North Dakota Code 51-20.1-02 – Retail dealers may recover cost of equipment and parts upon discontinuance of contract with distributor
If a retail dealer has entered into a written contract with a distributor in which the retail dealer agrees to maintain a stock of heavy construction equipment, repair parts, or both heavy construction equipment and repair parts, and either the distributor or the retail dealer desires to cancel or discontinue the contract, the distributor shall pay to the retail dealer, unless the retail dealer desires to keep the equipment or repair parts, the following amounts:
Terms Used In North Dakota Code 51-20.1-02
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute means the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
- written: include "typewriting" and "typewritten" and "printing" and "printed" except in the case of signatures and when the words are used by way of contrast to typewriting and printing. See North Dakota Code 1-01-37
1. A sum equal to one hundred percent of the net cost of all unused, complete heavy construction equipment.
2. Eighty-five percent of the current net prices on repair parts, including the superseded parts listed in current price lists or catalogs, if the superseded parts have previously been purchased from the distributor, and were in the retail dealer’s inventory on the date of cancellation or discontinuance of the contract, or were thereafter received by the retail dealer from the distributor.
3. A sum equal to five percent of the current net price of all parts returned as reimbursement for handling, packing, and loading of those parts.
4. Any freight charges on the equipment or repair parts paid by the retail dealer.
When a distributor has made payment in accordance with this section, title to the heavy construction equipment and repair parts shall pass to the distributor, and the distributor is entitled to possession of the heavy construction equipment and repair parts. This section is supplemental to any provisions contained in any contract between the retail dealer and the distributor relating to the return of heavy construction equipment and repair parts. Thus, the retail dealer can elect to pursue the retail dealer’s remedy under this section, or under the contract relating to return of heavy construction equipment and repair parts. An election by a retail dealer to pursue a contractual remedy does not bar the retail dealer’s right to the remedy provided by this section with respect to those pieces of heavy construction equipment and repair parts not affected by the contract remedy.
The provisions of this section apply to every contract now in effect which has no stated expiration date, and to all other contracts entered into after June 30, 1981. Contracts in force and effect on June 30, 1981, which by their terms will terminate on a date subsequent to June 30, 1981, shall be governed by the law existing prior to July 1, 1981.