Jurist

The application can be submitted to the Supervisory Authority for Legal Services by the professional practitioner.  Please submit your application with attachments to The Supervisory Authority for Legal Services at post@tilsynet.no.

Establishment:

If you wish to establish yourself or work permanently in Norway within your profession, you must apply for recognition from the competent recognition authority before you can practice this profession in Norway. 

Temporary service provision:

YYou can work temporarily in this profession if you are already legally established in an EEA country or Switzerland and can practice the same profession in that country. You do not need to apply for recognition to work temporarily in this profession in Norway.

The following documentation, translated into Norwegian or English, must be attached to the application: 

• Proof of a degree equivalent to a Norwegian Master's degree in law or the Norwegian professional law degree (Master i rettsvitenskap or juridisk embetseksamen). The diploma or transcript must detail the subjects studied, exams taken, grades, degree level, ECTS credits, and total years of study. The degree must meet the educational requirements to be authorized as a trainee lawyer (advokatfullmektig) or obtain the practicing certificate in the EEA country where you completed your studies.
• A confirmation from the competent authority in your home country (usually the national bar association) stating that you are eligible to be authorized as a trainee lawyer or to apply for a lawyer's license.
• Copy of passport, ID card, or other official ID document showing citizenship. 

Comments 
Normally, a legal degree obtained abroad does not cover Norwegian legal subjects or legal methodology. To compensate for this, you must complete an aptitude test, see section 61 fourth paragraph of the Lawyers Regulation (advokatforskriften). The Norwegian Master of Laws (master i rettsvitenskap or juridisk embetseksamen) is considered a generalist degree that provides comprehensive legal competence with sufficient breadth and depth, including methodology, core areas of private, public and administrative law, as well as international law. 

Exceptions require special grounds and are subject to a specific assessment by the Supervisory Authority. The applicant must document that they have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge to that provided by the Norwegian Masters of law. 

The Faculty of Law at the University of oslo is responsible for administering the aptitude test. 

An excemption is granted to individuals with professional qualifications from Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, until the end of 2025.

For applicants with professional qualifications from Finland and Iceland, a requirement for profenciency in Norwegian, Swedish, or Danish may also be imposed. 

Applicants seeking approval under Section 61, third paragraph, of the Lawyers Regulation must complete the aptitude test.

A certificate confirming eligibility to take the test will be issued. Upon passing the test, the Supervisory Authority will declare that the applicant is entitled to use the title jurist.

The Lawyer's Act came into force on January 1, 2025. With its implementation, the title "jurist" became legally protected. Anyone holding a law degree (cand.jur.) or a master's degree in law (master i rettsvitenskap) is entitled to use the title "jurist." Individuals with legal education from another country must apply for recognition of their professional qualifications, cf. Section 67 of the Lawyer'sAct.

Persons seeking authorization as trainee lawyers (advokatfullmektig) and those applying for a Norwegian attorney license based on their foreign legal education must first obtain the right to use the title "jurist."  Special rules apply for persons holding the lawyer's license from another EEA-country. 

Language requirements: 
Norwegian language skills are not a requirement for obtaining recognition of the professional qualification. It is, however, expected that the professional has the language skills in Norwegian necessary to practice the regulated profession in Norway. 

Criteria/conditions for recognition:  
The statutory qualification requirements related to the practice of the profession are stipulated in the Attorney Act and the Regulations for Advocates.  

The statutory requirements for being entitled to recognition of professional qualifications from abroad are stipulated in the Act on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (Professional Qualifications Act) and the Regulation on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications (Professional Qualifications Regulations), including Regulations on Attorney Regulations §§ 63-65.

Case processing deadlines: 

The competent authority must acknowledge receipt of your application within one month of receiving it and inform you of any missing or incomplete documentation. 

Following the submission of a complete application, the competent authority should complete processing your application within three months. The processing deadline may, however, be extended by four months.

Fee:

There is no fee for applying for recognition of your professional qualifications. 

The fee for the aptitude test is 12 000 NOK.
 
Right of appeal: 

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the decision, you may appeal in writing, pursuant to Chapter VI of the Public Administration Act and Attorney Act §54 second paragraph. If your application is processed in accordance with the Professional Qualifications Act, the right of appeal also applies if the competent authority has exceeded the case processing deadlines (see Case processing deadlines above). 

Act relating to the Courts of Justice (Courts of Justice Act)

Regulations to the Courts of Justice Act (Regulations for Advocates)

Act on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications

Regulations on the recognition of professional qualifications

Directive 2005/36/EC

Directive 2013/55/EU

ACT-1967-02-10 Act relating to the Procedure in Administrative Cases (Public Administration Act)