North Dakota Statewide Rule

North Dakota Limits on HOA Power: Political Signs Protected in Condos, No Solar-Rights Statute

Few RestrictionsApplies statewide across North Dakota (2026)

Key Facts

Political yard signs (condos): Protected - covenant may not prohibit them (N.D.C.C. § 47-04.1-14)
Solar panels: No solar-rights law - § 47-05-01.1 only allows a voluntary written easement, does not bar HOA bans
Clotheslines: No North Dakota statute - HOA may restrict via the declaration
EV charging: No North Dakota statute - HOA may restrict via the declaration
U.S. flag: No HOA-specific flag statute identified - declaration controls

Last verified: September 5, 2026

Summary

North Dakota places almost no statutory limits on HOA authority. N.D.C.C. § 47-04.1-14 bars a condominium covenant from prohibiting a political yard sign. The solar-easement law (§ 47-05-01.1) only lets owners create a voluntary written easement - it does not stop an HOA from banning solar panels, and there is no clothesline or EV-charging statute.

47-04.1-14. Covenant, declaration, bylaw, or other rule may not prohibit display of political signs. Notwithstanding any provision in a covenant, declaration, bylaw, or other rule of a project, an owner or resident may not be prohibited from displaying a political yard sign on the owner's property within sixty days before any primary, general, or special election. A covenant, declaration, bylaw, or rule may include reasonable restrictions regarding the placement and manner of display of political signs.

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Full Breakdown

The clearest statutory override is N.D.C.C. § 47-04.1-14, which provides that "notwithstanding any provision in a covenant, declaration, bylaw, or other rule of a project, an owner or resident may not be prohibited from displaying a political yard sign," applicable to condominium projects. On solar, North Dakota has a solar-easement chapter, but N.D.C.C. § 47-05-01.1 merely allows an "easement obtained for the purpose of exposure of a solar energy device" to be "created in writing" with the usual recording requirements; § 47-05-01.2 lists what such an instrument must contain. Critically, the chapter does not void HOA restrictions or guarantee solar access - it does not mention associations, covenants, or any prohibition on banning solar collectors. North Dakota also has no statute shielding clotheslines, electric-vehicle charging stations, or (for non-condo HOAs) signs from association restriction, so for those topics the recorded declaration controls.

Violations & Penalties

A condominium covenant that prohibits a political yard sign is overridden by N.D.C.C. § 47-04.1-14. For solar panels, clotheslines, or EV charging, North Dakota provides no statutory override, so a restrictive covenant generally remains enforceable through the declaration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a North Dakota HOA stop me from installing solar panels?

Possibly. North Dakota's solar-easement statute (N.D.C.C. § 47-05-01.1) only lets a property owner create a voluntary solar easement by written, recorded instrument. It does not prohibit HOAs from banning solar collectors and contains no solar-access guarantee, so a restrictive covenant in your declaration can still limit or bar panels.

Can my North Dakota condo association ban political yard signs?

No. N.D.C.C. § 47-04.1-14 provides that, notwithstanding any covenant, declaration, bylaw, or rule of a condominium project, an owner or resident may not be prohibited from displaying a political yard sign.

Does North Dakota protect clotheslines or EV chargers from HOA rules?

No. North Dakota has no statute shielding clotheslines or electric-vehicle charging stations from association restriction. Those matters are governed entirely by the recorded declaration and bylaws.

Sources

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