Buying or selling a vehicle?

Notification of sale

When buying and selling vehicles, the Notification of sale must be completed. The Notification of sale is a notice that says that the vehicle has changed owner, and the buyer must approve the Notification of sale to be registered as an owner.

Change of ownership = decision date

Buyer is thus considered as owner of the vehicle from the date both the buyer and seller(s) have approved the Notification of sale online (decision date). When using the Notification of sale on paper, the decision date of the Notification of sale will be registered in the Norwegian Road Administration's motor vehicle register. The Norwegian Motor Insurers’ Bureau relies on the decision date appearing in the motor vehicle register.

Please note that the use of “decision date” (date change of ownership) was introduced 1^st of September 2018. Prior to this, the date the notification of sale was signed was applicable was when the insurance obligation changed from seller to buyer.

Also note that sales between spouses and cohabitants upon submitted Notification of sale are considered as a change of ownership, which means that the new owner must get their own insurance on the vehicle.

Insurance obligation

Valid insurance is legally required for all motor vehicles. It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure the vehicle is properly insured. The previous owner/seller's insurance obligation will expire on the day before the decision date and any previous owner's insurance will be invalidated automatically. The insurance obligation for the new owner/buyer starts on the decision date. The owner will receive a fee if the vehicle has been uninsured for at least three days from the decision date. This follows from section 17a of the Motor Service Act, with regulations.

Remember to submit the Notification of sale

It is of utmost importance for both buyer and seller to complete the Notification of sale. If the Notification of sale is not approved, the seller will still be registered as the owner of the vehicle in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration's Motor Vehicle Register and is thus responsible for the vehicle. All future requirements related to the vehicle will be addressed to the seller.

We recommend that you use the online facility, for the ownership change to be registered quickly and easily. Please also remember to fill out the sales contract. This can be found online – e.g., NAF’s can be used.