Minneapolis Code of Ordinances tit. 18, ch. 490, art. I — GENERALLY | Minneapolis Code of Ordinances (Supp. No. 73, Update 1: codified through Ordinance No. 2026-020, adopted June 25, 2026) — City of Minneapolis

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.10 Defined.

490.10. - Defined. "Bicycle" as used in this chapter shall have the meaning specified in Minnesota Statue Section 169.011. (Ord. No. 2018-015, § 1, 4-27-18)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.20 Reserved.

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.30 Reserved.

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.40 Frame number required.

490.40. - Frame number required. No person shall purchase or sell any bicycle or bicycle frame which has no frame number plainly set forth thereon. (77-Or-037, § 7, 2-11-77)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.50 Tampering with frame number or registration.

490.50. - Tampering with frame number or registration. No person shall willfully or maliciously remove, destroy, mutilate or alter the number of any bicycle frame licensed pursuant to this article or state law. No person shall remove, destroy, mutilate or alter any license plate, seal or registration card during the time in which such license plate, seal or registration card is operative. The director of licenses and consumer services may, however, stamp numbers on the frames of bicycles on which no serial number can be found, or on which said number is illegible or insufficient for identification purposes. (77-Or-037, § 8, 2-11-77)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.55 Tampering with a bicycle.

490.55. - Tampering with a bicycle. No person, other than the owner or the owner's authorized agent, except for protection of the bicycle, shall tamper with any bicycle which has been locked or placed in a rack or otherwise secured. (77-Or-037, § 9, 2-11-77)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.60 Impounding authorized.

490.60. - Impounding authorized. (a) Bicycles may be impounded by any traffic officer or duly authorized city employee because: (1) The bicycle was found unattended on public property with a mutilated frame number. (2) The bicycle was found improperly attached in violation of section 490.150 of this chapter. (3) The bicycle was found unattended and blocking traffic or public infrastructure, or otherwise compromising public safety. (4) The bicycle is part of an unpermitted bicycle sharing operation and is found in violation of one or more provisions of Article IV of this chapter. (5) The bicycle is found in violation of one or more of the terms of a contract or license issued under Article IV of this chapter. (b) Prior to impoundment, and where no emergency conditions exist or where traffic is not unduly impeded, a warning shall be issued and placed upon any bicycle found in violation of subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) herein. The warning shall state that should the bicycle not be removed within twenty-four (24) hours, then impoundment shall occur. All other bicycles found in violation of this section 490.60 are subject to impoundment without warning. (c) "Impoundment" or "impound" as used in this chapter means removal of a bicycle to a temporary storage location or designated impound facility by the city, or by a city-licensed impoundment contractor, in response to authorization from a police officer, traffic control agent, or other city employee who is designated by the director of public works to act under this section. The impoundment provisions of this section shall not apply to bicycles that are impounded or confiscated by a police officer as a result of, or in connection with, criminal activity not covered by this chapter. (d) Not more than seventy-two (72) hours after impoundment of any bicycle, the city shall attempt notice to the owner of the bicycle, as disclosed by readily identifiable owner contact information attached to the bicycle. The notice shall be attempted by telephone, electronic mail, or U.S. mail. The notice shall outline the impoundment and redemption process. If a bicycle is redeemed prior to the submission of notice, or if the city is unable to readily identify the owner, then notice need not be sent. Saturdays, Sundays and city holidays are to be excluded from the calculation of the seventy-two (72) hour period. (e) All bicycles impounded under this section shall be subject to an impounded fee that is sufficient to offset the city's costs of enforcement and storage for each such bicycle. (77-Or-037, § 10, 2-11-77; 91-Or-065, § 3, 4-12-91; 2002-Or-052, § 3, 6-21-02; Ord. No. 2018-015, § 1, 4-27-18)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 490.70 Sale of impounded bicycles.

490.70. - Sale of impounded bicycles. Any bicycle lawfully coming into the possession of the city and remaining unclaimed by the owner for a period of at least thirty (30) days may be sold to the highest bidder at public auction or sale following reasonable published notice. (77-Or-037, § 11, 2-11-77; 91-Or-065, § 4, 4-12-91)