Settlement and administration

This stage begins only once the probate certificate (skifteattest) has been received from the district court. The certificate is the legal authority you need to access the deceased's accounts, registries, and property records. Nothing in this stage can be started without it.

The district court issues the probate certificate once your settlement declaration has been processed — typically one to three months after the date of death. There is nothing you need to do to trigger this; it arrives in the ordinary course after the settlement type has been confirmed. If several months have passed without the certificate arriving, contact the district court directly to follow up.

Now is the time for a thorough and detailed inventory of the entire estate — far more comprehensive than the preliminary overview you made during the settlement decision stage. You must map out the value of all real property (including any formal valuations), bank deposits, securities and shares, vehicles, and household items of significant value. All debts must be documented with the same care: mortgages, consumer loans, credit cards, unpaid bills, and any outstanding tax liabilities. The net estate — total assets minus total debts — is the amount that will ultimately be distributed as inheritance.

Present the probate certificate to the banks

With the probate certificate in place, heirs gain formal authority over the deceased's bank accounts. Today, the probate certificate is often issued digitally via Altinn, and most banks have dedicated digital portals for estates where documentation can be uploaded directly for faster processing.

If there are multiple heirs, a power of attorney (skiftefullmakt) must be in place granting one person the right to manage funds on behalf of the collective. The bank will then ensure the balance is transferred to a dedicated estate account, while the deceased's personal accounts are closed. It is important to contact each financial institution directly, as the deceased may have had accounts, loans, or securities with several different banks.

Transfer property and real estate

To transfer ownership of real property from the estate to an heir, you must complete a declaration of title (hjemmelserklæring ved arv), the form for which is available at kartverket.no. This document states who is taking over the property and must be submitted to Kartverket for registration so that ownership is officially recorded. You should also determine whether the property is to be kept within the family or sold, and confirm whether the Agricultural Properties Act (konsesjonsloven) applies — which is common for farms and some holiday properties.

Wind up any business interests

If the deceased ran a sole tradership (ENK) this is part of the estate and must be formally wound up or transferred — contact the Brønnøysund Register Centre to initiate this. If the deceased owned shares in a company (AS), these are inheritance assets and must be handled according to the shareholders' agreement, including checking for any pre-emption rights or consent requirements from other shareholders. If you are unsure of the process, seek advice from an accountant or a lawyer with experience in commercial law.

Close digital accounts and remaining subscriptions

Now is a good time to systematically work through the deceased's digital presence and remaining subscriptions. Go through bank statements to identify any recurring charges (electricity, internet, mobile, streaming services) that have not yet been cancelled and contact those providers. For digital accounts — email, Apple ID or Google account, social media profiles — decide whether each should be closed or converted to a memorial format. Public portals such as Skatteetaten and Altinn do not require any active deregistration.