What is the average auto loan APR in North Dakota?

The average 60-month new-car APR in North Dakota for a 720+ FICO borrower is 6.8% (Q4 2025, Experian State of the Auto Finance Market). That's 0.5 percentage points below the 7.3% national average, making North Dakota the 5th lowest-APR state across 50 states + D.C.

What's the sales tax on a car in North Dakota?

North Dakota applies a sales tax of 5% to vehicle purchases. North Dakota motor vehicle excise tax is a flat 5%. North Dakota charges a 5% motor-vehicle excise tax on the price minus trade-in value.

Does North Dakota credit my trade-in against sales tax?

North Dakota provides full trade-in credit on vehicle purchases. North Dakota charges a 5% motor-vehicle excise tax on the price minus trade-in value. This means the trade-in value can meaningfully reduce your total tax bill — a $10,000 trade-in on a $35,000 vehicle effectively drops the tax basis to $25,000.

Are out-of-state lenders licensed to operate in North Dakota?

Yes — every lender on this page is licensed to originate auto loans nationwide. Many North Dakota drivers can also save by checking local credit unions, which sometimes beat national APRs by 0.5–1 point.

How does North Dakota's insurance requirement affect my loan?

Your lender will require comprehensive + collision coverage at minimum (gap insurance is recommended). No-fault state with $30k PIP. Low population density helps keep base rates moderate.

Can I deduct auto sales tax in North Dakota?

If you itemize on your federal return, you can choose to deduct state sales tax instead of state income tax. On a $35k vehicle in North Dakota, that's a potential ~$1,750 deduction line.

How does North Dakota compare to neighboring states?

Compared to its closest neighbors (Montana 7.1%, South Dakota 6.9%, Minnesota 6.9%, Wyoming 7.0%), North Dakota sits at 6.8%. National lenders quote borrowers off FICO and loan-to-value rather than state — but local credit-union density and dealer-finance market share can shift the effective best APR a buyer sees by 0.5–1+ percentage points across state lines.

What is the average auto loan APR in North Dakota?

The average 60-month new-car APR in North Dakota for a 720+ FICO borrower is 6.8% (Q4 2025, Experian State of the Auto Finance Market). That's 0.5 percentage points below the 7.3% national average, making North Dakota the 5th lowest-APR state across 50 states + D.C.

What's the sales tax on a car in North Dakota?

North Dakota applies a sales tax of 5% to vehicle purchases. North Dakota motor vehicle excise tax is a flat 5%. North Dakota charges a 5% motor-vehicle excise tax on the price minus trade-in value.

Does North Dakota credit my trade-in against sales tax?

North Dakota provides full trade-in credit on vehicle purchases. North Dakota charges a 5% motor-vehicle excise tax on the price minus trade-in value. This means the trade-in value can meaningfully reduce your total tax bill — a $10,000 trade-in on a $35,000 vehicle effectively drops the tax basis to $25,000.

Are out-of-state lenders licensed to operate in North Dakota?

Yes — every lender on this page is licensed to originate auto loans nationwide. Many North Dakota drivers can also save by checking local credit unions, which sometimes beat national APRs by 0.5–1 point.

How does North Dakota's insurance requirement affect my loan?

Your lender will require comprehensive + collision coverage at minimum (gap insurance is recommended). No-fault state with $30k PIP. Low population density helps keep base rates moderate.

Can I deduct auto sales tax in North Dakota?

If you itemize on your federal return, you can choose to deduct state sales tax instead of state income tax. On a $35k vehicle in North Dakota, that's a potential ~$1,750 deduction line.

How does North Dakota compare to neighboring states?

Compared to its closest neighbors (Montana 7.1%, South Dakota 6.9%, Minnesota 6.9%, Wyoming 7.0%), North Dakota sits at 6.8%. National lenders quote borrowers off FICO and loan-to-value rather than state — but local credit-union density and dealer-finance market share can shift the effective best APR a buyer sees by 0.5–1+ percentage points across state lines.

Auto loans · ND

#5 Lowest APR · 50 States + D.C.

North Dakota auto loans: 6.8% APR

North Dakota is the 5th lowest-APR state across 50 states + D.C. for new-car loans (60-mo, 720+ FICO, Q4 2025). Live APRs from nationally-licensed lenders, plus the ND sales-tax and registration math most dealers won't show you.

What's different about auto loans here · North Dakota

North Dakota motor vehicle excise tax is a flat 5%.

Reviewed by CarSavr Editorial TeamReviewed Jun 29, 2026Editorial standards

North Dakota sales tax

North Dakota motor vehicle excise tax is a flat 5%.

6.8%

North Dakota avg APR

↓ 0.5 pts below national avg (7.3%)

60-mo new-car loan, 720+ FICO. Experian Q4 2025.

$36,750

$35k car · all-in

Total cost after North Dakota sales tax on a $35,000 vehicle (before fees / financing).

ND Borrower Tip

North Dakota sits at or below the national APR average.

Local credit-union density and bank competition keep ND APRs at 6.8% — 0.5 points below the 7.3% national average. If you're financing soon, pre-qualify with 2–3 lenders BEFORE you visit the dealer to lock in a rate the F&I office will have to beat.

ND buying & financing rules

Tax + fee math for North Dakota buyers

National lenders quote you the same APR off your FICO + LTV no matter what state you live in — but state-level sales tax, trade-in credit rules, and doc-fee caps shift your out-the-door price by hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars. Here's what changes when you buy in North Dakota.

Trade-in tax credit

Full trade-in credit

Doc-fee cap

uncapped (market)

State sales tax

Trade-in rule detail

North Dakota charges a 5% motor-vehicle excise tax on the price minus trade-in value.

ND consumer-finance APR ceiling

North Dakota caps consumer credit at 36% APR.

5% motor-vehicle excise tax (separate from general 5% sales tax)
Trade-in fully credited against the basis
Strong credit-union presence

Sales-tax and doc-fee rules are subject to legislative change — confirm specifics with your dealer at signing and with the ND regulator listed below.

Advertiser disclosure: Offers below are from partners that compensate us when you click or apply. Compensation does not determine our rankings. How we make money.

Audited rubric — 100% weight publishedRead →

Rates as of Jun 30, 2026

Auto loan lenders in North Dakota.

National lenders, soft pull, no spam. Click a row to expand our editorial review.

Comparing 5 audited options· Rates verified Jun 30

Data last reviewed Jun 30, 2026. Source: CarSavr editorial methodology.

How we score

All 5 reviewed within 7 days

Sort:

Lender		Est. payment		Loan amount	Loan length
1 LightStream Editor's pick	6.94–14.94% Total int. ~$4,659 · $25k · 60mo	$593/mo $30k · 60mo	660+	$5K–$100K	24–84 mo	Reviewed 2d ago
2 Best marketplace	5.69–17.99% Total int. ~$3,783 · $25k · 60mo	$576/mo $30k · 60mo	580+	$5K–$100K	24–84 mo	Reviewed 2d ago	≈2 min · Soft pullAffiliate offer
3 PenFed Credit Union Best credit union	5.24–17.99% Total int. ~$3,472 · $25k · 60mo	$569/mo $30k · 60mo	610+	$500–$150K	36–84 mo	Reviewed 2d ago
Fastest marketplace · 4 offers in minutes	5.99–22.99% Total int. ~$3,992 · $25k · 60mo	$580/mo $30k · 60mo	575+	$8K–$100K	24–84 mo	Reviewed 2d ago	≈2 min · Soft pullAffiliate offer
Capital One Auto Navigator Best soft-pull pre-qual	6.99–22.90% Total int. ~$4,695 · $25k · 60mo	$594/mo $30k · 60mo	540+	$4K–$75K	36–75 mo	Reviewed 2d ago

North Dakota vs. neighboring states

National lenders quote off FICO + LTV, not state — but local credit-union density and dealer mix can shift the effective best APR. Here's how North Dakota's 4 closest neighbors compare.

Montana

7.1%

↑ 0.3 pts vs. ND

South Dakota

6.9%

↑ 0.1 pts vs. ND

Minnesota

6.9%

↑ 0.1 pts vs. ND

Wyoming

7.0%

↑ 0.2 pts vs. ND

See ranking across 50 states + D.C. by avg APR

Other ND car-savings surfaces

Auto Insurance · ND

North Dakota car insurance rates

Avg full-coverage premium + required minimums + neighbor-state comparison.

See ND insurance rates

Refinance · ND

Refinance in North Dakota

If your current APR sits above 6.8%, see projected refinance savings on a typical balance.

Run ND refinance math

Why auto-loan math looks different in North Dakota

National lenders price your auto loan APR off FICO + LTV — the same number a borrower in North Dakota qualifies for as a borrower in any other state. Where North Dakota actually changes your math is everywhere around the APR: the 5% sales-tax line on the buyer's order, ND doc-fee practice, and whether your trade-in offsets the taxable basis. Those three line items routinely add or subtract $1,200-$2,400 from the out-the-door price on a $35,000 vehicle — easily eclipsing a quarter-point APR difference between lenders.

North Dakota sits at 6.8% average APR (5th lowest-APR across 50 states + D.C.) on a 60-month new-car loan for a 720+ FICO borrower. That national-average gap of 0.5 points below the 7.3% benchmark is mostly a function of two state-level structural forces: local credit-union density (which holds the floor down) and dealer-finance market share (which pushes the F&I-office ceiling up). Both shift the APR a ND buyer actually sees, even though the published rate sheets are national.

Four buyer mistakes North Dakota drivers make routinely:

Letting the dealer F&I office quote first. Walk in with a pre-approval from your bank or credit union — the dealer rate must then beat it on paper to win the deal.
Stretching to 84 months for a lower monthly. You'll spend an extra ~$2,800 in interest on a $30k loan vs. 60 months at the same APR — and North Dakota drivers stay underwater on the loan an average of 14 months longer.
Skipping the ND dealer doc-fee line. Doc fees vary by hundreds of dollars across North Dakota dealerships. ND caps doc fees at uncapped (market) — anything above is negotiable.
Accepting the F&I add-on stack. Extended warranty, GAP, paint/fabric, and tire-and-wheel can pile $3k+ onto the financed amount. Each is shoppable separately; most are 30-50% cheaper outside the dealership.

The bottom line for North Dakota buyers: an extra hour of rate shopping before you walk into the dealership routinely saves $1,500–$2,500 over the loan life, even when the published APR spread between lenders looks small. Pre-qualify with 2–3 lenders, run a sales-tax calculation against the 5% ND rate, and walk in knowing your out-the-door ceiling before the F&I office gets the first word.

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7 hand-reviewed lenders · filter by APR + credit tier · independent editorial.

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Frequently asked questions

North Dakota auto loan FAQ

North Dakota finance regulator

North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions

Auto-finance lenders and motor-vehicle dealers operating in North Dakota are licensed under the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions. CarSavr cross-references each lender's published APR ranges against state DOI filings + the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) state-tax matrix.

Need to file a complaint, look up a lender's license, or verify a doc-fee dispute? CSBS: state regulator directory →

Neighboring states

Compare auto loan rates in nearby states.

Bordering states often share carrier mix and pricing patterns — useful if you're moving, work across state lines, or want to anchor your own state's number against a peer benchmark.