North Dakota · Evictions · Updated Oct 2026

North Dakota eviction rules for tenants

The notices a landlord in North Dakota must give, how long you have to respond in court, why a lockout is illegal and where to get free legal help fast.

Short answer

3-day written notice of intention to evict before the landlord can file in court.

Notice for unpaid rent
3 days
Time to respond in court
The court summons sets a hearing 3 to 15 days after it is issued.
Lockouts
Banned

If you get an eviction notice

  1. Read it closely: the kind of notice, the amount, the dates and how it was delivered. Use the timeline below.
  2. Don't move out or stop paying because of a notice alone. Only a court can order an eviction; the notice is the first step.
  3. Get free legal help now. Legal aid and the court's self-help center can check whether the notice is valid.
  4. If you are served with court papers, respond by the deadline and go to every hearing. Missing one can mean losing by default.
  5. Keep copies of the notice, your lease, rent receipts, texts and photos.

Eviction in North Dakota

Notice for unpaid rent
3-day written notice of intention to evict before the landlord can file in court. Eviction is allowed when rent is unpaid for 3 days after it is due. The law does not say weekends or holidays are excluded.
Notice for a lease violation
3-day written notice of intention to evict for breaking a material term of a written lease. The law does not give you a right to fix (cure) the problem. For disturbing other tenants, no 3-day notice is required.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
At least one calendar month's written notice by either side, unless you agreed in writing to a longer period. A lease clause requiring you to give more than one month's notice only counts if you initialed it.
Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit
The court summons sets a hearing 3 to 15 days after it is issued. Go to the hearing; that is your chance to tell your side. If you lose, you can ask the judge for up to 5 more days to move out because of hardship.
Lockouts and utility shutoffs
Yes. The Attorney General says the landlord cannot lock you out, cut off utilities or take your belongings; only a district court eviction judgment can remove you. Belongings worth $2,500 or less that you leave behind may be kept or sold by the landlord 28 or more days after it learns, or it reasonably appears, that you moved out. After an eviction judgment is carried out, the landlord may remove your things and hold them until you pay reasonable moving and storage costs (N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-30.1).
Court self-help
The court's eviction self-help page
Law
N.D. Cent. Code 47-32-01, 47-32-02, 47-32-04, 47-16-15, 47-16-30.1

Eviction notice timeline for North Dakota

Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.

This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.

Enter the date you got the noticeThe timeline appears when you pick a date.

Dates are estimates from the rule in our data. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business or court days, and we don't skip holidays.

Where to get free help in North Dakota

Retaliation in North Dakota

No general anti-retaliation statute was found. The only retaliation ban protects tenants who end a lease because of domestic violence (statutory damages of $1,000 plus actual damages and attorney fees). N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-17.1(10)-(11).

Rent increases and rent control in North Dakota

Notice of a rent increase
For month-to-month rentals, at least 30 days' written notice before the end of the month. After a rent increase notice, you may end the tenancy at the end of the month with 25 days' notice. During a fixed-term lease, rent generally cannot be raised. N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-07, 47-16-15(3).
Rent control
No statewide rent control or rent cap. We found no city rent control in North Dakota.

Questions about eviction in North Dakota

How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in North Dakota?

3-day written notice of intention to evict before the landlord can file in court. Eviction is allowed when rent is unpaid for 3 days after it is due. The law does not say weekends or holidays are excluded.

How much notice for a lease violation in North Dakota?

3-day written notice of intention to evict for breaking a material term of a written lease. The law does not give you a right to fix (cure) the problem. For disturbing other tenants, no 3-day notice is required.

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in North Dakota?

At least one calendar month's written notice by either side, unless you agreed in writing to a longer period. A lease clause requiring you to give more than one month's notice only counts if you initialed it.

How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in North Dakota?

The court summons sets a hearing 3 to 15 days after it is issued. Go to the hearing; that is your chance to tell your side. If you lose, you can ask the judge for up to 5 more days to move out because of hardship.

Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in North Dakota?

Yes. The Attorney General says the landlord cannot lock you out, cut off utilities or take your belongings; only a district court eviction judgment can remove you. Belongings worth $2,500 or less that you leave behind may be kept or sold by the landlord 28 or more days after it learns, or it reasonably appears, that you moved out. After an eviction judgment is carried out, the landlord may remove your things and hold them until you pay reasonable moving and storage costs (N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-30.1).

More for North Dakota renters

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Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.