Buying a mobile home in North Dakota

North Dakota's mobile home park statute gives a buyer meaningful disclosure — ownership and contact information, the lease on request, and a plain summary of rights — and the general law caps the deposit. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone buying should consider consulting a licensed attorney in North Dakota.

What the statute says

N.D.C.C. §47-10-28(1) requires a park owner to designate a decision-maker and provide the tenant that person's contact information, to give written notice of a change of ownership, to "provide to each tenant, upon a written request ... a copy of the existing lease terms ... within ten business days," and to provide "the name, address, and telephone number of the legal entity that owns the mobile home park." Section 47-10-28(9) requires the owner to provide "a summary outlining the tenant's lease and the rights and obligations of the tenant and mobile home park owner under state law."

The security deposit is capped by N.D.C.C. §47-16-07.1 at "one month's rent" (up to two in limited cases), held in an interest-bearing account. The home is titled through the DOT under N.D.C.C. §39-05-35.

How it works in general

A North Dakota buyer who keeps a home in the park is entitled to know who owns the park and how to reach a decision-maker, to get a copy of the lease on request, and to receive a written summary of the rights and obligations under state law. The deposit can't exceed one month's rent (with limited exceptions) and earns interest for the tenant. The home is built to the federal HUD standards and titled through the DOT, so the buyer takes ownership by transferring the certificate of title. Reviewing the lease, the rights summary, the deposit, and the title are the key steps before closing.

Common scenarios

General examples North Dakota buyers commonly encounter:

• A buyer can't find out who owns the park. The owner must provide its legal name, address, and phone, plus a decision-maker's contact info (§47-10-28(1)).
• A buyer wants the lease and a plain-language rights summary. Both must be provided (§47-10-28(1), (9)).
• A buyer takes ownership. The home transfers by its DOT certificate of title (§39-05-35).

Other authorities that may apply

The mobile home park statute (§47-10-28) governs owner disclosures and the rights summary; the general leasing law (§47-16-07.1) caps the deposit; the DOT handles title (§39-05-35). The home's construction follows the federal HUD code, and federal lending rules and the Fair Housing Act can apply. The lease, the rights summary, and the bill of sale are the core documents to review.