Fact Brief

Are peer-to-peer gun sales legal in North Dakota?

Yes.

Private, or peer-to-peer, gun sales are legal in North Dakota.

The North Dakota News Cooperative is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely fact briefs, which are quick, evidence-based fact checks about trending claims relevant to North Dakota.

The state does not require background checks, permits, or waiting periods for private transfers between individuals who are North Dakota residents, as long as both parties are legally allowed to own firearms.

Federal law prohibits sales to certain groups, such as felons, minors, undocumented immigrants, or people adjudicated as mentally unfit, and requires background checks only when firearms are purchased from federally licensed dealers.

Handguns may not be transferred to minors under state law, with limited exceptions for supervised use. In addition, while private sales within the state are allowed, federal law bars unlicensed individuals from transferring firearms across state lines.

Certain categories of weapons, including machine guns, silencers, and short-barreled rifles or shotguns, are regulated under the National Firearms Act and require federal registration and approval regardless of whether the transfer is private or through a dealer.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources:
North Dakota Century Code – Title 62.1 (Weapons)
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Federal Firearms Regulations
U.S. Government Publishing Office 18 U.S.C. § 922 – Unlawful acts

Support independent journalism that puts North Dakota’s communities first. Your donation to the North Dakota News Cooperative helps us deliver in-depth reporting on the issues that matter most.

Donate Now

Do data centers increase electricity demand and infrastructure costs in their regions?

Yes. Data centers are among the most electricity-intensive types of development, and their presence increases demand on local and regional grids. The Congressional Research Service reports that U.S. data centers consumed about 176 terawatt-hours in 2023, roughly 4.4% of national electricity use, with projections that demand could double

Do closed-loop geothermal systems at data centers use a lot of water?

No. Closed-loop geothermal cooling systems are engineered to minimize water usage. These systems circulate sealed fluid (typically water or a water-antifreeze mix) through buried pipes or geothermal heat pump loops. The same fluid continuously transfers heat between the ground and the data center without evaporation or release. Only the initial

Are North Dakota businesses allowed to put cameras in bathrooms?

No. North Dakota law prohibits businesses and individuals from installing cameras in restrooms or other places where people reasonably expect privacy. Under North Dakota Century Code § 12.1-20-12.2, it is a crime to record, photograph, observe or broadcast someone in a bathroom, hotel room, dressing room, locker room, tanning

Yes.

Read next