N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-32-02 (2025)
1. a. Every person convicted of an offense who is sentenced by the court must be sentenced to one or a combination of the following alternatives, unless the sentencing alternatives are otherwise specifically provided in the statute defining the offense or sentencing is deferred under subsection 4: (1) Payment of the reasonable costs of the person's prosecution. (2) Probation. (3) A term of imprisonment, including intermittent imprisonment:
time spent in custody and any credit for sentence reduction under section 12-44.1-32 or 12-54.1-01 the defendant is entitled to must be stated in the criminal judgment.
1. 3. A court may suspend the execution of all or a part of the sentence imposed. The court shall place the defendant on probation during the term of suspension.
2. 4. A court, upon application or its own motion, may defer imposition of sentence. The court must place the defendant on probation during the period of deferment. An order deferring imposition of sentence is reviewable upon appeal from a verdict or judgment. In any subsequent prosecution, for any other offense, the prior conviction for which imposition of sentence is deferred may be pleaded and proved, and has the same effect as if probation had not been granted or the information or indictment dismissed under section 12.1-32-07.1.
3. 5. A court may, prior to imposition of sentence, order the convicted offender committed to an appropriate licensed public or private institution for diagnostic testing for such period of time as may be necessary, but not to exceed thirty days. The court may, by subsequent order, extend the period of commitment for not to exceed thirty additional days. The court may also order such diagnostic testing without ordering commitment to an institution. Validity of a sentence must not be challenged on the ground that diagnostic testing was not performed pursuant to this subsection.
4. 6. All sentences imposed must be accompanied by a written statement by the court setting forth the reasons for imposing the particular sentence. The statement must become part of the record of the case.
5. 7. If an offender is sentenced to a term of imprisonment, that term of imprisonment commences at the time of sentencing, unless, upon motion of the defendant, the court orders the term to commence at some other time.
6. 8. Unless otherwise specifically authorized in the statute defining the offense, a court may not include a minimum term of imprisonment as part of its sentence.
7. 9. A person who is convicted of a felony and sentenced to imprisonment for not more than three hundred sixty days is deemed to have been convicted of a misdemeanor. However, if an order is entered revoking a term of probation that was imposed as part of a sentence, the person is deemed to have been convicted of a felony.
8. 10. A court shall order a defendant to pay fifty dollars to the department of corrections and rehabilitation at the time a presentence investigation is initiated to partially defray the costs incurred by the department for the preparation of the presentence report. The court may also order that any additional costs incurred by the department relating to the presentence investigation and report be paid by the defendant at a rate of payment up to the full costs of conducting the investigation and preparing the report as established by the department.
9. 11. Before sentencing a defendant on a felony charge under section 12.1-20-03, 12.1-20-03.1, 12.1-20-11, 12.1-27.2-02, 12.1-27.2-03, 12.1-27.2-04, or 12.1-27.2-05, a court shall order the department of corrections and rehabilitation to conduct a presentence investigation and to prepare a presentence report. A presentence investigation for a charge under section 12.1-20-03 must include a risk assessment. A court may order the inclusion of a risk assessment in any presentence investigation. In all felony or class A misdemeanor offenses, in which force, as defined in section 12.1-01-04, or threat of force is an element of the offense or in violation of section 12.1-22-02, or an attempt to commit the offenses, a court, unless a presentence investigation has been ordered, must receive a criminal record report before the sentencing of the defendant. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, the criminal record report must be conducted by the department of corrections and rehabilitation after consulting with the prosecuting attorney regarding the defendant's criminal record. The criminal record report must be in writing, filed with the court before sentencing, and made a part of the court's record of the sentencing proceeding.