Free North Dakota Rent-to-Own Agreement Template

Last reviewed September 2026

Written by LawLease Editorial

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North Dakota Rent-to-Own Agreement

This Rent-to-Own Agreement is built with North Dakota as the governing state. These are the North Dakota landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.

North Dakota rules at a glance

North Dakota rules for a Rent-to-Own Agreement
Security deposit limit	1 month’s rent (2 months in two narrow cases); separate pet deposit up to the greater of $2,500 or 2 months’ rentN.D.C.C. §47-16-07.1
Deposit return	30 days after termination and delivery of possession, with an itemized accounting and interestN.D.C.C. §47-16-07.1(3)
Pet deposits	A separate pet security deposit is allowed, capped at the greater of $2,500 or two months’ rent. It can’t be charged for a service or assistance animal a tenant with a disability needs as a reasonable accommodation (§47-16-07.1(2)).
Deposit rules	The deposit cap, interest, 30-day accounting and treble-damages rules of §47-16-07.1 apply regardless of the lease terms.
Rent-increase notice	30 days’ written notice before the end of the month (month-to-month)N.D.C.C. §47-16-07
Rent control	Prohibited statewideN.D.C.C. §47-16-02.1

Security deposits in North Dakota

A North Dakota landlord may not demand or receive security of more than one month’s rent (§47-16-07.1(1)). Two exceptions allow up to two months’ rent: an applicant with a felony conviction (as an incentive to rent to them), and an applicant who has had a judgment entered against them for violating a previous rental agreement.

Pet deposits — A separate pet security deposit is allowed, capped at the greater of $2,500 or two months’ rent. It can’t be charged for a service or assistance animal a tenant with a disability needs as a reasonable accommodation (§47-16-07.1(2)).
Interest-bearing account — The deposit must be held in a federally insured, interest-bearing savings or checking account for the tenant’s benefit, and the deposit plus accrued interest is paid to the tenant at the end of the lease. No interest is owed if the tenant occupied the unit for less than nine months (§47-16-07.1).
Permitted deductions — Damage caused by the tenant’s pet or by the negligence of the tenant or guests; unpaid rent; and cleaning or repairs that were the tenant’s responsibility, reasonable wear and tear excepted (§47-16-07.1(3)).
Return — Within 30 days after the lease ends and the tenant delivers possession, the landlord must deliver or mail to the tenant’s last furnished address an itemized list of deductions, the amount due, and a statement of any balance owed either way (§47-16-07.1(3)).
Treble damages — A landlord who withholds deposit money without reasonable justification is liable for three times the amount (§47-16-07.1(4)).
Sale of the property — On a sale, the deposit and interest transfer to the new owner, and the seller stays liable until they do (§47-16-07.1(5)).

Rent, late fees & rent increases

Late fees — North Dakota has no statutory late-fee cap or mandatory grace period; the lease controls, and a fee should be a reasonable estimate of the landlord’s loss. A 2025 bill to cap late fees at 8% of rent (SB 2236) did not become law.
Payment-method fees — A landlord may not charge a fee to accept cash, a check or a money order for rent or any other payment due under the lease (§47-16-20.1).
Rent increases — For a month-to-month tenancy, the landlord may change the rent or other terms, effective at the end of a month, by written notice given at least 30 days before the month ends (§47-16-07). The tenant may then end the tenancy at the end of the month with at least 25 days’ notice (§47-16-15(3)).
Rent control — No political subdivision may enact or enforce an ordinance controlling the amount of rent for private residential property (§47-16-02.1).

Tenant protections you can’t waive

Unconscionable terms — A court may refuse to enforce, or limit, any lease provision — or any settlement waiving a maintenance right — that was unconscionable when made (§47-16-13.3).
Deposit rules — The deposit cap, interest, 30-day accounting and treble-damages rules of §47-16-07.1 apply regardless of the lease terms.
Domestic-violence protections — A landlord can’t refuse to rent to or retaliate against someone for using the domestic-violence termination right, and can’t disclose the tenant’s documentation; statutory damages of $1,000 are available (§47-16-17.1).
Court process for possession — A landlord recovers possession through an eviction action in district court after the required notice (§§47-32-01, 47-32-02) — not by lockout.

North Dakota Rent-to-Own Agreement FAQs

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in North Dakota?

Generally no more than one month’s rent. Up to two months is allowed for a tenant with a felony conviction or a prior judgment for violating a rental agreement, and a separate pet deposit may be up to the greater of $2,500 or two months’ rent (N.D.C.C. §47-16-07.1).

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in North Dakota?

30 days after the lease ends and the tenant delivers possession, with an itemized list of deductions and the amount due, plus interest if the tenant stayed nine months or more. Withholding without reasonable justification exposes the landlord to treble damages (N.D.C.C. §47-16-07.1).

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