How long does an eviction take in North Dakota?
For unpaid rent, expect about 2.5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout in North Dakota, and anywhere from 1 to 6.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
North Dakota eviction timeline, step by step
- Notice to pay or leave 3 daysofficial source
Unconditional 3-day notice once rent is 3 days overdue (N.D. Cent. Code § 47-32-01) source · secondary source - File the case and get a judgment about 3-15 days (typical 10)official source
Hearing 3-15 days after the summons is issued source - Judgment to lockout 1-6 daysofficial source
Restitution is immediate; court may stay up to 5 days for hardship source - If the tenant appeals 60-day windowofficial source
60 days from service of notice of entry of judgment to appeal to the Supreme Court (N.D.R.App.P. 4(a)); judicial-referee decisions have a 7-day review request instead source
Timeline model: notice + filing-to-judgment window + judgment-to-lockout window; the high case adds 21 days for a contested hearing. Methodology.
Can the tenant pay and stay?
No right to pay and stay once notice is given. official source source
Eviction costs in North Dakota
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $160 | Statewide: District court filing fee $160 official source source |
| Serving the tenant | $30-$77 | Not verified for North Dakota; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Sheriff/marshal lockout | $75-$180 | Not verified for North Dakota; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Lawyer, uncontested | $500-$1,500 | National rough estimate, not state-specific estimate |
| Lawyer, contested | $2,000-$5,000+ | National rough estimate estimate |
| Median gross rent | $980/mo | Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$30) data file |
Tenant protections
| Statewide rent control | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Statewide just-cause rules | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Right to counsel for tenants | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Seasonal or weather limits | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
| Required mediation / pre-filing program | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
Eviction cost calculator for North Dakota
| What | Typical | Low to high |
|---|
Full timeline and sources · Total = rent × (months behind + months to evict + months to re-rent) + court fees + lawyer + turnover. How we calculate.
Tenant screening
Reserved for a tenant-screening partner (credit, eviction and background checks). No partner yet; nothing here is a recommendation.
Rent-guarantee insurance
Reserved for a rent-guarantee or landlord insurance partner that covers unpaid rent and eviction costs. No partner yet.
Landlord-friendliness score: 98/100
Timeline 47.9/50 · right to cure 20/20 · statewide protections 30/30. How the score works.
North Dakota eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in North Dakota?
A nonpayment eviction in North Dakota typically takes about 2.5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 1 to 6.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an EvictionMath estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked 2026-10-17.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in North Dakota?
Unconditional 3-day notice once rent is 3 days overdue (N.D. Cent. Code § 47-32-01).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in North Dakota by paying the rent?
No right to pay and stay once notice is given.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in North Dakota?
The court filing fee is $160 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
Is North Dakota landlord-friendly for evictions?
North Dakota scores 98 out of 100 on the EvictionMath landlord-friendliness score (timeline 47.9/50, right to cure 20/20, statewide tenant protections 30/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
| Field | Source type | Link | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice period | official source | ndlegis.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Notice period (backup) | secondary source | www.nolo.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Court deadlines | official source | ndlegis.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Judgment to lockout | official source | ndlegis.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Appeal | official source | www.ndcourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Filing fee | official source | www.ndcourts.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Service fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Median rent | official source | census.gov (ACS B25064) | 2026-10-17 |
Not yet verified for North Dakota: service fee, lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are left blank, never guessed. Found an error? Laws change; tell us via the newsletter reply.
Compare similar states
North Dakota (98, 2.5 wk) · Louisiana (100, 2 wk) · South Dakota (96, 3 wk) · West Virginia (96, 3 wk) · Wyoming (100, 2 wk)