No, sleeping on a refrigerator in your Minnesota backyard is not illegal under state law. This notion stems from debunked “dumb laws” lists that falsely attribute it to Minnesota or Blue Earth, but no such statute exists in Minnesota codes.​
Law Origins
The myth likely confuses Minnesota’s child safety law (Minn. Stat. § 609.675), which prohibits leaving unused refrigerators accessible to children without door removal to prevent entrapment. Similar urban legends point to Pittsburgh, PA, ordinances on habitable sleeping spaces, not Minnesota. No Minnesota statute or city code bans outdoor refrigerator sleeping.​
Backyard Rules
Local zoning and nuisance ordinances regulate yard items like refrigerators, often requiring storage out of sight to avoid violations for refuse or hazards. Sleeping outdoors faces no specific prohibition beyond general public safety or camping bans in some cities, but refrigerators aren’t dwellings under housing codes. Verify with your locality for junk storage rules.​
