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Preliminary sale agreement template for Norway

Purchase contract for a used homeKjøpekontrakt om fast eiendom (brukt bolig, salg mellom privatpersoner)

The written contract that records a binding home sale before the deed (skjøte) is registered. It sets the price, the payment through a settlement agent's client account, the handover, the condition of the home and the transfer of title. Norway has no notary and no separate preliminary contract.

Use it after the seller accepts your bid, or after a private negotiation, to put the agreed terms in writing. When an estate agent sells the home, the agent drafts the contract, and you can check it against this text. In a private sale, use it with a lawyer or an estate agent who handles only the settlement (oppgjør), so the price and the deed are exchanged safely. The accepted bid already makes the sale binding. This contract records and completes it.

Reviewed October 28, 2026. Not legal advice. Have a notary or lawyer check your case before you sign.

Official model: Kontrakt ved kjøp av fast eiendom (Forbrukerrådet)

Forbrukerrådet's standard contract for a sale of a house, condominium section or holiday home between private parties without an agent, in Bokmål, Nynorsk and English. It is not mandatory.

Key facts

Applies to
Whole country. Freehold homes and condominium sections (eierseksjon). A housing cooperative share (borettslag) needs other clauses and another transfer form.
When the sale is binding
When the seller's acceptance of the bid reaches the buyer in time. The contract may be written or oral (avhendingslova § 1-3).
Default handover
At the third change of month after the agreement became binding, once the buyer has paid (avhendingslova § 2-3).
Risk
Passes to the buyer when the buyer takes over use of the home (avhendingslova § 2-4).
"As is" clause
No effect in a consumer purchase (avhendingslova § 3-9 (2)).
Buyer's own risk for defects
The buyer bears loss and costs from defects up to NOK 10,000, except for a building sold as new (avhendingslova § 3-1 (4)).
Area shortfall
A defect if the building area is more than 2% and at least 1 m² smaller than stated (avhendingslova § 3-3 (2)).
Deadline to complain
Within reasonable time after the buyer found or should have found the defect, at the latest 5 years after handover (avhendingslova § 4-19).
Document duty
2.5% of market value on a freehold home, paid by the buyer. None on a housing cooperative share (Kartverket; Forbrukerrådet).
Condition report
Cannot be older than 1 year when the buyer commits to buy (forskrift til avhendingslova § 1-6).

The document

Text shown

You sign the Norwegian Bokmål version. The English version helps you understand it. Your answers fill both.

Purchase contract for a used home

  1. 1.Parties

    1. 1.1

      Seller: Seller: name, ID number, address, email, hereinafter "the seller".

      Repeat the details for each registered owner and each buyer.

    2. 1.2

      Buyer: Buyer: name, ID/D-number, address, email, hereinafter "the buyer". If there are several buyers, the ownership shares are: Ownership shares between buyers.

      Joint buyers are jointly liable for the price. Agree in a separate co-ownership agreement how you split costs and what happens if one of you wants to sell.

  2. 2.The property

    1. 2.1

      The seller transfers to the buyer the property gnr. Farm number (gårdsnummer, gnr.), bnr. Title number (bruksnummer, bnr.), snr. Section number (seksjonsnummer, snr.) in Municipality (kommune) and number municipality, at Address of the property, with the buildings on it and its rights. The plot is Owned (selveiet) or leased (festet) plot.

      Copy the land register references from the register extract. A wrong gnr. or bnr. stops the registration. A house has no snr.

  3. 3.Price and costs

    1. 3.1

      The purchase price is NOK Purchase price in NOK, in figures, in words Purchase price in words kroner.

      Document duty is 2.5% of market value. Write 0 if an exemption applies. Registration fees are NOK 545 per document in 2026: the deed and each mortgage deed.

    2. 3.2

      In addition to the price, the buyer pays the state document duty of NOK Document duty in NOK and registration fees of NOK Registration fees in NOK, and any costs of the licensing procedure.

      By law the buyer bears the document duty, the registration fee and the licensing costs unless the parties agree otherwise (avhendingslova § 2-6 (3)).

  4. 4.Settlement

    1. 4.1

      The settlement is handled by Settlement agent. The price and costs must be paid into the settlement agent's client account no. Settlement agent's client account number no later than Date funds must be on client account. Payment must come from an account in the buyer's name with a Norwegian or other approved financial institution.

      Agree who the settlement agent is before you sign. Forbrukerrådet advises using an estate agent or a lawyer for the settlement in a private sale.

    2. 4.2

      The settlement agent pays the price to the seller only once the deed to the buyer is registered, or the buyer has otherwise received adequate security, and the seller's mortgages have been paid off.

    3. 4.3

      For any part of the price not paid on time, the buyer pays late payment interest under the Late Payment Interest Act.

      The payment date is usually a few working days before handover.

  5. 5.Charges and easements

    1. 5.1

      The buyer has been shown a land register extract for the property dated Date of the land register extract. The seller guarantees that the property is transferred free of financial charges. The following financial charges will be deleted at the seller's cost at settlement: Seller's registered mortgages.

      List the creditor and amount of each mortgage, from the land register extract.

    2. 5.2

      The property is transferred with the following registered and unregistered rights and easements: Easements and rights of use.

      List every right of way, shared water or sewage line and existing lease. An undisclosed easement can be a legal defect.

  6. 6.Condition of the property

    1. 6.1

      The property is sold in the condition it was in when the buyer inspected it, with the information in the condition report dated Condition report (tilstandsrapport) date and the other sales documents: Other sales documents. The buyer confirms having received and read these documents.

      The report must not be older than 1 year when the buyer commits to buy. The buyer is treated as knowing what it clearly states.

    2. 6.2

      The property has a defect if it does not match the agreement, or if the seller gave incorrect or incomplete information, see chapter 3 of the Property Sale Act. The buyer bears loss and costs from defects up to NOK 10,000, see section 3-1 (4) of the Property Sale Act.

      Do not add an "as is" clause in a consumer sale. It has no effect. A specific reservation about a named part of the home can have effect.

    3. 6.3

      The buyer must notify the seller in writing within reasonable time after a defect was or should have been discovered, and at the latest five years after handover.

  7. 7.Accessories

    1. 7.1

      The property comes with the accessories under sections 3-4 to 3-6 of the Property Sale Act, and also: Items that stay with the home. The seller takes: Items the seller takes. The accessories are taken over in the condition they were in at the inspection.

  8. 8.Handover and risk

    1. 8.1

      The buyer takes over the property on Handover date and time, provided the price and costs have been paid. The property must then be tidied and cleaned and free of any lease, unless otherwise agreed.

      If a tenant stays, say so here and attach the lease. The buyer then takes over the landlord's rights and duties.

    2. 8.2

      At handover the parties walk through the property and sign a handover record with meter readings and the number of keys. From handover the buyer bears the property's costs and risk.

    3. 8.3

      The seller must keep the property fully insured with Seller's insurer up to and including the day of handover.

  9. 9.Transfer of title

    1. 9.1

      The seller issues a deed to the buyer on Kartverket's form, signed and witnessed, and hands it to the settlement agent for registration once the price has been paid in.

      Two adults resident in Norway, who are not the buyer's spouse, parents, children or siblings, witness the seller's signature.

    2. 9.2

      The buyer clarifies the licensing status with the municipality, by a self-declaration of exemption from licensing or an application for a licence where required, and ensures that the municipality has registered the licensing status before the deed is sent for registration.

  10. 10.Breach

    1. 10.1

      In case of delay or defect, the parties have the rights under chapters 4 and 5 of the Property Sale Act, including the right to remedy, price reduction, termination and damages.

  11. 11.Spouse's consent

    1. 11.1

      Optional

      The seller's spouse consents to the sale if the property is used as the shared home, see section 32 of the Marriage Act. Signature of the spouse.

      Keep it when the seller is married and the home is the couple's shared home. Delete it when the spouse is also a seller or the seller is unmarried.

  12. 12.Signatures

    1. 12.1

      The contract is made in two copies, one for each party. Place: Place of signature. Date: Date of signature. Signature of the seller. Signature of the buyer.

      Each seller and each buyer signs. Initial every page of a paper contract.

Formalities

  1. No notary or witness is needed. The law does not require a written contract, but either party can demand one.
  2. Each party signs and keeps one original. Electronic signature with BankID is common.
  3. Title passes to the buyer in the land register when Kartverket registers the deed.
  4. The seller signs the deed by hand before two witnesses who live in Norway and are not close family of the buyer.
  5. Before registration, the buyer must clarify licensing (konsesjon) with the municipality, which must register the status before the deed goes to Kartverket.
  6. Most home purchases need only a self-declaration of exemption, and some need none. Larger or agricultural properties may need a licence.
  7. A foreign buyer without a Norwegian ID number needs a D-number, which Kartverket requests with the deed.
  8. The buyer pays a document duty of 2.5% of market value and a registration fee of NOK 545 per document in 2026.

Common mistakes

  • Paying the seller directly. Use a lawyer's or estate agent's client account, released only once your title is registered and the seller's mortgages are cleared.
  • Relying on an "as is" clause as the seller. In a consumer sale it has no effect, and a vague reservation is read as if it was not there.
  • Skipping the condition report and self-declaration. You are deemed to know what they clearly state. The seller is liable for known facts it did not disclose.
  • Forgetting the spouse's consent. A spouse who does not own the home must still consent in writing to a sale of the couple's shared home.
  • Sending the deed to Kartverket before the municipality has registered the licensing status. Kartverket can return the deed without registration.
  • Buying a third residential section in one condominium. The law forbids it, also via close relatives or related companies, unless the relative will live there.
  • Leaving the accessories vague. List white goods, fitted furniture and outdoor items that stay or go, to avoid disputes at handover.

Legal basis

Sources

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