Odd Laws Still on the Books
No pet skunk, keeping roadkill and a tattoo kit for a teen: real North Dakota sections
Lists of strange state laws get passed around with no section number attached. Every one below has one, read from the North Dakota Century Code.
Who handles this in North Dakota: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the North Dakota directory.
| The law | What it says |
|---|---|
| The lawA pet skunk or raccoon | What it saysNo one may keep either in captivity, and the state veterinarian takes any that are kept. |
| The lawRoadkill | What it saysAnyone who wants a big game animal killed by a vehicle on a public road notifies a game warden, who gives a free, dated written note that lets them keep it. The note stays with the carcass. |
| The lawA tattoo kit | What it saysSelling a tattoo, piercing or branding kit to anyone under eighteen is a class B misdemeanor. |
Many laws that sound strange are city or county ordinances rather than state law; this page covers only the Century Code. Whether a particular act broke one of these sections is a question for a licensed North Dakota attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- N.D.C.C. § 36-01-08.4 — Ownership of skunks and raccoons prohibited - Exception
- N.D.C.C. § 20.1-01-27 — Disposition of animals killed by motor vehicle
- N.D.C.C. § 12.1-31-13 — Tattooing, branding, subdermal implants, scarifying, and piercing - Minors
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.