North Dakota
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in North Dakota — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in North Dakota
North Dakota's Legal Self Help Center serves people handling their own civil cases, with a family-law section covering divorce, legal separation, custody, child support, and paternity. Start there before anything else.
North Dakota Courts — Legal Self Help Center
The official starting point: family-law guides and forms for self-represented litigants.
ndcourts.gov — legal self help →Find a divorce lawyer
State Bar Association of North Dakota — Lawyer Referral Service
The Lawyer Referral & Information Service: call 1-866-450-9579 (Mon–Fri, 9–12 and 1–4).
sband.org — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
Legal Services of North Dakota
Free civil legal help for low-income and elderly North Dakotans. Apply at 1-800-634-5263 (under 60) or 1-866-621-9886 (60+).
lsnd.org →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call the statewide Child Abuse & Neglect Reporting Line at 1-833-958-3500 (TTY 711). In an emergency, call 911.
hhs.nd.gov — child protective services →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →Unpaid wages in North Dakota
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in North Dakota.
Where to go
North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights
Time limit to file
2 years
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in North Dakota
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in North Dakota.
How it works
petition the district court in your county
Typical court fee
~$160
Newspaper notice required?
yes (official county newspaper, 30 days notice; waiver possible)
Small claims court in North Dakota
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in North Dakota.
Maximum claim
$15,000
Filing fee
$10
Can you bring one?
yes — allowed, not required
Clearing your criminal record in North Dakota
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where North Dakota stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — sealing (no true expungement of convictions)
What qualifies
nonviolent misdemeanors and felonies, with good cause and reformation shown
Waiting period
3 years crime-free for misdemeanors; 5 years for felonies
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in North Dakota →
Child support in North Dakota
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in North Dakota.
How it's figured
percentage of obligor's income (rate varies by income bracket, 14-27%) ND HHS child support guidelines worksheet
When it ends
age 18 (can extend if still attending high school and living with the recipient parent)
Lemon law in North Dakota
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? North Dakota's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new vehicles only (excludes motorcycles, motorhomes, used vehicles)
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts or 30+ business days out of service within the warranty term or first year
What you get
refund or replacement vehicle (leased vehicles: reimbursement of payments)
Tenant rights in North Dakota
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in North Dakota.
Notice before eviction
3-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment; 1 calendar month to end month-to-month
Deposit limits & return
Max 1 month's rent; return within 30 days with itemized written statement
When the landlord won't fix things
May repair and deduct after written notice (N.D. Cent. Code 47-16-13)
DUI / DWI in North Dakota
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how North Dakota handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; enhanced penalties at 0.18 (2-day mandatory jail at 0.16+)
Typical penalties
Minimum $500 fine; up to 30 days jail; 91-day license suspension
How far back DUIs count
7 years
Gun laws in North Dakota
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless (constitutional) carry for 18+ with valid ID; shall-issue licenses still offered
Carrying openly
Allowed with restrictions (requires a permit North Dakota issues or honors)
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: Not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Honors permits from states that have reciprocity with North Dakota (permit must be from holder's home state).
Filming the police: your rights in North Dakota
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
One-party consent
If you are part of a conversation, you may record it — including with police. (N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-15-02)
No buffer-zone law
North Dakota has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
The 8th Circuit has not squarely recognized a First Amendment right to record police (see Akins v. Knight, 2017; Molina v. City of St. Louis, 2023), though federal district courts in the circuit have upheld it. Chestnut v. Wallace (8th Cir. 2020) protects watching police-citizen interactions from a distance without interfering.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in North Dakota
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in North Dakota
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in North Dakota
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
Homelessness help in North Dakota
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in North Dakota
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →