North Dakota Rental Fee Rules
North Dakota rules on rental fees for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statute. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-16 has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. N.D.C.C. ch. 47-16 (no application-fee section)
The rules in North Dakota
| Application / screening fees | No statute. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-16 has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. Based on a full-text search of the chapter 47-16 PDF. Other titles were not searched. |
|---|---|
| Other rental 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. No broader statute limits other fees or requires fee disclosure. Related deposit limits: security is capped at one month's rent, with exceptions up to two months, and a pet deposit may not exceed the greater of $2,500 or two months' rent (§ 47-16-07.1(1)-(2)). Source: N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20.1 |
Related questions
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee?
- What rental fees are illegal (junk fees)?
North Dakota vs. neighboring states
| State | Application / screening fees | Other rental fees |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | No statute. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-16 has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. N.D.C.C. ch. 47-16 (no application-fee section) | 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. No broader statute limits other fees or requires fee disclosure. N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20.1 |
| Minnesota | No dollar cap. A landlord may not charge a screening fee when no unit is or will soon be available. The landlord must give a receipt on request, and may not cash the fee until all earlier applicants have been screened. Before accepting the fee, the landlord must disclose in writing the screening service used (name, address, phone) and the rental criteria. The landlord must notify a rejected applicant within 14 days, naming the criteria not met. The fee must be refunded if the applicant is rejected for a reason not disclosed, or if an earlier applicant takes the unit, and any unused part must be refunded. Applications may not be denied because of a pending eviction, an expunged or nonpublic file, or an eviction that did not end in a writ. Penalty: the fee plus up to $100, costs and attorney fees. Minn. Stat. § 504B.173 | All non-optional fees must be disclosed in the lease. Rent plus all non-optional fees must be shown as the 'Total Monthly Payment' on the first page of the lease. Advertisements must include non-optional fees in the advertised total and say whether utilities are included. Penalty: treble damages plus attorney fees. Starting Aug. 1, 2026: a landlord that uses a digital payment platform must offer a free alternative when the platform is down, may not take adverse action such as eviction or late fees when both methods fail, and a violation is an affirmative defense to a nonpayment eviction. Final submetered or apportioned utility bills may not include extra fees beyond the authorized administrative and late charges. Minn. Stat. § 504B.120; § 504B.118 (as amended by 2026 Minn. Laws c. 81, § 2); § 504B.216, subd. 7a and § 216B.023, subd. 3a (2026 c. 81) |
| Montana | No statute caps or regulates rental application or screening fees. Note that any fee or charge for cleaning and damages, however labeled, is presumed to be a security deposit (and refundable under the deposit law). Mont. Code Ann. § 70-25-101(4); Title 70, Ch. 24 and 25 (no application-fee section) | No general statute on move-in, convenience or online-payment fees or all-in rent disclosure. Related rules: a cleaning or damage fee of any name is presumed to be a refundable security deposit, and a landlord may not require a tenant to provide an email address as a condition of the lease. Mont. Code Ann. §§ 70-25-101(4), 70-24-202(4) |
| South Dakota | No statute - SDCL ch. 43-32 does not cap or regulate application or screening fees. SDCL Chapter 43-32 | No statute limiting move-in, convenience or other rental fees in SDCL ch. 43-32. SDCL Chapter 43-32 |
More North Dakota rental law
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- North Dakota Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in North Dakota
- Squatters' Rights in North Dakota
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- North Dakota Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
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- Free legal help in North Dakota
Compare rental fees in all 50 states and DC →
North Dakota Rental Fee Rules FAQ
Is there a limit on rental application fees in North Dakota?
No statute. N.D.C.C. chapter 47-16 has no cap or refund rule for application or screening fees. (N.D.C.C. ch. 47-16 (no application-fee section))
What rental fees are banned or limited in North Dakota?
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. No broader statute limits other fees or requires fee disclosure. (N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20.1)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.