North Dakota tenant screening laws

This page states no North Dakota rule on application or screening fees. The review behind this page recorded none in chapters 47-16 and 47-32, and no other North Dakota law on the subject was read.

State housing law generally bars rental denials or unequal terms because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, familial status, national origin, or status regarding marriage or public assistance. Under a no-pets policy you may require reliable documentation of a tenant's disability and the disability-related need for a service or assistance animal, but not when the disability or the need is readily apparent or already known to you (N.D.C.C. § 14-02.5-02(1), (2); N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.5).

• For the state age protection, the supplemental human-rights definition means age 40 or older; Fargo's fair-housing guidance uses that threshold. This definition does not replace familial-status protections, the specific statutory exceptions or independent nondiscrimination duties (N.D.C.C. 14-02.4-02(1); 14-02.5-01; City of Fargo, fair housing guidance).
• Public-assistance status includes receiving federal, state or local assistance, including medical assistance, and being a tenant receiving government subsidies, including rental assistance or rent supplements. Review assistance as part of lawful, consistent screening rather than treating its receipt itself as a reason to reject an applicant (N.D.C.C. 14-02.4-02(19); 14-02.5-01, 14-02.5-02).
• Advertisements may not express discriminatory preferences, and you may not falsely say housing is unavailable on a protected basis (N.D.C.C. § 14-02.5-03, 14-02.5-04).
• Reasonable disability accommodations and necessary modifications at the resident's expense are protected, with qualified restoration and accessibility rules (N.D.C.C. § 14-02.5-06).
• In state housing programs, an otherwise qualified applicant or tenant cannot lose housing or assistance because of being a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking (N.D.C.C. § 14-02.5-02(3)).
• Check the specific state exceptions before applying this summary. Independent state and federal nondiscrimination duties remain applicable (N.D.C.C. § 14-02.5-02(4), (5); N.D.C.C. § 14-02.5-09 to 14-02.5-12).
• The documentation may come from a physician or medical professional who does not operate in North Dakota solely to provide certification for service or assistance animals (N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.5).
• Knowingly making a false claim of a disability, or giving fraudulent documentation, to get such an accommodation is an infraction; after a guilty plea or conviction you may evict the tenant and recover a damage fee of up to $1,000 (N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.6).
• No pet security deposit may be charged for such an animal (N.D.C.C. § 47-16-07.1(2)).See Security deposit limit on the North Dakota page