Leaving a Lease Early
N.D.C.C. § 47-16-17.1 — a tenant fearing domestic violence may end a lease for the month's rent and one more
A tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, or fears imminent domestic violence against the tenant or minor children, may end a residential lease without penalty by advance written notice, by mail, fax or in person, stating the fear of a person named in a court order or other court record, the need to end the tenancy, and the date.
- The tenant owes the rent for the month the tenancy ends and one more month's rent, paid by the end date, subject to the landlord's duty to mitigate.
- The landlord may not disclose the information the tenant gave or put it in a shared database.
- Rent already past due stays owed.
A tenant may also end a lease early when the landlord fails to keep the tenant in quiet possession or make repairs within a reasonable time after a request. A tenant evicted according to law owes rent for the rest of the term, but the landlord still has to mitigate.
Sources for this section (3)
- N.D.C.C. § 47-16-17.1 — Termination due to domestic abuse
- N.D.C.C. § 47-16-17 — When lessee may terminate lease
- N.D.C.C. § 47-16-13.7 — Eviction - Lessee liable for rent during term of lease
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Dakota attorney.