A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Pembina County, North Dakota
Pembina County is where North Dakota meets Canada, where the Red River of the North meets the Pembina River, and where one of the busiest land border crossings in the northern United States creates a federal employment base that sets this county apart from its agricultural peers. The Pembina Port of Entry on Interstate 29 handles commercial truck traffic, personal vehicle crossings, and trade between the U.S. and Manitoba, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers who staff it represent one of the most stable and well-compensated tenant segments available in any rural North Dakota market.
Pembina Port of Entry: Federal Employment Anchor
The Pembina Port of Entry is the dominant employment feature that distinguishes Pembina County from other agricultural counties. CBP officers, agricultural inspectors, supervisors, and support staff stationed at the port earn federal salaries with full benefits, making them exceptionally creditworthy tenants. The port operates 24/7 with rotating shifts, creating housing demand across the community of Pembina and the surrounding area year-round. Federal employees are subject to transfer, so turnover occurs, but the positions themselves are permanent — when one officer transfers, another arrives. Landlords in Pembina who develop a relationship with incoming CBP officers can maintain near-continuous occupancy.
Cavalier: The County Seat
Cavalier is Pembina County’s largest community and its governmental, commercial, and healthcare center. The Cavalier County Memorial Hospital (which despite its name serves Pembina County residents as well) provides healthcare employment, and the county government offices, school district, and agricultural services businesses round out the employment base. Cavalier’s rental market is the county’s most active, with demand from healthcare workers, county employees, school staff, and agricultural workers who maintain a town residence.
Walhalla and the Pembina Gorge
Walhalla, with approximately 950 residents, occupies a distinctive position in the Pembina River valley near the Pembina Gorge — a wooded, hilly terrain that is unique in the otherwise flat Red River valley region. The Pembina Gorge has become a regionally significant recreation destination for mountain biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling, drawing visitors from Grand Forks, Winnipeg, and across the region. This recreational economy creates modest seasonal employment and short-term housing demand. The Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site near Walhalla preserves the fur trade era heritage that makes Pembina County historically significant.
Red River Valley Agriculture
Pembina County’s eastern portion lies in the Red River valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in North America. The valley’s deep, rich soils support intensive production of wheat, soybeans, corn, sugar beets, potatoes, and dry edible beans — a more diverse crop mix than most ND counties. The grain elevators in Drayton, Cavalier, Walhalla, and other communities serve this agricultural economy, and the processing and services businesses that support it provide year-round employment. Red River valley agricultural incomes tend to be higher than those in the drift prairie and western ND, reflecting the land’s exceptional productivity.
North Dakota Law in Pembina County
Pembina County landlords operate under NDCC Ch. 47-16 and Ch. 47-32. The 3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit for nonpayment (after the mandatory 3-day grace period under § 47-16-07(2)), the 3-Day Notice to Quit for lease violations with no cure right, and the 30-Day Written Notice for month-to-month terminations are the operative notice timelines. The Pembina County District Court at 301 Dakota St. W. in Cavalier, part of the Northeast Judicial District, handles eviction filings. Hearings are typically set within 3 to 15 days of summons service. LLCs and other entities must retain licensed North Dakota counsel. Attorney fees are recoverable by the prevailing landlord under § 47-32-04.
Pembina County landlord-tenant matters are governed by NDCC Ch. 47-16 and Ch. 47-32. Nonpayment notice: 3-day pay or quit (after 3-day grace period). Lease violation: 3-day quit (no cure). Month-to-month termination: 30-day written notice. Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent; pet deposit up to $2,500 or 2 months. Deposit return: 30 days; interest required if occupancy 9+ months. Late fees must be in lease; no charge during 3-day grace period. Legal entities must use licensed ND attorney in eviction. Attorney fees recoverable by prevailing landlord (§ 47-32-04). Hardship stay: up to 5 days. Eviction filed at Pembina County District Court, 301 Dakota St. W., Cavalier, ND 58220, (701) 265-4275. Filing fee ~$80. Northeast Judicial District. 2025 SB 2238: eviction record sealing after 7 years. No rent control. No just-cause eviction requirement. Last updated: May 2026.
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