Free North Dakota Lease Agreement Template

Last updated July 17, 2026

Download a free North Dakota lease agreement template

A North Dakota residential lease agreement records the deal between a landlord and tenant for a home in North Dakota. It identifies the parties and premises, sets the rent and term, allocates utilities and maintenance responsibilities, and provides a written place for property rules. The free PDF and Word versions on this page are labeled for North Dakota and are intended as a practical starting document—not a substitute for checking which statutes, disclosures, or local rules apply to a particular property.

The principal research authority for this page is North Dakota Century Code chapters 47-16 and 47-32. Research scope: Official North Dakota Legislative Assembly Century Code sources governing lease formation and renewal, deposits, condition statements, payment methods, habitability, access, tenant remedies, termination, domestic-violence protections, eviction procedure, execution, and local-code and rent-control overlays. Because residential rules can depend on property type, tenancy length, location, and regulated-housing status, review the completed agreement and any required addenda before signing.

North Dakota lease topics to review

The current research draft for North Dakota identifies the following topics as relevant to residential lease preparation. Use them as a checklist, and verify each rule's scope, current text, and exceptions before adding a term to the lease.

• North Dakota defines leasing broadly as temporary possession and use of real property for reward, while property type and special programs can require different statutory paths.
• North Dakota makes an automatic-renewal clause in a residential term of two months or more unenforceable without a written reminder at least 30 days before expiration.
• North Dakota generally caps security at one month's rent, permits two-month security in two listed risk circumstances, and separately caps pet security while excluding required assistance animals.
• North Dakota requires code-compliant, fit and habitable residential premises and enumerated essential systems and services.
• North Dakota requires a landlord-and-tenant signed condition statement to accompany the rental agreement and treats it as prima facie evidence of starting condition.
• North Dakota permits specified repair-and-deduct, recovery, or move-out remedies after notice and unreasonable landlord delay for repairs the landlord ought to make.
• North Dakota's statute of frauds requires a lease longer than one year to be written and signed, with written authority for an agent who signs.
• North Dakota incorporates applicable building and housing codes but preempts political-subdivision rent control for privately owned property, with an exception for property the subdivision owns in fee.

The final lease should not waive protections that cannot lawfully be waived. If a selected term conflicts with a controlling statute, official form, court order, housing-program rule, or local ordinance, the controlling rule applies even when the parties signed different language.

What to include in a North Dakota residential lease

• Landlord, tenant, and premises details — use the parties' full legal names, the complete North Dakota property address, and a clear description of included parking, storage, furnishings, or shared spaces.
• Term and rent — state whether the tenancy is fixed-term or periodic, when it begins, when rent is due, accepted payment methods, and what happens at the end of the stated term.
• Deposits and charges — identify each deposit, prepaid amount, fee, and late-payment term separately so it can be compared with the current North Dakota rule that applies to the property.
• Utilities, maintenance, and access — allocate day-to-day responsibilities without attempting to transfer a nonwaivable landlord or tenant duty.
• Rules and addenda — document pets, smoking, parking, guests, insurance, association rules, and any federal, state, local, or property-specific disclosure that applies.
• Notices and signatures — provide reliable notice addresses and retain a complete signed copy for every party.

State and local checks before signing

North Dakota incorporates applicable building and housing codes but preempts political-subdivision rent control for privately owned property, with an exception for property the subdivision owns in fee. Confirm the property address and the current local text before signing.

Federal requirements can also apply. For example, most pre-1978 housing requires the federal lead-based-paint disclosure process. Manufactured housing, short-term occupancy, owner-occupied rooms, subsidized housing, and rent-regulated property may follow a different legal path from an ordinary residential lease.

Use the official source linked below to confirm the current statewide text. For a disputed tenancy, an eviction or termination, unusual fees, regulated housing, or a property in a city with additional renter protections, obtain advice about the specific facts before relying on a template.

How to use the free North Dakota template

1. Download the North Dakota PDF when you want a printable blank, or the Word file when you want to edit the text electronically.
2. Complete the parties, property, rent, term, deposit, utilities, maintenance, access, and notice fields.
3. Attach the disclosures and property-specific addenda that actually apply.
4. Compare the completed document with the current official source and local requirements.
5. Give every party the same final version to review before anyone signs, then retain the fully executed copy.

The guided builder is available when you prefer questions and a generated preview. Whether you use the free template or the builder, confirm the final agreement against the property and the parties' actual arrangement.