NORTH DAKOTA FIELD FILE

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can they search my cardo I have to show IDlandlord kept my depositcan I record the policewhat happens if I refuse a breathalyzer

Start with a situation

• Traffic stopsGetting pulled over, documents, searches, and what happens roadside.→
• Being stoppedOn foot, on the street, and what you owe an officer who stops you.→
• Marijuana and drugsWhat the state legalized, what it did not, and where state and federal law disagree.→
• Impaired drivingImpaired driving stops, field tests, breath and blood tests, and implied consent.→
• Court and moneyDebt, eviction, work, family and records. The side of the system with no officer in it.→
• Your homeRenting and the landlord, and when the police may come inside.→
• RecordingFilming police, recording calls, and whose consent the law requires.→
• Carrying a firearmCarry rules, the duty to disclose, where guns are barred, and self defense.→
• Charges and penaltiesHow offenses are graded, jail ranges, fines, and repeat offense steps.→
• How you carry yourselfSilence, counsel, complying now and contesting later.→

New in North Dakota

• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Permitless CarryA handgun under a jacket with no license, a stop for coffee, a church, and a bar.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Lease That Renewed ItselfAn automatic renewal clause, no reminder from the landlord, and a lease that became month to month.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Seventh Day at the StoreA retail schedule with no day off, a request for Sunday morning, and the written statement that matters.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Cash Taken at the StopAn envelope of cash seized from a car, no charge filed, and how forfeiture works now.

All 10 new in North Dakota ↓

Someone asked

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

Getting the Deposit Back

Within thirty days after the lease ends and the tenant gives up possession, the landlord delivers or mails to the last address the tenant gave a written notice with an itemized list of anything kept and the refund or amount still due.

• N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1StatuteReal property and dwelling security deposits - Limitations and requirementsOpens ndlegis.gov ↗

Read the whole section →

Legal information, not legal advice. Every block on this site carries the source it rests on.

Walk it through

59 situations taken one decision at a time, with what the law asks of each side written out at every step. Each opens on its own page.

Traffic stops11Being stopped5Marijuana and drugs4Impaired driving2Court and money21Your home10Carrying a firearm3Charges and penalties3

• The Stop on the HighwayA night stop with a license on a phone, an insurance card left at home, and a handgun in the console.4 steps →
• The Lights in the MirrorAn ambulance from behind, a trooper on the shoulder, and a car that keeps going.3 steps →
• The Fender BenderA rear-end crash in a parking lot exit, information to swap, and when the police must hear about it.3 steps →
• The Car Without InsuranceA lapsed policy, a stop, a policy bought the next morning, and the year of proof that follows.3 steps →
• The Text at the Red LightA message read at a stoplight, a call on the speaker, a map, and a school zone at recess.3 steps →
• The New DriverA permit at fourteen, the hours behind the wheel, a phone, and the first license.3 steps →
• The Stopped School BusAmber lights ahead, a stop arm out, a divided highway, and the fee for passing.3 steps →
• The Cyclist on the ShoulderA bicycle on a county road, three feet of room, and a turn signal given in time.3 steps →
• The CrosswalkA pedestrian in the crosswalk, a car stopped beside, and a curb stepped off too late.3 steps →
• The Suspended LicenseA suspension for unpaid fines, a drive to work, and a reinstatement inside sixty days.3 steps →
• The ATV on the Gravel RoadA side-by-side on the section line, a paved county road, a twelve year old rider, and a helmet.3 steps →

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About this guide — education built from the North Dakota Century Code as the Legislative Assembly publishes it, not a law degree in a webpage. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Dakota attorney or a legal aid office. Current as of October 2026.

This guide covers common situations in real North Dakota encounters. Not the whole body of law, not a replacement for a lawyer.