Free North Dakota Residential Lease Agreement

ANorth Dakota lease agreement is used to establish the terms and conditions that a landlord and tenant must follow in regard to a rental property. It is written in a way that complies with the laws of the state in which the property is located. 

Lease agreements are similar to rental agreements as they are both legally binding contracts that define the terms of use and payment plans for a property. However, a lease agreement typically covers long-term leases while a rental agreement deals with short-term tenancies.

The following information should be included in an ND lease agreement. 

• Period of time in which the tenant can occupy the property

• Amount of rent that should be paid

• Details about security deposits 

• Frequency of rental payments

• Information about additional costs 

• Usage terms of the property 

• Eviction terms and procedures

Before starting a North Dakota lease agreement, it is important to know which type to create. There are many distinct varieties of these legal instruments, and each deals with a different type of rental situation. 

The most common types of lease agreements in ND include:

• Standard residential lease agreements: Both the landlord and tenant commit to a fixed set of terms for a set period of time. 

• Rent-to-own lease agreements: Lease agreements with rent-to-own options are designed for tenants that wish to buy the property they are renting. This requires them to pay a sum of money each month, in addition to rent, to cover the costs of the principal.  

• Month-to-month rental agreements: The same general terms as a standard residential lease contract, but they can be renewed, altered, or ended on a month-by-month basis.  

• Commercial lease agreements: Provided by landlords of retail property to tenants that will use the real estate to manage a business.

• Room rental agreements: Used for rooms within properties that have shared living areas. 

• Sublease agreement: Allows tenants to assign or lease the property to another individual as long as they have the property landlord’s permission.

Lease agreements need to include certain disclosures and addendums. These can vary significantly depending on the state in which the property is located. The following overview contains all the essential addendums for ND lease agreements:

North Dakota Lease Agreement Laws

A North Dakota lease agreement must be written and signed within the laws of ND state, otherwise, it will be legally contestable and can be declared invalid and block either party from recourse if a violation is committed. These will police how you start and end the contract and control what procedures you can reasonably ask a tenant to follow.The most important laws to consider when you are renting a property in North Dakota include:

• Security deposits:North Dakotalandlords may charge no more than one months’ rent for a tenant with no pets. If they have a pet, two months’ rent or a maximum of $2,500 can be charged. This must be returned to the tenant within 30 days of vacating the property and returning the keys. Landlords must also give advance notice of any deductions (§ 47-16-07.1).

• Landlord’s right to enter: Landlords can enter the rental property during reasonable hours by givingreasonable notice (§ 47-16-07.3).

Creating and putting a lease agreement into action in North Dakota is a major commitment. It can help to explore an example template first to get a clear idea of what information should be found in your completed document. Our sample ND lease agreement below can help you understand the details included in this legal arrangement a little better. 

Besides lease agreements, there are various other legal documents that are commonly used by landlords. If you are the owner of a rental property, one of the following forms may be helpful for you: 

• North Dakota Rental Application

• North Dakota Eviction Notice