Response Timeline
Requests must be decided "without undue delay" (utan ugrunna opphald) per Section 29. The Parliamentary Ombudsman (Sivilombudet) interprets this as: same day or 1-3 working days for routine requests, up to 8 working days for complex requests. If no reply is received within 5 working days, this constitutes a deemed refusal that can be appealed (Section 32). There is no formal extension mechanism.
No residency, citizenship, or nationality requirement. The law applies to "anyone" without qualification. Requests can be made anonymously — there is no obligation to identify yourself or state the purpose of the request (Section 28).
How to Submit a Request
Accepted Methods
Requests may be submitted orally or in writing (Section 28). The eInnsyn portal (https://einnsyn.no) provides centralized search of public document journals across all government agencies, with anonymous requesting. Requests can also be made by email, letter, phone, or in person.
Required Elements
- {'note': 'The request must relate to a specific case or within reasonable limits to cases of a specific type (Section 28). No form, ID, or stated purpose required.', 'field': 'description'}
Optional Elements
- {'note': 'Preferred format for receiving the documents', 'field': 'preferred_format'}
- {'note': 'Case number or journal reference from eInnsyn for faster processing', 'field': 'case_reference'}
Fees
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Copies (per page) | NOK1.00 | First 100 pages free Electronic copies always free. Paper: first 100 pages free, then NOK 1/page plus actual postage. |
Norway's FOI system is effectively free. Electronic copies are always free, paper copies are free for the first 100 pages, and only NOK 1/page (~USD 0.09) thereafter. There is no application fee. The fee regime is one of the most generous globally.
No formal fee waiver categories exist because the baseline is already essentially free (no application fee, free electronic copies, free first 100 paper pages).
Exemptions
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Duty of Confidentiality (§13)Information legally bound by confidentiality obligations under other laws (e.g., Public Administration Act).
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Internal Documents (§14)Documents prepared internally for case preparation. Exceptions: final decisions, general guidelines, and reasons for King-in-Council proposals must be disclosed.
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Externally Obtained Internal Documents (§15)Documents obtained from subordinate bodies or external advisors for internal decision-making.
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Foreign Policy Interests (§20)Where Norway is legally obliged to withhold, conditions restrict publication, or negotiations are ongoing.
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National Defence and Security (§21)Information where disclosure would harm national security or defence.
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Budget Matters (§22)Ministry budget documents and preliminary allocations.
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Negotiating Positions (§23)Financial/personnel management info, procurement tenders before supplier selection, state-owned company documents.
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Regulatory and Control Measures (§24)Information that would counteract regulatory measures or relate to individual offences.
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Appointments (§25)Appointment/promotion documents. However, applicant lists must be published (names may be redacted on request).
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Examinations, Research, Personal Data (§26)Exam answers, unpublished exam tasks, personal photographs, national ID numbers, and research ideas/projects.
Exemptions are in Sections 13-27 (Chapter 3). Critically, Section 11 requires agencies to consider granting access anyway under the "enhanced access principle" (merinnsyn) — even when an exemption technically applies, agencies "should" release documents if the public interest outweighs the need for secrecy. Many exemptions lack explicit harm-testing requirements (RTI Rating weakness). Section 12 requires partial disclosure — only exempt portions may be withheld.
Appeal Process
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Norway has free administrative appeals with a streamlined enforcement mechanism — appellate decisions are directly enforceable through the courts under the Enforcement Act, without requiring a separate lawsuit. The Parliamentary Ombudsman provides additional oversight. No penalties for non-compliance, which is a significant weakness.
Request Templates
eInnsyn
Sivilombudet Complaint Form
Records Retention
Lov om arkiv (arkivlova), LOV-1992-12-04-126, i kraft 1999
Passed in 1992, came into force 1999. The National Archives (Riksarkivet) preserves central government papers from when they become 25 years old. New archival regulations entered into force on 1 January 2026 replacing the 1992 law.