdivision employees: 1½ hours off for each hour worked over 48 in any workweek instead of overtime pay.

Overtime Pay Exemptions:

Those employees exempt from the state minimum wage (except corn detasslers under age 18); seasonal employees for a carnival, fair, or ski facility

Meal/Rest Period Requirements:

Meal period: sufficient time to eat a meal during shift of 8 or more hours; need not be paid time; collective bargaining agreements may provide otherwise.

Rest period: adequate time to visit restroom in each 4 consecutive hours of work (collective bargaining agreements may provide otherwise); reasonable time to express breast milk for nursing mothers (doesn’t need to be paid time).

Student Exemption Information:

Contact the Unemployment Office at 651-259-7329.

Other Wages Source:

Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 177 (177.21-177.35)

Minnesota state minimum-wage  poster

Additional Info:

Employee Earned Sick and Safe Time

Effective January 1, 2024, Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law requires employers to provide paid leave to employees who work in the state. Minnesota’s old sick and safe leave law has been replaced by the new earned sick and safe time law.

Since its initial implementation, there have been updates to the new law.  New ESST law changes

Minnesota Child Passenger Safety

Minnesota Child Car Seat Law | Child Passenger Safety (mn.gov)