Bareboat registration of a cargo vessel into NOR

Pre-clearance of documents is recommended.

1. Application for Certificate of Name

Names of vessels of 15 meters and more must be approved prior to registration. If a Norwegian call sign has not been assigned previously, it will be assigned upon receipt of the Application for Certificate of Name. If the PDF version is chosen, please send a signed copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

The desired home port should be entered according to this list, approved home ports in NOR and NIS.

2. Notification for registration

The Notification of bareboat registration into NIS or NOR must be signed with binding signature by the owner or the appointed Norwegian Process Agent/Representative.
Send a copy of the signed form to nis-nor@sdir.no.

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 recognised organisations 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. 
When amending a copy of the existing tonnage certificate, the approved name and the new Norwegian call sign must be added. Please send a copy to nis-nor@sdir.no. 

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: Vessel inspection. 

If the company has chosen voluntary delegation to a Recognized organization (RO) a “Declaration of Safety to the Norwegian Maritime Authority required prior to registration in NIS/NOR.” shall instead be sent to NOR by the RO.

5. Confirmation from the primary register

The primary register must give its consent to the ship’s bareboat registration into the NOR for the duration of the bareboat charter period and for the ship to sail under the Norwegian flag for that period. The following must also be stated: registered owner, registered owner’s full style address, registered mortgages, and other legal rights and that the ship is not allowed to sail under the primary register’s flag during the bareboat charter period.

Registration may take place upon receipt of a PDF copy. Final registration will be conditional upon receipt of the original confirmation, amended with an Apostille or legalized by a Norwegian Consular Station within three weeks from the ship's entry into the NOR.

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.

6. Confirmation from the registered owner

Registered owner under the primary flag must consent to the ship being bareboat registered into the NOR and for the ship to sail under the Norwegian flag during the bareboat charter period.

To be signed with binding signature by the registered owner, notarized with regards to issuer’s identity and authority to sign and, thereafter, amended with an Apostille or legalized by a Norwegian Consular station.

Registration may take place upon receipt of a PDF copy. Final registration will be conditional upon receipt of the original confirmation within three weeks from the ship's entry into the NOR.

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.

7. Consent from all mortgagees/holder of legal rights

Each mortgagee/holder of legal right must give their consent to bareboat registration of the ship into the NIS.  The declaration(s) must be forwarded in original.

8. Bareboat charter party

The bareboat charter party must state name and full style address of the registered owner and charterer as well as the validity of the charter party. A copy must be sent to post@nis-nor.no prior to registration.

9. The charterer’s nationality

The charterer must satisfy the conditions set out in the Norwegian Maritime Code § 1 (see: Acts). To ensure fulfillment, a declaration of nationality must be submitted. Choose the correct form, KR-0001 – KR-0007, from our Forms directory. The declaration must be signed with a binding signature by the owner or the owner's representative. If the PDF version is chosen, please send a signed copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

Additional documentation requirements for charterers who satisfy the requirements set out in the Maritime Code Section 1 third paragraph (EEA), not resident in Norway:

For companies: Management agreement confirming that the vessel is part of the charterer’s economic activities established in Norway and that the vessel is operated from Norway. BIMCO’s standard agreement may be used. Please send to nis-nor@sdir.no. 

For companies and private individuals: Appoint a Norwegian Representative/Process Agent, Appointment of Process Agent.
The representative/process agent must declare fulfillment of the nationality requirements in the Norwegian Maritime Code § 1 by completing a “Declaration of Nationality” as described above. Please send both forms to nis-nor@sdir.no. 

In the event that the charterer 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.

10. Company documentation, if the charterer is a foreign registered company

For Norwegian registered companies, the NOR relies on registered information in the company register in Brønnøysund. Foreign owners must prepare equivalent documentation prior to registration.  Read more about the requirements here: Company documentation for foreign shipowning companies in NIS and NOR. PDF copies will be accepted upon registration. Final registration will, however, be conditional upon receipt of the original documents within three weeks thereafter. 

11. Appointment of managing company according to the ISM Code or the Ship Safety Act

Check if the vessel falls under the provisions for appointing an ISM responsible company in the Safety management system for Norwegian ships and mobile offshore units§ 1, or for appointing a managing company according to the Ship Safety Act, cf. the Safety management for small cargo ships, passenger ships and fishing vessels, etc. § 1.

Choose the correct form:

• ISM responsible company is reported on form KR-0014, Notification concerning the ISM-Code
• Managing company according to the Ship Safety Act is reported on form KR-0061, Managing Company the Ship Safety Act 

Send a copy of the signed form to nis-nor@sdir.no.

12. Continuous Synopsis Record - CSR

Amendment to the Closed CSR from the primary register, Amendments to the Continuous Synopsis Record - Form 2 for bareboat registrations.
Kindly note that each CSR document issued by the flag state is to be attached a (new) FORM 3, Index of Amendments to the CSR document, Index of Amendments to CSR document. PDF copies should be sent to nis-nor@sdir.no

CSR history
When changing flag, please ensure that a copy of the ship's CSR history, including "Closed CSR" is sent to nis-nor@sdir.no.

13. Registration fees per 1 January 2026

NOK 4 408, - for the formal registration of the ship. 

An invoice will be sent out after registration has taken place. To ensure correct invoicing we kindly ask the recipient to fill in this form: Payment information for the formal registrations in NIS/NOR/BYGG. If the PDF version is chosen, please send a signed copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

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 and Fees Regulations.

The fees can easily be calculated using our Fee Calculator.

14. 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.

15. Language and submission of the documents

All documents, notarial statements, etc. must be issued in one of the Scandinavian languages, English or translated by a licensed translator re. the regulations on registration of ships in the Norwegian Ordinary Ship Register (NOR) § 17.

16. Remember to apply for ship certificates prior to sailing

Registered owner in the primary register applies for:

• 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)
• Wreck removal certificates (all ships of 300 GT and more). 

The charterer applies for:

• Safe Manning (All passenger vessels. Cargo vessels of 50 GT and more). 
• DMLC Part I (seafarers' working and living conditions)
• Ship Sanitation Certificate. Administered by the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

For furher information, please see: Manning of vessels and Certificates and documents for vessels.

17. Qualification Requirements

Maritime personnel must possess either Norwegian certificates of competency or a Norwegian endorsement on their national certificates, see: Certificates.

Any questions regarding personnel certificates may be directed to the section for Education, Certification and Manning via phone no. (+47) 52 74 50 00.

18. Please also remember to apply for a radio license

Maritime radio licenses are issued by Telenor Kystradio. Follow this link to Telenor Kystradio for license application for commercial vessels.

Please contact us and we will guide you through the registration process
Phone: + 47 52 74 50 00
nis-nor@sdir.no