Home / States / North Dakota

North Dakota security deposit: 30 days to get it back

The landlord must send the tenant the balance of the deposit, with an itemized list of any deductions and a written notice, within 30 days after the lease terminates and the tenant delivers possession. The notice states any amount still owed to the landlord or any refund due to the tenant.

Double-check before you rely on this. Parts of this page come from legal-aid and other secondary summaries instead of the official statute text. Confirm the deadline and penalty in N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1, and check whether a local ordinance changes the rules.

What the law requires

Itemized statement: Any portion of the deposit not returned must be itemized. Permitted uses are damage from the tenant's pet or the negligence of the tenant or a guest, unpaid rent, and cleaning or repairs needed to return the unit to its move-in condition, excluding reasonable wear and tear. No receipt threshold found.
Forwarding address: No forwarding address requirement found. The itemized list and payment are sent to the tenant's last known address.
If the landlord breaks the rules: A landlord is liable for treble damages for any security deposit money withheld without reasonable justification. The statute does not mention attorney's fees.
Deposit cap: Generally one month's rent. Up to two months' rent may be taken from a person convicted of a felony or with a judgment from a prior rental agreement. A separate pet deposit may not exceed the greater of $2,500 or two months' rent. Deposits must be held in an insured interest-bearing account.
Small claims limit: $15,000 in Small Claims Court (district court)
Statute: N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1 (see also § 47-16-07.2, condition statements)

If your landlord misses the deadline

Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1. Give a date to respond.
If you still aren't paid, file in Small Claims Court (district court). Deposit claims up to $15,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

What a North Dakota demand letter looks like

Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]

Dear [Landlord name]:

I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].

My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.

[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under N.D. Cent. Code § 47-16-07.1, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 30 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].

Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.

Common questions

How long does a landlord in North Dakota have to return a security deposit?

What happens if a North Dakota landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?

A landlord is liable for treble damages for any security deposit money withheld without reasonable justification. The statute does not mention attorney's fees.

Do I have to give my North Dakota landlord a forwarding address?

No forwarding address requirement found. The itemized list and payment are sent to the tenant's last known address.

Where do I sue for my deposit in North Dakota?

Deposit claims up to $15,000 can be filed in Small Claims Court (district court). Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

Other states

Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.