Bareboat registration of a ship into NIS

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

Notification of bareboat registration into NIS or NOR. The notification must be signed with binding signature by the charterer or the charterer's process agent (representative) and sent to nis-nor@sdir.no.

3. Tonnage Certificate

A certificate must be issued or approved for registration purposes by one of the approved classification societies prior to registration. Kindly ensure that a copy is being sent to post@nis-nor.no.

4. SOLAS-Confirmation and status reports from Class or Confirmation of survey

A «Declaration of safety» must be issued by one of the approved recognised organisations prior to registration. Kindly ensure that a copy is being sent to post@nis-nor.no.

If you wish, we may also review the class status reports for the ships prior to change of flag.

For vessels under 500 gross tons, a trading certificate will be issued by the Norwegian Maritime Authority after completion of document control and inspection of the vessel. This process must be initiated before registration. The form Request for supervision must be submitted to document this. If the shipping company chooses voluntary delegation, the process will instead be initiated when the classification society submits a Declaration of Safety to the Norwegian Maritime Authority required prior to registration in NIS/NOR.

If you wish, a status report from the classification society may be forwarded for our review before the ship changes flag.

5. Confirmation from the primary register

The primary register must give its consent to the ship’s bareboat registration into the NIS 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.

Confirmation of Certificates that are not electronically verifiable
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
PDF copies may be accepted at the time of registration.
Certificates that cannot be electronically verified must be submitted in their original form as soon as possible. Final registration will be conditional upon receipt of the original document(s) within three weeks thereafter.

6. Confirmation from the registered owner

Registered owner under the primary flag must consent to the ship being bareboat registered into the NIS 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 NIS.

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

NIS is open to charterers of all nationalities, re the NIS Act Section 1, available here: Acts

• Foreign companies according to Section 1 no. 3 must also appoint a Norwegian Process Agent (representative). The main role of the Process Agent is to accept writs on behalf of the charterer. The Process Agent has to fulfil the same conditions as a managing "reder" according to The Norwegian Maritime Code Section 103. The Norwegian Maritime Code is also available here: Acts.
  See item 10 below.
• If the charterer satisfies Section 1 no. 2 or 3, the main part of the technical and/or commercial management must be carried out by a shipping company with its head office in Norway.
  See item 11 below.

Charterers satisfying the Norwegian Maritime Code Section 1 no. 1 must submit a "Declaration of Nationality" themselves.

Charterer satisfying the Norwegian Maritime Code Section 1 no. 3 must have the Norwegian Process Agent (Representative) provide a "Declaration of Nationality".

Please choose the correct form from KR-0001 to KR-0007 (PDF formats), or the electronic equivalent KR-0-2 in our Forms directory. The declaration must be signed with a binding signature and sent to post@nis-nor.no. 

10. Appointment of process agent

If the charterer satisfies the conditons set out in the NIS Act Section 1 no. 3: Appointment of Process Agent.The form must be signed with binding signature by the charterer and the appointed Process Agent and a signed copy sent to nis-nor@sdir.no. 

11. Management agreement

If the charterer satisfies the conditions set out in the NIS Act Section no. 2 or 3, a management agreement is to be presented. The agreement must show the connection between the charterer and the Norwegian management company. BIMCO's standard agreement may be used. Send a copy to nis-nor@sdir.no.

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

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

13. 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.

14. FORM 2

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 is to be accompanied by a FORM 3, Index of Amendments to CSR document. Send to nis-nor@sdir.no.

15. 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. 

• 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.

The fees can easily be calculated using our Fee Calculator.

16. 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.

17. 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 International Ship Register (NIS) § 17.

18. Remember to apply for ship certificates prior to sailing

IIssuance of most ship certificates for NIS vessels are delegated to approved classification societies. Some are, however, still issued by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA)/Norwegian Authorities. Kindly send applications to the NMA to post@sdir.no.

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)
• PRL (Certificate on the Liability of Carriers of Passengers by Sea in the Event of Accidents)
• Ship Sanitation Certificate. Administered by the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

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

19. Qualification and Medical Certificate Requirements

Maritime personnel must possess either Norwegian certificates of competency or a Norwegian endorsement on their national certificates. See our guidance on endorsements here: Certificates

Any questions regarding personnel certificates may be directed to the section for seafarers on phone no. (+47) 52 74 50 00.

About Medical Certificates approved for service on board Norwegian vessels: Helseerklæring.

20. Radio License

See information here: Maritime radio

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