North Dakota Month-to-Month Lease Agreement

Last Updated: December 14, 2023 by Roberto Valenzuela

A North Dakota month-to-month rental agreement is a contract (not necessarily in writing) which allows a tenant to rent property from a landlord, for one month at a time, in exchange for a fee (“rent”). The rental renews monthly, until either party gives proper notice to end it.

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For information about fixed-term leases in North Dakota (i.e., a term of one year or more), click here.

Basics of a North Dakota Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

In North Dakota, a landlord and tenant create a month-to-month lease by agreeing to rent a property according to acceptable terms. Written rental agreements are clearer and legally stronger, but oral leases are legal in a month-to-month context.

Parties under a month-to-month lease enjoy full rights under North Dakota landlord-tenant law. The tenant must use the property in a responsible way and pay rent on time. The landlord must keep essential features of the property in habitable condition, and protect the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the lease.

The main difference between a month-to-month lease and a fixed-term lease is that month-to-month leases can be terminated (with proper notice) by either party for any reason without penalty. Landlords also can usually modify terms from one month to the next, again with proper notice.

Required Disclosures for Month-to-Month Rentals in North Dakota

North Dakota landlords may not rent a property out without making the following disclosures to a potential tenant, as relevant:

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The state page for fixed-term leases may have more detailed information on required disclosures.

Required Notice To End a Month-to-Month Rental in North Dakota

North Dakota lets both the landlord or tenant terminate a month-to-month lease with at least one full calendar month of advance notice. In general, any reason that isn’t landlord retaliation is a legal and valid grounds for ending a month-to-month lease.

North Dakota requires written notice to end a month-to-month lease.

Required Notice To Raise the Rent on a North Dakota Month-to-Month Lease

North Dakota requires that notice for a rental increase be delivered in writing, but doesn’t specify a particular timeframe for that notice. This means in most cases it’s reasonable for a landlord to keep the same standard advance notice provided for termination or other major lease changes, which in North Dakota is 30 days.

Eviction in North Dakota Month-to-Month Rentals

North Dakota tenants may face eviction for violating a month-to-month lease or remaining on the property after the notice period allowed by a valid termination. Evictions in North Dakota typically take two to eight weeks.

For more information on the eviction process in North Dakota, click here.

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