Norway's Ministry of Finance consults on real estate brokerage rules including a 30 minute minimum bid acceptance deadline and higher security requirements

Norway's Ministry of Finance has launched a consultation on a proposal from the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway to amend the Real Estate Brokerage Regulations, aiming to give participants more time in property bidding rounds.

The proposal would set a minimum bid acceptance deadline of 30 minutes, following legislative changes that took effect on 1 July 2025 requiring brokers not to convey bids with acceptance deadlines shorter than a threshold set in regulation. It also proposes retaining the ban on conveying bids with an acceptance deadline earlier than 12:00 on the first working day after the last advertised viewing. Separately, the consultation includes raising mandatory security cover for real estate brokerage firms and lawyers from NOK 45 million to NOK 100 million, and increasing the minimum agreed limit per transaction per claimant from NOK 15 million to NOK 25 million, alongside smaller changes on archiving, police certificates and bid record-keeping.

The consultation deadline is 26 January 2026.