What to do when something is stolen in North Dakota

North Dakota at a glance

Statute text checked on ndlegis.gov. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.

North Dakota by the numbers

These figures count reports made to federal agencies, so they measure what was reported, not every theft. National context is on the theft statistics page.

Reporting a theft in North Dakota

Fargo, the state's largest city, lets residents file many theft reports themselves. The Fargo Police Department's online reporting system accepts thefts, shoplifting, vehicle break-ins, garage burglaries without forced entry and lost identity documents, among other incidents. Two conditions apply: the incident happened inside Fargo city limits, and there is no known suspect. You receive a case number and can print a free copy of the report.

Elsewhere, report to the city police or county sheriff. The North Dakota Highway Patrol handles highway matters. Call 911 for anything in progress. Our stolen property guide lists what to gather first.

North Dakota theft law and the felony threshold

Under N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-23-05, theft becomes a felony when the value exceeds $1,000.

• Up to $500, first offense, in qualifying cases such as shoplifting: class B misdemeanor.
• Other thefts of $1,000 or less: class A misdemeanor.
• More than $1,000: class C felony.
• More than $10,000 up to $50,000: class B felony.
• More than $50,000: class A felony.

The statute lists a long set of thefts that are class C felonies regardless of value, among them firearms, ammunition and explosives, livestock taken from the owner's premises, credit and debit cards, keys taken to reach property worth a felony, and theft during a riot or with an organized group of five or more people. Shoplifting escalates: a second or third offense within three years is a class A misdemeanor, and a fourth within four years is a class C felony. Value is measured as the highest reasonable value, and thefts in one scheme may be added together.

Stolen vehicles and license plates in North Dakota

North Dakota has no separate auto theft grade. Stealing a car is theft by value under § 12.1-23-05, which places most vehicles above the felony line. Unauthorized use of a vehicle, § 12.1-23-06, covers joyriding: it is a class C felony when the vehicle is an aircraft or when the value of the use plus the cost of retrieving and restoring the vehicle exceeds $1,000, and a class A misdemeanor otherwise.

Report the theft to police with the VIN (vehicle identification number) and plate number. Registration and plates are handled by the Motor Vehicle division of the North Dakota Department of Transportation; check its current instructions for replacing stolen plates. North Dakota runs no public stolen vehicle search, so use the national tools on check if stolen and see the stolen vehicle guide.

Pawn shops and secondhand sales

We did not verify a statewide pawn holding period or dealer reporting rule for North Dakota, so treat these as varying by city or county. One state rule does bear on resale: a person in the business of buying or selling stolen property who receives or disposes of it in that business commits a class C felony at any value under § 12.1-23-05. Give police serial numbers and photographs so a dealer's record can be matched to your report.

Identity theft and fraud help in North Dakota

The Attorney General's reporting identity theft page gives three first steps: place a free one-year fraud alert with one of the three credit bureaus, which must notify the other two; report the fraud to the card issuer or bank; and file an Identity Theft Report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov. Complaints about deceptive business practices go to the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division, which runs a complaint mediation program. In North Dakota a stolen credit or debit card is itself a felony theft, so list every card in your police report. See our identity theft guide and stolen wallet checklist.

North Dakota has no statewide duty to report a lost or stolen gun, according to the Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group; see stolen firearm.

Checklists for what was stolen

Each guide opens with a checklist in the order to act, with a free printable PDF.

• Domain names
• Identity theft
• Vehicles
• Social media and email
• SIM swap and phone numbers
• Stolen phones
• Bicycles and e-bikes
• Packages and mail
• Wallets, cards and checks
• Passports
• Firearms
• Art and collectibles
• Cryptocurrency

This page is general information about North Dakota, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in North Dakota.