N.D.C.C. §§ 47-16-01 through 47-16-30.1, 47-16-31 through 47-16-35, 47-16-42 § 47-16-20
Rents - When payable.
Operative Text
47-16-20. Rents - When payable.
When there is no contract or usage to the contrary, the rent of agricultural and wild land
shall be payable yearly at the end of each year. Rents of lodgings shall be payable monthly at
the end of each month. Other rents shall be payable quarterly at the end of each quarter from
the time the lease takes effect. The rent for a lease shorter than the periods herein specified
shall be payable at the termination of the lease.North Dakota law under N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20 establishes default schedules for when rent becomes due in the absence of a contrary agreement or custom. Agricultural and wild land rent falls due annually at year's end, rent for lodgings falls due monthly at the end of each month, and other types of rented property fall due quarterly at the end of each quarter from the lease's start date. For leases shorter than the applicable default period, the full rent becomes due at the lease's termination.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20, operators who do not specify a payment schedule in their lease agreements are subject to the statutory default timing rules—monthly for residential lodgings, annually for agricultural or wild land, and quarterly for other property types. Compliant operators typically include an explicit rent-due date in every lease to avoid ambiguity about when payment is legally owed. For short-term leases that fall below the default period, the full rent amount generally becomes collectible at the lease's end under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.D.C.C. § 47-16-20 establishes baseline rules about when rent is legally payable, which can affect a tenant's rights if a landlord claims rent is overdue without a written agreement specifying a due date. Tenants in residential lodgings should be aware that, absent a contrary lease term, rent is not legally due until the end of each month under this provision. Tenants who believe a landlord is demanding rent outside the legally established schedule may wish to review their lease terms and consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service for general guidance.
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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