North Dakota Mobile Home Park Rent Control: 2026 Guide

Is mobile home lot rent controlled in North Dakota?

Short answer: there is no cap on the dollar amount of mobile home lot rent in North Dakota, but the state does regulate how and when a park owner can raise it. North Dakota has no statewide rent control, and cities and counties are barred from creating their own. So you will not find a percentage limit on lot-rent increases anywhere in the state.

What North Dakota does have — and it is stronger than most states — is a dedicated mobile home park statute, N.D.C.C. § 47-10-28. It requires long advance notice before a rent increase, freezes rent for six months after certain park sales, caps late fees, and bars a park from forcing a tenant to sell their home to the park. Treat these as hard compliance rules: violations carry civil penalties starting at $2,500 and can put your park license at risk.

No statewide rent cap in North Dakota

North Dakota law sets no maximum on residential rent, including mobile home lot rent. There is no state-mandated percentage ceiling and no rent-stabilization program. You may set and raise lot rent at market rate, provided you follow the notice and timing rules described below.

The constraints in § 47-10-28 govern the process of raising rent, not the amount. In other words, the question North Dakota asks is not 'how much did you raise it?' but 'did you give proper notice, and were you allowed to raise it at all right now?'

The § 47-10-28 rules that actually bind a North Dakota park operator

90-day rent-increase notice. For any month-to-month tenancy, N.D.C.C. § 47-10-28(7) requires 'a minimum of ninety days' notice to the tenant before any rent increase is effective.' That is far longer than an ordinary residential notice — build a 90-day lead time into every lot-rent change and keep written proof of delivery.

Six-month post-purchase freeze. Also in § 47-10-28(7): if you buy an existing park and the prior owner raised the rent within 60 days before your acquisition, you 'may not increase the monthly tenant rental obligation for six months.' Confirm the seller's recent rent history in diligence before you plan any post-close increase.

Late-fee cap. Under § 47-10-28(11), a park 'may not charge a monthly late fee of more than ten percent of the monthly rent,' and, on top of that monthly fee, 'may not charge a daily late fee of more than five dollars per day.' No forced sale. Under § 47-10-28(2) you may not require a home-owning tenant to sell or transfer their mobile home to the park. And under § 47-10-28(3), rule or regulation changes need at least 30 days' notice, with a 3-month cure period for a resulting non-compliance before you can start an eviction.

Local rent control in North Dakota

There is no local rent control to worry about. N.D.C.C. § 47-16-02.1 preempts it: a political subdivision 'may not enact, maintain, or enforce an ordinance or resolution that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property.' No North Dakota city or county can impose a percentage cap on your lot rent.

One narrow exception exists and it does not touch private lot rent: Grand Forks adopted a limited 2020 measure tied only to properties receiving city construction/renovation subsidies. That reaches the city's own subsidized interest, not market-rate mobile home lots. If you ever take city development money, check the terms — otherwise this does not apply to you.

Rent-increase rules at a glance in North Dakota

• Statewide rent cap
  None. No maximum on lot rent and no state percentage limit on increases.
• Rent-increase notice (month-to-month)
  At least 90 days' written notice before the increase is effective — N.D.C.C. § 47-10-28(7).
• Post-purchase freeze
  No increase for 6 months after buying a park if rent was raised within 60 days before your acquisition — § 47-10-28(7).
• Late-fee cap
  Monthly late fee no more than 10% of monthly rent, plus a daily late fee no more than $5/day — § 47-10-28(11).
• Rule changes
  At least 30 days' notice of park rule/regulation changes, with a 3-month cure period before eviction for resulting non-compliance — § 47-10-28(3).
• Forced sale of home
  Prohibited. You cannot require a home-owning tenant to sell or transfer their home to the park — § 47-10-28(2).
• Local rent control
  Preempted statewide; cities and counties cannot cap private rent — N.D.C.C. § 47-16-02.1.
• Penalty for violating § 47-10-28
  Civil penalty of at least $2,500 (up to the greater of $10,000 or actual damages), plus attorney's fees; the park license can be suspended.

Operator best practices in North Dakota

• Bake in the 90-day clock
  Schedule every month-to-month lot-rent increase at least 90 days out and keep dated proof of written notice to each tenant.
• Do rent diligence before you buy
  Before acquiring a park, get the seller's rent-change history; if rent moved within 60 days pre-sale, plan for the 6-month freeze.
• Cap late fees correctly
  Set late fees to no more than 10% of monthly rent plus at most $5/day, and confirm your billing software enforces both limits.
• Give proper rule-change notice
  Provide 30 days' notice for any park rule change and honor the 3-month cure window before starting an eviction for non-compliance.
• Never condition tenancy on selling the home
  Do not require or pressure a home-owning tenant to sell or transfer their mobile home to the park — it is expressly prohibited.
• Keep clean, dated records
  Retain notices, rent rolls, and acquisition documents; § 47-10-28 penalties and license suspension turn on provable compliance.
• Build a relationship with a North Dakota MHP attorney
  Have local counsel review your notice templates, late-fee schedule, and acquisition timing so every increase survives a § 47-10-28 challenge.