Hitchhiking in North Dakota: Is It Legal in 2026?

Sometimes life can throw us a few curveballs. You might find yourself without a car or stranded out in the middle of Nowhere, North Dakota. It might be necessary for you to hike up your skirt, show a little leg, and get a ride to where you're going.

First, I want to be clear that this isn't very safe. While I know it's not too different from an Uber or Lyft ride, at least those services have protections in place. You know what car you're getting into, who the driver is, and they've presumably passed a background check with the company.

Hitchhiking has none of that, so it's pretty risky, but that's not the question.

Is It Legal?

Should a person be allowed to stand alongside a road, looking for a ride? Should a driver be permitted to pick someone up in the car they own/pay for?

When you think about it that way, it doesn't really seem like it should be illegal, does it?

According to North Dakota Century Code 39-10-34, "No person may stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride." Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's translate this further.

According to CalmerTravel.com, hitchhiking is legal as long as you are not impeding traffic. So, as the law is worded, it is legal as long as you are not standing or walking in the middle of the road.

The source put together a map listing the hitchhiking laws in each state. As it turns out, most states allow hitchhiking, though a few make it completely illegal.

States Where It IS Illegal

The source explained there are no federal laws banning hitchhiking, but there are restrictions.

Each state can create laws outlawing the practice. As of 2021, Delaware, Idaho, Nevada, New Jersey, and Utah have all made it illegal.

I have to wonder why this is. Do these states feel it's too risky, so they're cutting out potential risk? I wonder why such strict rules.