Ending a month-to-month tenancy in North Dakota

The rule in North Dakota

To end a month-to-month tenancy in North Dakota, the notice period is one month, set by N.D.C.C. § 47-16-15(2). The words: “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 same period binds the tenant: the statute gives landlord and tenant one rule.

Of the 29 states verified on this site, 3 require less notice and 4 require more, counting a month as 30 days for comparison; the median is 30 days. 21 others land on the same length, among them Arizona, Florida, Idaho and Illinois.

Worked date: a notice delivered on November 10, 2026 runs its one month on December 10, 2026, so the notice can name December 10, 2026 or a later date as the end of the tenancy, 30 days after delivery.

Given on the rent day itself, December 1, 2026, the same notice reaches its end on January 1, 2027, 31 days later. A period stated as a month follows the calendar, so its length in days depends on the month in which it runs.

Across the border, among neighbours with a verified rule: Minnesota requires one month and Montana requires 30 days.

After the notice: the landlord then has 30 days to return the security deposit (deposit rules), so a tenancy ending on December 10, 2026 puts the deposit deadline at January 9, 2027.

Source: North Dakota Legislative Branch, N.D.C.C. ch. 47-16 (PDF) · last checked October 21, 2026.

Giving or receiving notice

The statute sets the shortest period; a lease can add conditions such as a written form or a delivery method, and some cities add their own rules. The guide on ending a month-to-month tenancy compares how the verified states count the period.