What the state offers instead of money
Film North Dakota is blunt about it: "The state of North Dakota currently has no incentives for productions." There's no tax credit, no rebate, and no grant. The Tourism Division of the Department of Commerce is the first contact for film and media work, and it offers:
- Location scouting help
- An online film directory of talent, crew, and services
- Photo and film assets
- Permitting help and introductions to local destination contacts
Treat the division as your film commission. Send a script or a list of looks (wheat fields, oil country, Badlands buttes, a small-town main street) and ask for photos and contacts before you scout.
Permits by location
North Dakota has no general film permit, and the Department of Commerce doesn't issue permits. It does help you figure out which location agreement or permit each place needs:
| Location | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Private land, towns | No state permit; get owner or local approval |
| Theodore Roosevelt National Park (all three units) | National Park Service special permit |
| Knife River Indian Villages and Fort Union Trading Post national historic sites | NPS special permit |
| Indian reservations | Tribal permits; see Film North Dakota's tribal lands guidance |
| State Capitol | Open to filming; facility management may require a use permit on the grounds |
| Drones | Federal rules, plus NPS restrictions inside park units |
Near the Capitol, the film office notes that crews filming around critical infrastructure or the governor's residence can expect a security officer to check what they're doing. Have your paperwork and a production contact on hand.
Worked example: budgeting a $1,000,000 shoot with no incentive
With no credit, the question for a producer is whether the North Dakota look is worth paying full price. Here's the calculation to run for a 20-day indie with $650,000 of spend that would happen in whatever state hosts the shoot:
- North Dakota incentive: $0
- A neighboring program paying 25% on that qualified spend: $650,000 x 25% = $162,500
- Difference to justify: $162,500, minus the extra travel, housing, and per diem of moving a crew somewhere else
That 25% is a placeholder, not any real state's rate. Plug the actual program into the incentive calculator. If the Badlands appear in six scenes and nowhere else, one option is a short second unit block in North Dakota with the main unit based where the incentive is.
Permit timelines are the other budget line. Build NPS permit lead time into the prep schedule before you commit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park dates.
Nearest alternatives
Montana has a MEDIA Act credit on the books, but its Department of Commerce has paused certification and its Department of Revenue says new credit won't be available until 2031. Minnesota and South Dakota are the other neighbors; check their pages for current programs. Nebraska has a refundable 20% to 35% credit, but its $500,000 annual cap limits it to small projects. The incentives hub covers every state, and how film tax credits work explains what you'd be giving up.
Storiara's budgeting feature keeps above-the-line, below-the-line, post, and other costs in separate sections.