North Dakota Bans Local Rent Control

N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-02.1, titled "Rent controls - Prohibited," provides that "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." The statute carves out only property in which the political subdivision itself holds a fee title interest, which it may still manage and control. This is a clear statewide preemption of municipal rent control over private rentals. North Dakota imposes no statewide cap on rent or rent increases, so for private property a landlord may raise rent by any amount at lease renewal, subject only to the notice required to end or change a periodic tenancy. Because no city may enact rent control, none in North Dakota does.

Any city or county ordinance limiting rent on private property violates N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-02.1 and is beyond the political subdivision's powers, so a court could strike it down. The statute sets no fine because a preempted measure simply has no legal effect.