North Dakota

North Dakota's oil-boom-driven housing pressures and small-town housing shortages have made accessory dwelling units an increasingly attractive option. Fargo and Bismarck have adopted zoning provisions that accommodate ADUs. ADU Pass helps North Dakota property owners navigate the permit process.

480 ZIP codes
57 Counties
288 Cities

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State ADU details

State insurance regimes

North Dakota's residential property insurance market is regulated by the North Dakota Insurance Department under N.D.C.C. Title 26.1. The state does NOT operate a FAIR Plan or other insurer of last resort — North Dakota is one of a small minority of states that has never created a residual market mechanism for fire-and-extended-coverage homeowners insurance. The voluntary admitted market is the sole avenue for residential coverage; properties unable to obtain admitted-market coverage must seek surplus-lines coverage. Hail is the dominant catastrophic peril in North Dakota and is reflected in admitted-market rates rather than via a separate hail pool.

checked 2026-04-26
Federal (United States) — ADU-relevant rules and programs

Federal ADU law

The United States has no federal statute that directly regulates accessory dwelling unit entitlement or design. Land-use authority over ADUs resides with states and local governments under the traditional police power. Federal engagement is limited to financing (Fannie/Freddie/FHA/VA/USDA), flood insurance (FEMA/NFIP), and discretionary housing programs (HUD), which are recorded in sibling sections of this file.

checked 2026-04-20

Federal financing programs

Federal housing-finance agencies and GSEs set nationwide underwriting rules that govern whether an ADU can be financed, appraised, and counted toward mortgage qualifying income. The relevant actors are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA (HUD), VA, and USDA Rural Development.

checked 2026-04-20

Federal tax credits

There is no ADU-specific federal tax credit. ADUs may incidentally qualify for existing federal energy-efficiency and clean-energy tax credits when the ADU construction includes qualifying measures.

checked 2026-04-20

Federal housing programs

HUD administers several discretionary programs that can fund ADU-related activity at the grantee's election, but none is an ADU-specific program.

checked 2026-04-20

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