Driving Tests

North Dakota School Bus Stop Law: When to Stop, $250 Fee and 6 Points

informational·how to guide·Published April 30, 2026

When must you stop for a school bus in North Dakota?

In North Dakota, you must stop before you reach a school bus that is stopped on the highway with its red lights flashing or its stop arm out. This applies from either direction, to drivers who meet the bus and drivers who overtake it. Wait until the bus moves, the bus driver signals, or the lights and arm are off. Passing the bus has a $250 fee and 6 points.

Where the North Dakota school bus facts come from

The stop rule, the exceptions and the owner rule come from North Dakota Century Code chapter 39-10, sections 39-10-19, 39-10-46 and 39-10-46.1. The $250 fee (section 39-06.1-06) and the 6 points (section 39-06.1-10) are in chapter 39-06.1 of the same code. The points rules come from the NDDOT points schedule. The amber light and railroad crossing advice comes from the North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, revised 2025. The status of the 2025 bill HB 1195 comes from the North Dakota Legislative Branch (ndlegis.gov). This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (dot.nd.gov) before you drive.

Do you have to stop for this school bus?

The bus is on your roadway, in front of you or coming toward you, with red lights flashing or the stop arm out

Stop before you reach the bus. This is true from either direction, and for a driver who meets the bus and a driver who comes up behind it. A road with four lanes and no dividing space is still one roadway.

The highway is divided into separate roadways, and the bus is on the other roadway

You do not have to stop. A highway has separate roadways when a space, a physical barrier or a clearly marked dividing section that is built to block traffic keeps the two sides apart, such as a wide grass median. Our free question page on a school bus across the median shows this case. Stay alert for children.

You are on a controlled-access highway and the bus is stopped in a loading zone

You do not have to stop if the loading zone is part of the highway or next to it, and pedestrians may not cross the roadway there.

Why the Driver Manual has no divided highway exception

The North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual says that drivers who approach a stopped school bus with flashing red lights from both directions must stop. It gives no exception. State law has the two exceptions above, and the law is the rule that applies to you. The manual gives the short version for all drivers. If you are not sure that the bus is on a different roadway, stop and wait.

What to do when you see a school bus in North Dakota

1
Slow down for amber lights
A bus with amber caution lights may turn them on 300 to 500 feet before the place where children get on or off. They warn you that the bus is about to stop and that the red lights will soon come on. Our free question on school bus amber lights uses this rule.
2
Stop when the red lights or the stop arm come on
Stop before you reach the bus, whether you come from the front or from behind. Do not pass the bus while children get on or off.
3
Stay stopped while the lights are on
Keep waiting even after the children reach the sidewalk, if the red lights still flash or the stop arm is still out.
4
Go only when one of three things happens
The bus starts to move, the bus driver signals you to go, or the red lights and the stop arm are off. Our free question page on stopping for a school bus tests this rule.

Fee and points for passing a school bus in North Dakota

Fee and points for passing a school bus in North Dakota
Item	What the law or NDDOT says
Fee	$250 for a violation of the school bus law
Points	6 points for overtaking and passing a school bus
Driver under 18	License or privileges are canceled at 6 or more points
Any driver at 12 or more points	Driving privileges are suspended for 7 days for each point over 11

What 6 points mean for your driving record

For a driver under 18, one school bus violation alone reaches the 6-point cancel limit. For a driver 18 or older, the 6 points are half of the 12 points that start a suspension. Points go down by 1 for each 3 months without a new point violation. A defensive driving course takes off 3 points, once every 12 months. A course taken "in lieu of points" is only for some violations of 5 points or fewer, so it does not cover this one. For the full teen rules, read our guide to North Dakota teen driver points.

School bus signs and signals you will see in North Dakota

Every school bus must have a stop sign on a control arm and red signals. Only the bus driver can turn them on, and only when the bus is stopped on the highway for children.
The rear of each school bus has the sign "THIS SCHOOLBUS STOPS AT ALL RAILROAD CROSSINGS."
A bus that does not carry children to or from school or a school activity must cover its SCHOOLBUS markings.

Key takeaways

Stop before you reach a school bus with flashing red lights or the stop arm out, from either direction.
You need not stop for a bus on a different roadway of a divided highway, or for a bus in a controlled-access loading zone where pedestrians may not cross.
Go only when the bus moves, the bus driver signals you, or the red lights and stop arm are off.
Passing a stopped school bus has a $250 fee and 6 points. A driver under 18 reaches the cancel limit with that one violation.
Next step: practice school bus and right-of-way questions on the free North Dakota Class D practice test.

North Dakota school bus law: common questions

Do I stop for a school bus on a four-lane road in North Dakota?

It depends on the road. If all four lanes are on one roadway with no dividing space or barrier, you must stop from either direction. If a median, a barrier or a marked dividing section that is built to block traffic separates the two sides and the bus is on the other side, you need not stop. When you are not sure, stop and wait.

Do I stop for yellow lights on a school bus?

No, the amber (yellow) lights are a warning, not a stop signal. They tell you that the bus is about to stop and that the red lights will soon come on. Slow down, watch for children and get ready to stop. You must stop when the red lights flash or the stop arm comes out.

How much is the fine for passing a school bus in North Dakota?

The state fee is $250, and the violation also adds 6 points to your record. The usual moving violation fee in North Dakota is $20, and the school bus law is one of the exceptions. A 2025 bill to change the school bus fee, HB 1195, was withdrawn and failed, so the fee is still $250.

Can I pass a school bus that is stopped at a railroad crossing?

No. School buses must stop at railroad crossings, within 50 feet and not less than 15 feet from the tracks. Do not pass a school bus while it is stopped there. The same rule applies to buses with passengers and to trucks that carry explosives or flammable liquids, such as gasoline trucks.

Can I get a ticket if someone else drove my car past a school bus?

Yes, it is possible. The registered owner may not let the vehicle be used in violation of the school bus law, and the fee is also $250. If your vehicle is seen in a violation, the law presumes that you allowed it. You have a defense if you name the person who drove, or if the vehicle was taken without your permission.