Selling a house in Duluth, MN: what the city requires
St. Louis County, Minnesota · Last checked November 2026
Duluth requires a point-of-sale inspection for sump pump and foundation drain connections before a home is sold, a rule in place since 2011. The certificate fee is $115.
What Duluth requires
Point of Sale Certificate of Compliance (inflow and infiltration)
- Who does it
- City Utility Resources Specialist, with city plumbing and electrical inspectors signing off on any work.
- What is checked
- Footing drains, sump pump discharge and house traps connected to the sanitary sewer.
- Cost
- $115 certificate fee. The city form also lists a $220 point-of-sale inspection fee, which its grant program can cover.
- If not done by closing
- If drains must be disconnected, the owner gets a Notice to Correct with 90 days to finish. A city grant of up to $1,400 can pay for a working sump pump.
- Applies to
- Sale of a home. Required since 2011.
Housing in Duluth
- Median year homes were built
- 1951
- Median home value
- $242,700
- Owner-occupied homes
- 22,236 of 37,447 (59%)
- Total housing units
- 39,978
Half the homes here were built in 1951 or earlier, so many sewer laterals are 75+ years old and made of clay or cast iron. Older laterals are the ones most likely to fail a test, so budget for a camera inspection before you list.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Duluth city, St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Need this done in Duluth?
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How the point-of-sale sewer inspection process works
Some Minnesota cities require a camera inspection of the private sewer line at sale, to find cracks, roots and illegal connections such as sump pumps that drain into the sanitary sewer.
- Hire a sewer contractor to televise the line.
- File the inspection with the city.
- Repair defects the city flags, or arrange for the buyer to take them on if the city allows it.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Sewer camera inspection | $200 to $500 |
| Sewer line repair | $3,000 to $20,000 |
Read the full point-of-sale sewer inspection guide
Other towns with the same requirement: Sump pump inspection
More Duluth home rules: Sump pump discharge
If the house fails
You can repair before closing, use an escrow or extension where the city allows it, let the buyer assume the work for a credit, or sell as-is. Compare the options.
Frequently asked questions
What does Duluth require before I sell my house?
Duluth requires a point-of-sale inspection for sump pump and foundation drain connections before a home is sold, a rule in place since 2011. The certificate fee is $115.
How much does the point of sale certificate of compliance cost in Duluth?
$115 certificate fee. The city form also lists a $220 point-of-sale inspection fee, which its grant program can cover. Typical related costs: sewer camera inspection $200 to $500; sewer line repair $3,000 to $20,000.
What if the repairs are not finished before closing?
If drains must be disconnected, the owner gets a Notice to Correct with 90 days to finish. A city grant of up to $1,400 can pay for a working sump pump.
Who pays, the buyer or the seller?
The ordinance usually makes the seller responsible for ordering it, but who pays for repairs is negotiable in the purchase agreement.
How old are the homes in Duluth?
The median home in Duluth was built in 1951, and the median home value is $242,700, according to the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey.
Nearby: Greater Minnesota
- Austin Required at sale
- Montrose Required at sale
- Pipestone Required at sale
- Silver Lake Required at sale
- Tyler Required at sale
- Vernon Center Required at sale
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Sources
- City of Duluth, I/I information form (point of sale inspection and certificate fees)
- Duluth News Tribune, Sump pump and line inspections will be mandatory before home sales
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25035, B25077, B25003, B25001)
Last checked November 2026. Rules and fees change by ordinance and resolution. Confirm with the municipality before you list. See something out of date? Report a change.