Minnesota Secure Choice has been live since January 2026. It applies to Minnesota employers with 5+ employees that do not offer a qualifying retirement plan. Penalty: Up to $500 / employee / yr (escalating). Upcoming: 50–99 employees by 2026-12-31; 25–49 employees by 2027-06-30; 10–24 employees by 2027-12-31; 5–9 employees by 2028-06-30.
Set your headcount for your real exposure — data verified against the statute.
Informational only, not legal or tax advice.
Get your full breakdown + a private-plan savings estimate:
Minnesota Secure Choice covers Minnesota employers with 5+ employees that do not offer a qualifying retirement plan. Counting rule: Five or more covered employees (18+, full- or part-time); seasonal or temporary workers under 180 days are excluded. The program uses headcount data as of January 2026. No years-in-business test; employers not doing business in Minnesota in the preceding 12 months are not covered.
Escalating: $100 per employee (2nd anniversary of the enrollment window); $200 per employee (3rd anniversary); $300 per employee (4th anniversary); $500 per employee (each later anniversary). The program has launched; enforcement has not begun.
Upcoming: 50–99 employees by 2026-12-31; 25–49 employees by 2027-06-30; 10–24 employees by 2027-12-31; 5–9 employees by 2028-06-30. Already passed: 100+ employees (2026-06-30) — unregistered employers should register or certify an exemption now.
Minn. Stat. §§187.03, 187.05, 187.07, 187.12 (Laws 2025 c.37; 2026 c.106) · Official program: securechoice.mn.gov · Verified 2026-09-17.
Minnesota Secure Choice is Minnesota's state-facilitated retirement savings program. It has been live since January 2026. Program: https://securechoice.mn.gov.
Minnesota Secure Choice covers Minnesota employers with 5+ employees that do not offer a qualifying retirement plan. Counting rule: Five or more covered employees (18+, full- or part-time); seasonal or temporary workers under 180 days are excluded. The program uses headcount data as of January 2026. No years-in-business test; employers not doing business in Minnesota in the preceding 12 months are not covered.
Escalating: $100 per employee (2nd anniversary of the enrollment window); $200 per employee (3rd anniversary); $300 per employee (4th anniversary); $500 per employee (each later anniversary). The program has launched; enforcement has not begun.
Upcoming: 50–99 employees by 2026-12-31; 25–49 employees by 2027-06-30; 10–24 employees by 2027-12-31; 5–9 employees by 2028-06-30. Already passed: 100+ employees (2026-06-30) — unregistered employers should register or certify an exemption now.
Exempt with a 401(a), 403(b), 457(b), SEP, SIMPLE, IRA-based or multiemployer plan sponsored in the preceding 12 months; certification required. A private 401(k) or SIMPLE IRA satisfies the mandate and may qualify for SECURE 2.0 startup credits.
Book a free 15-minute compliance audit. We'll show your exact requirement, your real exposure, and whether your own plan saves you money.