Title 47, Property

1. a. As used in this section, a "trade name" is a name assumed to identify the business or activities of an individual or organization and which does not include in the name: (1) The true name of the organization using the name; (2) The first name and surname of each individual …

A person or organization may not engage in business in this state under a trade name until the trade name is registered with the secretary of state. This section does not apply to partnerships that have filed a fictitious name certificate as provided under chapter 45-11. The trad…

A person or organization may file a trade name registration by electronic communication with the secretary of state. The following definitions apply to electronic trade name filings with the secretary of state: 1. "Electronic" means relating to technology having electrical, digit…

1. A trade name: a. Must be expressed in letters or characters used in the English language as those letters or characters appear in the American standard code for information interchange (ASCII) table. b. May not contain the word "company", "corporation", "incorporated", "limite…

1. Except as provided in section 47-25-03, an individual or organization that is a franchisee may not register a licensed trade name under this chapter. If the licensed trade name is not registered as provided in this chapter, the franchisee may not use the trade name in this sta…

1. For the registration of a trade name under this chapter, the registrant shall pay to the secretary of state a fee of twenty-five dollars for an original registration, a fee of twenty-five dollars for an assignment, and a fee of ten dollars for a consent to use of a similar nam…

Every certificate of the registration of a trade name, within thirty days from the time of the registration of such trade name, must be indexed in the office of the secretary of state and a copy of the certificate must be given to the registrant.

If the interest of any person engaged in business under a trade name changes or ceases to exist, or any other person becomes interested therein, the assignment of ownership must be registered within ninety days after any change takes place. Any trade name and its registration is …

Any registrant that effects a name change must record that name change with the secretary of state. The secretary of state must record the name change upon the payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars and filing of the following: 1. A notarized statement reciting the name change i…

The secretary of state shall cancel from the register: 1. A registration for which the secretary of state receives a voluntary request for cancellation from the registrant or the assignee of record on forms prescribed by the secretary of state. In the case of a registrant who is …

Any social security number or federal tax identification number disclosed or contained in any document filed with the secretary of state under this chapter is an exempt record as defined by subsection 5 of section 44-04-17.1. The secretary of state shall take reasonable precautio…

The following shall constitute a legal fence: 1. Any fence four and one-half feet [1.37 meters] high, in good repair, consisting of rails, timber, boards, stone walls, or any combination thereof. 2. All brooks, rivers, ponds, creeks, ditches, or hedges. 3. All things which, in th…

In an organized township, the members of the board of township supervisors shall act as fence viewers.

When the line upon which a partition fence is to be made or divided is the boundary line between civil townships or is partly in one civil township and partly in another, a township supervisor shall be taken from each township affected when the services of fence viewers are requi…

Each township supervisor may be paid by the employing person at the rate of no more than fifteen dollars per day for the time employed as a fence viewer. If such person neglects to pay such fees within thirty days after the service is performed, the township supervisor may recove…

The occupants and the coterminous owners of lands enclosed with fences are mutually and equally bound to maintain the partition fences between their own and the next adjoining enclosures unless one of such owners chooses to let that owner's land lie open. If one of such occupants…

All partition fences shall be kept in good repair throughout the year unless the occupants of the lands on both sides thereof mutually agree otherwise.

If any party neglects to repair or rebuild any partition fence which it is that party's duty to maintain, the aggrieved party may complain to the proper fence viewers, or a majority of them, who, after due notice to each party, shall proceed to examine the fence. If they determin…

A complainant who has rebuilt or repaired a deficient fence as provided in section 47-26-07 may recover, from either the owner or the occupant of the land where the fence was deficient, the value of repairing or rebuilding the same and the fees of the fence viewers after: 1. The …

When a controversy arises relative to rights in a partition fence or the obligation to maintain the same, either party may apply to a majority of the proper fence viewers who, after notice to each party, may assign in writing to each person that person's share of the fence and di…

If, in a controversy which has arisen between the occupants of adjoining lands as to their rights in a partition fence, it shall appear to the proper fence viewers that either of the occupants, before the making of a complaint, had voluntarily erected all, or more than that occup…

When lands of different persons which are required to be fenced are bounded or divided by a river, brook, pond, or creek and the occupant of the land on one side of the river, brook, pond, or creek refuses or neglects to join with the occupant of the land on the other side in mak…

The fence viewers to whom an application is made under section 47-26-11 shall proceed to view the premises described in the application forthwith. If such supervisors shall determine that the river, brook, pond, or creek is not, of itself, a sufficient fence and that it is imprac…

When it is necessary to erect a partition fence in a body of water, such fence shall be built in equal shares unless it is agreed otherwise by the parties. If either party refuses or neglects to build or maintain that party's share of the fence, the other party may build or maint…

When lands belonging to different persons in severalty have been occupied in common by such persons without a partition fence between their respective lands and one of the occupants desires to occupy that occupant's part in severalty, that occupant may apply to a majority of the …

When one party ceases to improve that party's land or opens that party's enclosure, that party may take away any part of the partition fence belonging to that party and adjoining the next enclosure unless the owner or occupant of the adjoining enclosure shall pay the sum determin…

When unenclosed ground is enclosed, the owner or occupant thereof shall pay one-half of the value of each partition fence standing upon the line between that person's land and the enclosure of any other owner or occupant. If the parties do not agree on the value of the fence, it …

If a person shall determine not to fence any of that person's lands adjoining a partition fence that has been divided according to the provisions of this chapter and shall give six months' notice of such determination to all the adjoining occupants of the lands, that person shall…

All divisions of fences or of the lines upon which partition fences are to be erected between unfenced land, which are made by the fence viewers in the manner provided in this chapter and recorded in the office of the recorder, and all such divisions which are made by the owners …

A township supervisor who unreasonably neglects to view a fence after having been requested to do so, or who refuses to perform any other duty required under the provisions of this chapter, shall forfeit the sum of five dollars and shall be liable to the party injured for all dam…

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the respective occupants of lands which have been enclosed with fences for pasturage or grazing purposes.

A person who opens a gate or bars in a fence enclosing farm premises shall not leave such gate or bars open unless that person is in lawful possession of the premises.

Nothing contained in this chapter shall in any way change a private road through enclosed farm premises into a public road, nor take from a person in lawful possession of any premises the right to close any private road through such premises.

Anyone who shall violate the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor and, in addition, shall be civilly liable for any damages that may result, directly or indirectly.

An instrument containing a form or forms of covenants, conditions, obligations, powers, and other clauses of a mortgage or deed of trust may be recorded in the office of recorder of any county and the recorder of such county, upon the request of any person, on tender of the lawfu…

When any such instrument is recorded, the recorder shall index such instrument under the name of the person causing it to be recorded in the manner provided for miscellaneous instruments relating to real estate.

Thereafter any of the provisions of such master form instrument may be incorporated by reference in any mortgage or deed of trust of real estate situated within this state, if such reference in the mortgage or deed of trust states that the master form instrument was recorded in t…

Whenever a mortgage or deed of trust is presented for recording on which is set forth matter purporting to be a copy or reproduction of the master form instrument or of a part of the master form instrument, identified by its title as provided in section 47-29-01 and stating the d…

Undivided estates in land and clarity in land titles reduce litigation, enhance comprehensive management, and promote the security and stability useful for economic development, environmental protection, and government operations.

In this chapter "pore space" means a cavity or void, whether natural or artificially created, in a subsurface sedimentary stratum.

Title to pore space in all strata underlying the surface of lands and waters is vested in the owner of the overlying surface estate.

A conveyance of title to the surface of real property conveys the pore space in all strata underlying the surface of the real property.

Title to pore space may not be severed from title to the surface of the real property overlying the pore space. An instrument or arrangement that seeks to sever title to pore space from title to the surface is void as to the severance of the pore space from the surface interest.

Leasing pore space is not a severance prohibited by this chapter.

This chapter does not affect transactions before April 9, 2009, that severed pore space from title to the surface estate.

In the relationship between a severed mineral owner and a pore space estate, this chapter does not change or alter the common law as of April 9, 2009, as it relates to the rights belonging to, or the dominance of, the mineral estate.