Proklama: notice to creditors of a Norwegian estate

In a Norwegian deceased estate, a proklama is a public notice inviting the deceased's creditors to submit claims. Its purpose is to improve the overview of the estate's liabilities. This differs from access to financial information through a formuesfullmakt or valuing furniture and collectibles.

Deadline and important limits

The Norwegian courts' guidance on private estate administration describes publication in Norsk lysingsblad and a newspaper, with a six-week deadline for creditors. It explains that an heir may ask the district court for a notice before assuming responsibility for the deceased's debts if there is doubt whether debts may exceed assets.

Claims may lapse if they are not submitted within the deadline of a preclusive notice, but not every claim is covered. The Norwegian Tax Administration states that tax and duty claims covered by the Tax Payment Act do not lapse because of a proklama. The notice therefore does not guarantee that all liabilities have been resolved. Check the particular notice and discuss questions about claims and liability with the district court or a legal adviser.

Practical next steps

Keep identifying debts separate from identifying and valuing household contents. For practical clearance and sale tasks, read about estate clearance and purchasing contents.

General information about Norwegian estates. Sources checked on 31 October 2026. This does not assess liability for debts in an individual estate.