Documentation requirements are outlined below. To ensure a smooth registration process, pre-clearance of documents is encouraged.
1. Application for certificate of name
The chosen vessel name must be approved for registration purposes, ref. the regulations of 27 June 2002 No. 754 on ship’s name, call sign, marking and home port etc. If required, a Norwegian call sign will be assigned upon receipt of this application. Please send KR-0019 to post@nis-nor.no. The original is not to be forwarded afterwards.
2. Notification for registration
Notification for registration, KR-0010, must be completed and signed with binding signature by the owner. If the owner is a company: according to the certificate of company registration. Send to post@nis-nor.no. The original is not to be forwarded afterwards.
3. Tonnage Certificate
A Tonnage Certificate must be issued or approved by the NMA, section for cargo vessels, prior to registration. Certificates approved or issued by one of the recognized classification societies may be accepted for cargo vessels of 500 gross tons and more in international trade. The shipowner must have a written agreement with the classification society for delegation according to the Class Agreement Annex III.
4. Confirmation of survey
A valid Trading Certificate or Safety Certificates must be on board before the vessel may sail. Such a certificate will be issued after a document control and survey of the vessel has been carried out. Kindly send a request for survey as outlined here.
If the company has chosen voluntary delegation to a Recognized organization (RO) a “Declaration of safety” shall instead be sent to NOR by the RO, ref. IC-4-2012.
5. Ownership
An unbroken chain of ownership must be documented back to the last registered owner in the previous register or all the way back to the shipbuilder.
If the ship is changing flag: Last registered owner must correspond with seller on Bill of Sale.
If the vessel is a newbuilding not yet registered: Builder's Certificate has to be issued.
Confirmation of issuer's signature on Norwegian documents
All title documents are to be signed with binding signature. If the seller is a Norwegian registered company: according to the certificate of company registration. The signature (-s) must then be confirmed by:
- two individuals who are of age and resident in Norway
- lawyer/ assistant lawyer
- licensed registered accountant or
- Notary Public
Confirmation of issuer's signature on foreign documents
Title documents and power of attorneys issued abroad must be notarized and thereafter legalized/ amended with an Apostille. A Notary Public needs to confirm:
- the identity of the person signing
- that the person is of age
- that the person is authorized to sign for and on behalf of the company in question.
It must be confirmed that the Notary Public is a public official holding the position specified in the document and, therefore, has the right to sign.
Notarial statements issued by Notaries in countries that are party to the Hague Convention are confirmed by the amendment of an Apostille by local authorities in the country.
Notarial statements issued by Notaries in countries that are not party to the Hague Convention are legalized by the Norwegian consular station in the relevant country.
Notarial statements from the Nordic Countries are exempt from legalization requirements.
You can find the list of countries that are parties to the Hague Convention on Apostille here.
All title documents, i.e. Builder's Certificate and Bill of Sale must be submitted in original.
Registration may take place on the basis of electronic copies. The originals are then to be forwarded to the Ship Registers within three weeks form entry into the journal.
6. If documentation of ownership is not possible the vessel may still be registered
Ownership must then be acquired through the Norwegian Maritime Code of 24 June 1994 No. 39 S.35:
Acquisition of Registered Title by Consolidated Proceedings against possible Holders of Rights.
- If the owner of a Norwegian ship lacks a registered title and it is impossible or unreasonably difficult for him or her to obtain registered title in any other manner, he or she can acquire registered title by a judgment confirming his or her title to the ship, obtained in consolidated proceedings against possible holders of rights and by registration of such judgment.
- If the Court finds that the conditions have been met, it shall order that an extract of the writ be published in Norsk lysningsblad (the official gazette), with an announcement calling on any person claiming to have a better right to the ship than the plaintiff to appear in Court within a period, which shall be set at not less than 3 months, and prove his right.
- If no defendant appears within the time limit, the Court shall give judgment without a hearing confirming that the plaintiff is the owner. Such judgment shall immediately become final and binding on each and every person and shall not be subject to the right of appeal.
7. Protocol of Delivery and Acceptance
If the vessel is a newbuilding and confirmation of delivery is not stated in Builder's Certificate: An electronic copy signed by both the builder and the owner must be sent to the register prior to registration. The original is not to be forwarded the NOR after registration has taken place.
8. Owner's nationality
The Norwegian Maritime Code S.1 describes requirements to owner's nationality. To ensure fulfilment, a declaration must be submitted. For private individuals it is sufficient to complete the form “Notification for registration”. All other entities must declare their nationality in a separate form, “Declaration of Nationality”, KR-0001 - KR-0007 (please choose the correct alternative). To be signed with binding signature and sent to post@nis-nor.no.
Additional documentation requirements for owners who satisfy the requirements set out in the Maritime Code S. 1, third paragraph (EEA), not resident in Norway:
For companies: Management agreement confirming that the vessel is part of the owner’s economic activities established in Norway and that the vessel is operated from Norway. BIMCO’s standard agreement may be used. Please send a certified “true copy” to post@nis-nor.noFor companies and private individuals: Appoint a Norwegian Representative/ Process Agent on form KR-0060. The representative/ process agent must declare fulfillment of the nationality requirements in the Norwegian Maritime Code S. 1 by completing a “Declaration of Nationality” as described above. Please send both forms to post@nis-nor.no.
In the event that the owner does not satisfy the requirements set out in the Maritime Code
Application for dispensation may be directed to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Maritime Department.
9. Certificate from the previous ship register/country
Norway does not permit dual registration. A certificate from the previous assets register in the country in which the ship has been built and/or transferred from must always be produced. If the vessel has not been registered before, this fact must be stated by the relevant register.
a. The vessel has been registered in an assets register
The Deletion Certificate must contain the following information:
- time of deletion
- owner at the time of deletion
- that the vessel was deleted free from registered encumbrances
b. The vessel has not been registered in an assets register prior to registration in the NOR
A statement to this fact (often called "certificate of non-registry) must be produced by the relevant assets register.
c. The vessel has been owned, but not registered, in more than one country prior to registration in the NOR
The assets registers in all relevant countries must issue a statement confirming "non-registry".
Confirmation of the certificates issued by overseas ship registers
Certificates issued by countries that are party to the Hague Convention are confirmed by the amendment of an Apostille by local authorities in the country.
Certificates issued by countries that that are not party to the Hague Convention are legalized by the Norwegian consular station in the relevant country.
Certificates from the Nordic countries’ ship registries are exempt from legalization requirements.
You can find the list of countries that are parties to the Hague Convention on Apostille here.
Submission of the certificates
- Copies may be accepted at the time of registration if sent directly to the NOR from the previous register.
- The original is then to be forwarded without delay.
- Kindly note that final registration is conditional upon receipt of the original document.
10. ISM/CSR
a. ISM-liable company
The ISM-Code regulates safe management of ships. Which ships this applies to is regulated in the NMA’s regulations of 5 September 2014 No. 1191 on a safety management system for Norwegian ships and mobile offshore units § 1.
We kindly as you to use the standard form, KR-0014. The form is to be signed by both parties and forwarded sent directly to post@nis-nor.no. After registration has taken place a color scan of the endorsed form will be sent to the ISM liable company per e-mail to be kept on board.
b. Continuous Synopsis Record - CSR
All passenger and cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards engaged in international trade must have a CSR file on board. A standard form has been drawn up the International Maritime Organization- IMO. This form consists of 16 items. Whenever a change occurs to one of the items the flag state is to be notified on FORM 2, KR-IMO-02.
For newbuildings the CSR history starts with Application for CSR, KR-IMO-01.
See IMO's revised list of certificates and documents required to be carried on board ships.
It is not a registration requirement for Application for CSR or FORM2 to be forwarded in original.
c. FORM 3
Kindly note that each and every CSR document is to be accompanied by a FORM 3, KR-IMO-03: Index of amendments to that specific document.It is not a registration requirement for Application for FORM3 to be forwarded in original.
d. CSR file
Upon change of flag, please ensure that a copy of the ship’s complete CSR file, including «Closed CSR», is sent to post@nis-nor.no.
11. Registration fees as of 1 January 2024
NOK 4 099, -
NOK 2 884, - for each mortgage to be registered against the vessel.
An invoice will be sent out after registration has taken place. To ensure correct invoicing we kindly ask the recipient to fill in the form payment information, KR-0070 and forward to post@nis-nor.no. The original is not to be forwarded afterwards.
In addition, there will be charged initial- and annual fees according to the ship's NET as well as fees for dispensation applications and certain certificates ref. the Tariff of Fees / Fees Regulations.
Imported ships which have previously been registered in NOR or NIS are exempt from the initial fee. Annual fee will be issued the year after registration.
See the Tariff of Fees S. 6 regarding special certificates and permits not covered by initial fees and annual fees.
12. Certificate of Nationality/Registry
The Ship Registers will issue a Provisional Certificate of Nationality/Registry upon registration and send a PDF copy directly on board/to where the owner instructs. The provisional certificate will not be forwarded in original.
A permanent Certificate of Nationality/Registry will be issued once the registration has been approved by the Registrar. The permanent certificate will be forwarded in original to be kept on board.
13. Please note
Language
All documents, notarial statements etc. must be issued in one of the Scandinavian languages, English or translated by a licensed translator.
All documents related to the registration process must be sent directly to the Department of Ship Registration
The Norwegian Maritime Authority, Department of Ship Registration
Visiting address: Nygårdsgaten 114, NO-5008 Bergen
Mailing address: P.O.Box 73 Nygårdstangen, NO-5838 Bergen
NORWAY
Please contact us and we will guide you through the registration process
Phone: + 47 52 74 50 00. post@nis-nor.no
14. Remember to apply for ship certificates
- Safe Manning (All passenger vessels. Cargo vessels of 50 GT and more).
- CLB Bunker Oil (All vessels of 1000 GT and more)
- CLC Oil Pollution Damage(all ships carrying more than 2 000 tons of persistent oil as cargo in bulk)
- DMLC Part I (seafarers' working and living conditions)
- PRL (Certificate on the Liability of Carriers of Passengers by Sea in the Event of Accidents)
- Wreck removal certificates(all ships of 300 GT and more). Norway has an agreement with Denmark for issuance.
- Ship Sanitation Certificate. Administered by the Norwegian Directorate of Health.
Please send applications to the NMA to postmottak@sjofartsdir.no.
15. Qualification Requirements
Maritime personnel must possess either Norwegian certificates of competency or a Norwegian endorsement on their national certificates. See our guidance on endorsements.
Any questions regarding personnel certificates may be directed to the section for Education, Certification and Manning via phone no. (+47) 52 74 50 00.