# Request public documents: access without being a party

You can request public documents even if the case does not concern you. Find the document in a public register or contact the authority directly. A refusal must be in writing, cite its legal basis and can be appealed.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/finn-offentlige-dokumenter-innsyn
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-10-07T19:15:52.834+00:00
Modified: 2026-10-07T19:15:52.901116+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- You do not need to be a party Anyone can request public case documents under offentleglova, but lawful exceptions may limit access.
- Ask for parts and consideration of greater access Confidential information must be protected. The authority must consider greater access where an exception permits information to be withheld.
- Follow up refusals and missing responses You can normally appeal a lack of decision after five working days from receipt of the request, but § 32 contains exceptions.

You can request public documents even if the case does not concern you. Find the document in a public register or contact the authority directly. A refusal must be in writing, cite its legal basis and can be appealed.

## Who can request public documents?

Anyone can request access under offentleglova, the Freedom of Information Act. You do not need to be a journalist, a Norwegian citizen or a party to the case. The main rule is that case documents, registers and similar records are open. Exceptions must have a basis in an Act or regulations.

This article describes the rules as of 7 October 2026. [The Act on the right of access to documents in public activities (offentleglova)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2006-05-19-16) applies, among others, to central government, municipalities and county authorities. It does not apply to every public institution or every type of document. For example, court proceedings and police criminal cases have their own rules.

A case document may be a letter, report or email concerning the authority's work. Incoming documents are covered. Documents created by the authority itself are considered created once sent out, or once completed if they are not sent.

## Is this the same as access to your own case?

No. There are different rules for public documents, your own case and personal data about you. A party is someone a decision is directed at, or whom the case otherwise concerns directly.

| What do you want? | Which rule applies? | What is the difference? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Public case documents | Offentleglova | You do not need to be a party. |
| Documents in a case to which you are a party | The Public Administration Act's rules on access by parties | The right is based on your connection to the case. |
| Personal data about you | The General Data Protection Regulation, also called GDPR | You request your own data and information about how it is used. |

Read about [access to your own Nav case](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/innsyn-i-egen-nav-sak) if that is your aim. To investigate the processing of your personal data, see [access under data protection rules](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/datatilsynet-gdpr-innsyn-sletting). Deadlines and appeal routes in these schemes can differ. [The Act relating to procedure in administrative cases (forvaltningsloven)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1967-02-10) contains the rules on access by parties.

## How do you find documents in eInnsyn?

[eInnsyn](https://www.nasjonalarkivet.no/besok-informasjon/om-oss/einnsyn/) brings together public registers from central government, municipal and county bodies that use the service. A public register is a list of registered documents. You can search and request documents free of charge and anonymously.

Search, for example, for a topic, an authority or a period. Note the document's title and any case and document numbers. If the full document is already available, you can read it. Otherwise, you can request access through the service. The request goes to the body that holds the register. That body processes the request and answers you.

You can also contact the authority directly. The fact that something is absent from eInnsyn does not necessarily mean the document does not exist. [Nav explains](https://www.nav.no/innsyn), for example, that not all of its documents are in the service.

## What do you write in an access request?

You can make a request orally or in writing. Email makes it easier to keep a record of the request and its date. You normally need neither a specific form, a reason nor your name. However, the authority needs a way to send you its response.

The request must concern a specific case or, within reasonable limits, cases of a specific type. You do not need to know the case number if your description otherwise enables the case to be found. This requirement to define the scope does not apply when you request a register or similar record.

Include what you know:

- the authority and topic concerned
- the document's title, date or period
- the case number or document number, if you have it
- whether you want an electronic copy.

An example: “I request access under offentleglova to the municipality's letters to the contractor about renovation of the school building in August 2026. Please send the documents as electronic copies to this email address.”

You can also request a compilation of information from the authority's electronic databases if it can be produced using simple methods, see § 9. This does not give a general right to require the authority to write a new report for you.

## How quickly will you receive a response, and what does it cost?

The request must be decided ‘without undue delay’, meaning without unnecessary waiting. [Sivilombudet's access guide](https://www.sivilombudet.no/veiledere/innsynsguiden/) explains that ordinary requests should normally be decided the same day or within one to three working days. Some requests may take longer. This is not a fixed three-day deadline for every case.

Access is normally free. There is no charge for emailing an existing electronic document to you. The authority cannot charge for the time spent processing an ordinary access request.

Paper copies may cost money. Under [the regulations under offentleglova (offentlegforskrifta)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2008-10-17-1119) § 4, ordinary copies exceeding 100 A4 sheets in one case may cost 1 krone per sheet beyond the first 100, plus postage for the whole shipment. Special copies and certain document products have different payment rules. Ask for the price and its basis before ordering anything that may cost money.

## Can documents be redacted or withheld?

Yes. Redaction means that information is concealed in the copy. Information covered by a statutory duty of confidentiality must be withheld. For example, this may concern personal circumstances or business information that must be protected for competition reasons.

Other exceptions allow the authority to refuse access. These include certain documents produced for internal case preparation. Not every internal document can be withheld on this basis. Where the exception is discretionary, the authority must consider ‘merinnsyn’, greater access: whether all or parts of the document should nevertheless be released. Greater access does not permit disclosure of confidential information.

Ask for the parts that can be released. However, you do not automatically receive the remainder of the document. Under § 12, the remainder may also be withheld if it alone gives a clearly misleading impression, if separating the parts requires an unreasonable amount of work, or if the withheld information is the most substantial part.

## What do you do if access is refused?

The refusal must be in writing. The authority must cite the specific provision used, including the correct paragraph, letter or number. Where confidentiality applies, it must also cite the rule imposing the duty of confidentiality. The refusal must explain your right to appeal and the appeal deadline.

You can demand a more detailed explanation within three weeks of receiving the refusal. The authority must then explain the main considerations behind the refusal. The response must arrive as soon as possible, no later than ten working days after the request for an explanation was received, see § 31.

## How do you appeal a refusal or lack of response?

The normal appeal deadline is three weeks from receiving the refusal. If you demand a more detailed explanation under § 31, a new three-week period runs from receiving that explanation. Send the appeal to the authority that refused access. Refer to the request, the refusal and why you believe access should be granted.

The authority reconsiders the case. If it does not uphold your appeal, it must forward it. Statsforvalteren, the County Governor, is the appeal body for municipal and county bodies. For central government bodies, the appeal normally goes to the next superior body, although special rules may apply.

If you have not received a decision within five working days after the request was received, this is normally treated as a refusal that you can appeal, see § 32. An acknowledgement of receipt is not a decision. This does not mean you have automatically been granted access. The five-day rule does not apply where Kongen i statsråd (the King in Council) is the appeal body. Nor does it apply where the authority asks the person whom the information concerns to consent to disclosure under § 13, third paragraph, or where another body must consider downgrading classified information. Downgrading means reducing the security classification.

Keep the request, the date it was received, the refusal and the appeal. A simple list of documents and deadlines can help. You can also find other practical resources in [SamfunnPrep's tools overview](https://samfunnprep.no/en/verktoy).

## FAQ

### Must I be a party to the case to request public documents?

No. Anyone can request access under offentleglova even if the case does not concern them. Lawful exceptions, including confidentiality, may limit what you receive.

### Can I request access anonymously?

Yes, as a general rule. You normally do not need to give your name or justify the request. The authority must be able to find the case and have a way to send you the response.

### Are all public documents in eInnsyn?

No. You can contact the authority directly even if you cannot find the document in eInnsyn. The service brings together registers from bodies that use it, and documents are not always available in full.

### When can I appeal if I receive no response?

Normally once five working days have passed after the authority received the request without deciding it. § 32 has exceptions for Kongen i statsråd (the King in Council) as the appeal body, consent cases under § 13, third paragraph, and downgrading to be assessed by another body.

### Where do I send an appeal against a refusal?

Send it to the authority that refused access. The normal deadline is three weeks from receipt of the refusal or a more detailed explanation under § 31 if you requested one. The authority reconsiders the case and forwards the appeal if it does not uphold it.

## Sources

- [Lov om rett til innsyn i dokument i offentleg verksemd (offentleglova)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2006-05-19-16)
- [Forskrift til offentleglova (offentlegforskrifta)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2008-10-17-1119)
- [Lov om behandlingsmåten i forvaltningssaker (forvaltningsloven)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1967-02-10)
- [Innsynsguiden](https://www.sivilombudet.no/veiledere/innsynsguiden/)
- [Innsyn i offentlige dokumenter og opplysninger](https://www.nav.no/innsyn)
- [Rett til innsyn](https://www.datatilsynet.no/rettigheter-og-plikter/den-registrertes-rettigheter/rett-til-innsyn/)
- [eInnsyn](https://www.nasjonalarkivet.no/besok-informasjon/om-oss/einnsyn/)
- [Rettleiar til offentleglova](https://www.regjeringen.no/globalassets/upload/jd/vedlegg/veiledninger/rettleiar_offentleglova.pdf)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "Request public documents: access without being a party", SamfunnPrep, 2026-10-07T19:15:52.834+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/finn-offentlige-dokumenter-innsyn