Equity, loans and buying costs in Norway
The lending regulation in practice, financing certificates and the document duty paid when buying a freehold home.
Applies to: Norway. Reviewed 2026-09-25.
Key takeaways
- The equity requirement is 10 per cent of the price from 2025.
- Total debt may not normally exceed five times gross income.
- Document duty is 2.5 per cent of the value when buying a freehold, but not when buying a cooperative share.
The lending regulation
- The loan may be at most 90 per cent of the value, meaning at least 10 per cent equity.
- Total debt at most five times gross annual income.
- Repayment of at least 2.5 per cent per year when the loan-to-value exceeds 60 per cent.
- The bank must test that you can handle a significant rate rise.
- Banks may make exceptions for a limited share of loans each quarter.
In a housing cooperative your share of the shared debt counts as part of the price and of your debt. Two homes with the same asking price can therefore need very different equity.
Buying costs
| Cost | Applies to | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Document duty | Freehold and owner sections | 2.5% of market value |
| Registration fee | Each deed and mortgage document | Fixed fee per document |
| Cooperative share | Housing cooperative | No document duty |
- Buyer's insurance, optional cover for legal help with defects.
- Loan set-up fee.
- A possible transfer fee to the cooperative.
Questions to ask
- Can I handle a significant rate rise under the bank's stress test?
- How is the cooperative's shared debt counted in my borrowing?
Red flags
- The budget cannot absorb a higher rate or higher common costs.
Sources
- The lending regulation (Regjeringen)
- Document duty on transfer of real property (Kartverket)
- Registration fee (Kartverket)