What happens if a tenant breaks a lease in North Dakota?
In North Dakota, a landlord has a statutory duty to mitigate damages, including when a tenant evicted according to law remains liable for rent for the rest of the lease term. The duty to mitigate applies to any party claiming damages under the residential landlord and tenant sections of the leasing chapter. Separately, federal law lets a servicemember end a lease early after receiving qualifying military orders. This is N.D. Cent. Code §§ 47-16-13.5, 47-16-13.7.
| What | North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Landlord’s duty to re-rent | Required by statute |
| What it means | The landlord must make reasonable efforts to re-rent |
Source
N.D. Cent. Code §§ 47-16-13.5, 47-16-13.7
Read the statute in the North Dakota Century Code (North Dakota Legislative Branch): ndlegis.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora keeps every lease’s term, rent and signers in one record and dates every change to it. This page states the state’s rule so a lease’s own early-termination and sublet clauses can be checked against it before the lease is signed.
Guides on this rule
- Breaking a Lease by State: What the Tenant Owes — What a tenant owes after leaving a lease early, and the 34 states whose statutes say whether the landlord must try to re-rent the home.
Compare this rule in every state
More North Dakota rules
- Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in North Dakota?
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in North Dakota?
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in North Dakota?
- How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in North Dakota?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in North Dakota?
- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in North Dakota?
- What are squatters’ rights in North Dakota?
- Is there rent control in North Dakota?
- Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in North Dakota?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in North Dakota?
- Every North Dakota rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas