N.D.C.C. §§ 47-16-01 through 47-16-30.1, 47-16-31 through 47-16-35, 47-16-42 § 47-16-15
Notice of termination of lease.
Operative Text
47-16-15. Notice of termination of lease.
1. A lease of real property for a term not specified by the parties is deemed to be
renewed as stated in section 47-16-06 at the end of the term implied by law, unless
one of the parties gives notice to the other of an intention to terminate the lease, at
least as long before the expiration of the lease as the term of the hiring itself, not
exceeding one calendar month.
2. In tenancies from month to month, and unless the parties have otherwise agreed in
writing to a longer notice period or a different notice time, either party may terminate
the tenancy by giving at least one calendar month's written notice at any time. The rent
is due and payable to and including the date of termination.
3. If a landlord changes the terms of the lease pursuant to section 47-16-07, the tenant
may terminate the lease at the end of the month by giving at least twenty-five days'
notice.
4. Any agreement that requires a lessee to give notice that exceeds one month from the
end of a month to terminate a lease of real property for residential purposes must state
the notice requirement and provide space for the lessee to initial next to the notice
requirement. If the notice is not initialed by the lessee at the time of executing the
lease, the lessee may terminate the lease on the last day of a month with at least one
calendar month's notice.
5. If a lease converts to a month-to-month tenancy under section 47-16-06 or 47-16-06.1,
either party may terminate the lease on the last day of a month with at least one
calendar month's notice.North Dakota Code § 47-16-15 establishes the notice requirements for ending a lease. For leases without a specified term, either party must give notice at least as long as the lease period itself, up to a maximum of one calendar month. Month-to-month tenancies require at least one calendar month's written notice from either party, with rent owed through the termination date. Special rules apply when a landlord changes lease terms, when a lease converts to month-to-month, and when a residential lease requires more than one month's notice—in that last case, the extra-notice requirement must be clearly stated and initialed by the tenant at signing to be enforceable.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 47-16-15, compliant landlords provide at least one calendar month's written notice before terminating a month-to-month tenancy and ensure that any notice requirement exceeding one month in a residential lease is explicitly stated in the lease document with a designated space for the tenant's initials at the time of signing. If the tenant does not initial that provision, the landlord should be aware that the tenant retains the right to terminate with only one calendar month's notice on the last day of a month. When changing lease terms under § 47-16-07, landlords should account for the tenant's right to exit at month's end with twenty-five days' notice.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 47-16-15 gives tenants in month-to-month arrangements the right to end their tenancy by providing at least one calendar month's written notice, with rent owed only through the termination date. If a landlord changes the lease terms, tenants have the right to terminate at the end of the month by giving at least twenty-five days' notice. Tenants should also know that any lease clause requiring more than one month's notice to terminate is only enforceable if it was clearly disclosed and personally initialed at signing; if it was not, the standard one-month notice rule applies—tenant-rights organizations or a local legal aid office can help clarify how these protections apply.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 28, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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