N.D.C.C. §§ 47-16-01 through 47-16-30.1, 47-16-31 through 47-16-35, 47-16-42 § 47-16-23
Rent dependent on life of person - Collection after death.
Operative Text
47-16-23. Rent dependent on life of person - Collection after death.
Rent dependent on the life of a person may be recovered after as well as before that
person's death.Section 47-16-23 of the North Dakota Century Code addresses leases in which rent is tied to the lifespan of a particular person. Under this provision, the obligation to pay such rent does not automatically extinguish when that person dies — the rent remains collectible both during and after that person's lifetime. This means the death of the named individual does not, by itself, terminate the rent obligation or bar its recovery.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.D.C.C. § 47-16-23, landlords who hold leases structured around a life-dependent rent arrangement are not required to abandon their rent claims simply because the relevant person has died. Compliant operators typically document the terms of any life-dependent rent clearly in the lease and maintain records sufficient to support collection efforts after the person's death. Consulting the lease terms and applicable estate or probate processes is a common step when pursuing rent owed under such an arrangement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.D.C.C. § 47-16-23 establishes that tenants or their estates may remain obligated for rent even after the death of the person whose life the rent was tied to. Tenants entering into life-dependent rent agreements should be aware that this obligation can survive death and may become a claim against an estate. Those with questions about how this provision applies to a particular lease arrangement may find it helpful to review the full lease terms or reach out to a tenant-rights organization 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
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation