North Dakota Code § 57-15-01.2

Limitation on levies by taxing districts without voter approval
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1. a. Notwithstanding that a taxing district may have unused or excess levy authority 
under any other provision of law, this section supersedes and limits that authority. 
This section may not be interpreted as authority to increase any property tax levy 
authority otherwise provided by law and must be applied to limit any property tax 
levy authority to which a taxing district may otherwise be entitled. Property taxes 
levied in dollars by a taxing district may not exceed the greater of the base year 
levy increased by the allowable percentage limit or the adjusted year levy 
increased by the allowable percentage limit.
b. Excluding any negative excess percentage increase, a taxing district may carry 
forward an excess percentage increase to be used in any of the five succeeding 
taxable years. An excess percentage increase may be used only once to increase 
the limitation under subdivision a and may not be carried forward beyond five 
taxable years. The oldest unused excess percentage increase must be applied 
first.
2. The limitation under subsection 1 does not apply to:
a. New or increased property tax levy authority that becomes available to the taxing 
district in the current taxable year resulting from:
(1) A change in state law.
(2) Approval by the electors of the taxing district.
b. Property tax levy authority increased above zero mills in the current taxable year 
by the governing board of the taxing district, provided the levy authority was not 
previously used.
c. Any irrepealable tax to pay bonded indebtedness levied under section 16 of 
article X of the Constitution of North Dakota.
d. The one-mill levy for the state medical center authorized by section 10 of article X 
of the Constitution of North Dakota.
e. The levy, not to exceed one mill, for the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, 
authorized by section 57-15-26.8.
f. Taxes or special assessments levied to pay the principal and interest on any 
obligations of any political subdivision, including taxes levied for deficiencies in 
special assessment and improvement district funds and revenue bond and 
reserve funds.

g. Taxes levied to pay bonds, evidences of indebtedness, or obligations of any 
political subdivision, including taxes levied to pay evidences of indebtedness 
under chapter 57 -47 issued by the Bank of North Dakota from the infrastructure 
revolving loan fund.
h. Taxes levied pursuant to law for the proportion of the cost to any taxing district for 
a special improvement project by general taxation.
i. Taxes levied under sections 40 -24-10, 40 -43-01, 57 -15-28, 57 -15-41, and 
57-15-48 and chapter 61-16.1.
j. Taxes levied by a school district under subsection 5 of section 57-15-14.2.
3. a. Except as provided in subdivision b, a majority of the qualified electors in a taxing 
district voting on the question at a statewide general election may approve a 
ballot measure to authorize the taxing district to impose a property tax levy 
exceeding the limitation under subsection 1 for four taxable years at a time, 
beginning with the taxable year after the general election during which the ballot 
measure was approved. The ballot measure must state the proposed percentage 
increase and the proposed dollar amount increase exceeding the limitation under 
subsection 1. The procedure under this subsection applies only to authorization 
of a property tax levy exceeding the limitation under subsection 1.
b. A majority of the qualified electors in a township voting on the question at an 
annual township meeting may approve a property tax levy exceeding the 
limitation under subsection 1 for four taxable years at a time, beginning with the 
taxable year during which the annual township meeting vote under this 
subdivision is held. The notice and voting procedures applicable to the approval 
of a township tax levy under section 57-15-19 and approval of increased township 
general fund levy authority under section 57 -15-20 apply to the vote under this 
subsection. The electors of the township voting on the question must be notified 
of the proposed percentage increase and the proposed dollar amount increase 
exceeding the limitation under subsection 1 before the vote.
4. For taxable year 2025, a city may levy an amount equal to the amount levied in dollars 
in the preceding taxable year under sections 40-05-19 and 57-15-42 as part of the levy 
under section 57 -15-08 without including the dollars levied for this purpose as part of 
the limitation under subsection 1.
5. A city or county may not supersede or modify the application of this section under 
home rule authority.
6. For purposes of this section:
a. "Adjusted year levy" means amount of property tax levied in dollars by the taxing 
district in the preceding taxable year adjusted as follows:
(1) When property and improvements to property which were not taxable in the 
preceding taxable year are taxable in the current year, the amount levied in 
dollars in the preceding taxable year by the taxing district must be increased 
to reflect the taxes that would have been imposed against the additional 
taxable valuation attributable to that property at the mill rate applied to all 
property in the preceding taxable year, excluding the mill rate associated 
with:
(a) Any irrepealable tax levied to pay bonded indebtedness levied under 
section 16 of article X of the Constitution of North Dakota.
(b) A tax levied for the one -mill levy for the state medical center 
authorized by section 10 of article X of the Constitution of North 
Dakota.
(2) When a property tax exemption existed in the preceding taxable year which 
has been reduced or no longer exists for the current taxable year, the 
amount levied in dollars in the preceding taxable year by the taxing district 
must be increased to reflect the taxes that would have been imposed 
against the portion of the taxable valuation of the property which is no longer 
exempt at the mill rate applied to all property in the preceding taxable year, 
excluding the mill rate associated with:

(a) Any irrepealable tax levied to pay bonded indebtedness levied under 
section 16 of article X of the Constitution of North Dakota.
(b) A tax levied for the one -mill levy for the state medical center 
authorized by section 10 of article X of the Constitution of North 
Dakota.
(3) When property that was taxable in the preceding taxable year is not taxable 
for the current taxable year, the amount levied in dollars in the preceding 
taxable year by the taxing district must be reduced by the amount of taxes 
that were imposed against the taxable valuation of that property in the 
preceding taxable year.
(4) When a temporary mill levy increase, excluding an increase under this 
section, authorized by the electors of the taxing district or mill levy 
imposition authority under state law existed in the preceding taxable year 
but is no longer applicable or has been reduced, the amount levied in dollars 
in the preceding taxable year by the taxing district must be adjusted to 
reflect the expired temporary mill levy increase and the eliminated or 
reduced mill levy under state law before the percentage increase allowable 
under this subsection is applied.
b. "Allowable percentage limit" means three percent.
c. "Base year levy" means the highest amount of property tax levied in dollars by a 
taxing district in the three taxable years immediately preceding the current 
taxable year.
d. "Excess percentage increase" means the difference, rounded to the nearest 
hundredth of a percent, between:
(1) The allowable percentage limit; and
(2) The difference between the actual amount of property tax levied in dollars 
and the greater of the base year levy or the adjusted year levy with the 
resulting difference under this paragraph divided by the greater of the base 
year levy or adjusted year levy.
e. "Proposed percentage increase" means the difference, rounded to the nearest 
hundredth of a percent, between:
(1) The difference between the amount of property tax in dollars proposed to be 
levied by the governing board of the taxing district and the greater of the 
base year levy or the adjusted year levy with the resulting difference under 
this paragraph divided by the greater of the base year levy or adjusted year 
levy; and
(2) The allowable percentage limit.
f. "Taxing district" means any political subdivision empowered to levy taxes.

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