Each registered guest will receive a bidding card as part of the price of a ticket. Upon receiving the bidding card, each guest will be asked to sign a statement vowing to abide by the Rules of the Auction listed. Absentee bidders will either leave their bids on an Absentee Bid Form with Museum personnel, in person or by phone, or bid by phone the night of the auction. Absentee bidders, by filling out the form, agree to abide by the Rules of the Auction. Each bidder will use his or her-own bidding number during the auction. All sales are final. In September 2002 the Office of the North Dakota State Tax Commissioner determined that the gross receipts from the sales made at the Auction are subject to sales tax. State sales tax is 5% of the total sale and the Grand Forks city tax is 1.75%. The amount of purchase greater than $2500  taxed by the city entitles purchaser to apply to the state of North Dakota for a refund of city tax collected on that portion. Out-of-state buyers who have the work shipped to them will not be subject to North Dakota sales tax. In the event of a dispute between bidders, the auctioneer shall either determine the successful bidder or re-auction the item in dispute. Purchasers may pay for items at any point following the sale of that work but must pay for all artwork before the conclusion of the evening—unless other arrangements are in place. Absentee bidders will be charged on the evening of the auction or an invoice will be sent the next business day. Works of art in the auction have minimum bids placed on them by the artist. This confidential "reserve" is a price agreed upon between the artist and the North Dakota Museum of Art below which a work of art will not be sold.

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