How to register a death
It is doctors who report deaths in Norway to the National Population Register.
How to register a death
When someone dies in Norway
When someone dies in Norway, doctors write the death certificate and report the death to the National Population Register. You do not need to register anything yourself.
When someone dies abroad
The authorities in the country where the death occurs must report this to the Norwegian foreign mission (embassy/consulate). The foreign mission must then report the death to the Norwegian Directorate of Taxes, so that it’s registered in the National Population Register.
If the deceased was a foreign citizen resident in Norway, the authorities in the country where the death occurred will not automatically notify the Norwegian authorities. Surviving relatives, next of kin or others must therefore report the death to the National Population Register in Norway.
There are different requirements for registering the death in the National Population Register, depending on the country in which the death has occurred.
You must report the death by submitting the original death certificate bearing an apostille or legalisation by post to the Norwegian Tax Administration. We also accept certificates that have been verified by a Norwegian foreign mission.
The documentation must be sent to the Tax Administration’s postal address:
The Tax Administration
Postboks 9200 Grønland
0134 Oslo
Norway
States from which we do not accept death certificates
We do not accept death certificates from the following states (also referred to as group 2 states):
- Africa: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe
- Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Iraq, Yemen, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Vietnam
- Europe: Kosovo
For deaths that have occurred in these countries, the district courts must decide whether the person should be considered dead based on a desicion according to the Act relating to persons who have disappeared. In such cases you must contact a Norwegian district court.
NAV can report deaths of persons registered in Norway with a D number and Norwegian citizens who have never been registered as resident in Norway.
Contact information for the estate of a deceased person
The surviving spouse will be registered as the contact person when the death has been registered in the National Population Register.
When the type of division has been chosen, the person who has been selected as the recipient of the probate certificate will be registered as the contact person for the estate. We will receive contact information for the person listed as recipient of the probate certificate for the estate of a deceased person.
The contact person will get access to the deceased person’s tax documents on My page. We will send the deceased’s tax return and tax assessment to the contact person when they are ready.
The contact person must submit a written request to the National Population Register stating that the contact person must be changed. Attach a copy of the certificate of probate and power of attorney from each of the heirs, along with a copy/copies of their identification document(s).
Se mer om hva du må gjøre når du skal overta et dødsbo.
For those who have lost a child before birth or just after birth
When a child is stillborn after 28 weeks of pregnancy, the hospital submits a notification to the Tax Administration. The child will then be registered in the National Population Register but will not receive a national identity number.
One of the parents can register the child’s name in the National Population Register by submitting a written request containing the child’s name (first name, middle name, surname).
When a child dies just after birth, the hospital submits a birth certificate and notification of death to the Tax Administration. The child receives a national identity number, and the death is registered in the National Population Register. You can register the child’s name at skatteetaten.no
You can check if the child is registered by logging in to skatteetaten.no.
If you’re not registered and want to register paternity or joint maternity, you can do the following:
Paternity is usually registered but if it is not, you must submit a request to us.
Both parents must meet in person at NAV or the Tax Administration. You must book an appointment to meet with the Tax Administration.
Paternity: Declaration up to 3 weeks after birth
You can register paternity online at NAV up to 3 weeks after the birth.
Paternity: Declaration more than 3 weeks after birth
Both parents must meet in person at a NAV office or a tax office. You must book an appointment to meet with the Tax Administration.
If the mother’s spouse/cohabiting partner want to become a joint mother, you must complete the form Application of joint maternity.
How to obtain a death certificate
A death certificate is a medical certification of death.
It is rare that you need a death certificate in Norway, but you may be asked to document the death by foreign authorities.
You can get a confirmation of death at the District Court.
A death certificate contains more details about the death than a confirmation. If you need a death certificate, you must contact the doctor who wrote the certificate. If this is not possible, it can be disclosed by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Register of deaths
The Tax Administration does not have a searchable register of deceased persons.
Digital Archives has a searchable register of deceased persons in Norway between 1951 – 2014.