# Resident proposals: bring an issue to the council

Want to submit a resident proposal? Check who can take part, how many signatures you need and how to send the issue to the municipality for consideration.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/innbyggerforslag-kommunen
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-11-02T14:28:30.386+00:00
Modified: 2026-11-02T14:28:30.434266+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- Two percent can be enough You never need more than 300 signatures at municipal level or 500 at county level.
- Submit after collecting support A proposal displayed for people to support has not necessarily been sent to the municipality.
- Consideration is not a promise of approval Check the conditions, follow the case and read the decision once the council has taken a position.

A resident proposal can give you the right to have an issue considered by the municipal council. You need support from enough residents, and the issue must meet the legal conditions. Two percent is enough, but a municipality never requires more than 300 signatures. Consideration does not mean approval.

## What is a resident proposal?

A resident proposal, or innbyggerforslag, is a formal way to ask elected representatives to take a position on a local issue. The scheme applies to municipalities and county authorities, but you must choose the right recipient.

The **kommunestyret** is the municipality’s highest elected body. In some cities it is called the bystyret. The **fylkestinget** is the county authority’s highest elected body.

Kommunal- og distriktsdepartementet, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, explains [the scheme in the municipal proposition for 2026](https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/prop.-142-s-20242025/id3100616/?ch=6), chapter 6.6. The legal basis is section 12-1 of the Local Government Act (kommuneloven). The rules in this guide were checked on 2 November 2026.

SamfunnPrep has more [explanations of democracy and public services](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles). Here we explain the steps from an idea to a submitted proposal.

## What issues can you propose?

The proposal must concern the activities of the municipality or county authority. Also check whether the same substance has already been considered during the current electoral term.

[Saltdal kommune explains that these activities include both statutory and voluntary tasks](https://www.saltdal.kommune.no/selvbetjening/innbyggerforslag). They can therefore extend beyond services the municipality is required to offer. Ask the municipality if you are unsure who is responsible.

Check previous cases in the council’s meeting papers. Within the same electoral term, you cannot use the scheme to demand reconsideration of the same substance as an earlier resident proposal. This also applies to matters the municipal council has already considered during that term.

This does not prevent politicians from raising the issue again. They may choose to do so. But you cannot demand another consideration simply by collecting more names. The substance matters, not just the title.

Before you start, you can ask the municipality’s political secretariat:

- Is this an issue the municipality can decide on?
- Has the municipal council considered the same substance during this electoral term?
- Which address or digital channel should I use to submit the proposal?

## Who can submit and support a proposal?

You do not need voting rights to take part, and young people under 18 can also submit or support proposals. Those behind the proposal must be registered as living in the municipality or county concerned.

This is explained in [the ministry’s guide to resident proposals](https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/7596a2d77524488d88a32f58a5aeac36/innbyggerforslag.pdf), in the section on who can submit proposals. Do not apply the voting-age limit to this scheme.

Someone from another municipality may agree with your issue. But their name does not count as support from a resident of your municipality. For a county-level proposal, residence in the relevant county is what matters.

An organisation can also initiate a proposal. This does not replace the requirement for enough residents’ signatures. Each person must support the actual proposal that will be submitted.

## How many signatures do you need?

You need at least two percent of the residents, but 300 signatures are always enough in a municipality. The corresponding county-level threshold is 500. You therefore do not need both two percent and 300 or 500.

Ask the municipality to confirm the population figure and minimum requirement it uses. Here are three calculations using **fictional population figures**:

| Example | Two percent | Enough signatures |
|---|---:|---:|
| Municipality with 5,000 residents | 100 | 100 |
| Municipality with 25,000 residents | 500 | 300 |
| County with 100,000 residents | 2,000 | 500 |

In the first example, two percent is below 300. In the other two, the fixed threshold is lower. These figures illustrate the calculation, not the populations of particular municipalities or counties.

Count eligible supporters, not just lines on a list. Ask for clarification if the same person appears more than once or their residence is unclear.

## How do you write a clear proposal?

State exactly what you want the municipal council to consider. Briefly explain the background and say whom the municipality should contact about the issue.

[Bergen kommune’s guidance](https://www.bergen.kommune.no/innbyggerhjelpen/demokrati-og-innbyggerrettigheter/demokrati/lokaldemokrati-og-medvirkning/fremme-innbyggerforslag) asks for clear proposed decisions and contact details. You can use this simple structure to help you write:

1. **Title:** What is the issue?
2. **Proposal:** What do you want the municipal council to decide or investigate?
3. **Background:** What specific problem or need does it concern?
4. **Attachments:** What information supports the proposal?
5. **Contact person:** Who can answer the municipality’s questions?

This is a practical outline, not a compulsory national form. Distinguish what you know, what you have observed and what you want investigated. Avoid presenting a cost or saving as a fact if you have no basis for it.

Ask someone to read the text before you start collecting support. Ask them to explain in their own words what they would be supporting by signing. This helps you spot unclear wording early.

## How do you collect and submit signatures?

You can collect support electronically or on paper. Make sure the signatures can be linked to both the correct proposal and the correct place of residence, then submit the issue to the municipality.

Bergen kommune stresses that addresses must accompany signatures so the municipality can verify residence. A list containing only usernames or likes is therefore not the same as documented support under the scheme.

**Minsak.no** is the ministry’s portal for resident proposals. Your municipality’s own guidance can show you the link and procedure. [Trøndelag fylkeskommune explains submission](https://www.trondelagfylke.no/politikk/innbyggermedvirkning/innbyggerforslag/): once you have enough signatures, you must go in and send the proposal. Do not assume the municipality has received it merely because it is online for people to support.

If you use paper or another solution, clarify how the municipality wants to receive the material. Keep a copy of the text and a list of the attachments submitted. You can ask for confirmation and a case number so you can follow the process.

## When must the council consider the issue?

The main rule is that the municipal council or county council itself must take a position within six months after the proposal is submitted. The deadline does not run from the day you start collecting names.

An exception applies when the proposal is referred for consideration in an ongoing planning case under the Planning and Building Act. [Section 12-1 of the Local Government Act, reproduced in the ministry’s report on resident proposals](https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/241a4d0f1fc64ae487c276bc7d442cc2/r1021139-kmd-innbyggerforslag-pth-1308915.pdf), describes both the deadline and the exception.

You must receive information about decisions and measures resulting from the proposal. Ask your municipal contact where you can find the case papers and meeting minutes. The municipal council can say no even when the signatures and issue meet the requirements.

Read the reasons if the case is rejected as inadmissible or the proposal is voted down. Ask the municipality to explain your next option if anything is unclear. SamfunnPrep’s [practical tools](https://samfunnprep.no/en/verktoy) can help you navigate Norwegian services and learn the terms used.

## FAQ

### Must I always collect 300 signatures?

No. Two percent of residents can be enough in a small municipality. But 300 is always sufficient at municipal level, and 500 at county level.

### Can young people under 18 take part?

Yes. You do not need voting rights. Those behind the proposal must be registered as living in the municipality or county concerned.

### Must the municipality approve what I propose?

No. The scheme gives a right to consideration when the conditions are met, not a right to a particular outcome.

### Is the deadline always six months?

The main rule is six months after submission. The deadline does not apply when the proposal is referred for consideration in an ongoing planning case under the Planning and Building Act.

### Can I demand reconsideration of the same issue?

Not through this scheme in the same electoral term if the substance matches an earlier resident proposal or an issue the municipal council has already considered. Politicians may nevertheless choose to consider it.

## Sources

- [Kommuneproposisjonen 2026 – Innbyggerforslag](https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/prop.-142-s-20242025/id3100616/?ch=6)
- [Fremme innbyggerforslag](https://www.bergen.kommune.no/innbyggerhjelpen/demokrati-og-innbyggerrettigheter/demokrati/lokaldemokrati-og-medvirkning/fremme-innbyggerforslag)
- [Innbyggerforslag – Trøndelag](https://www.trondelagfylke.no/politikk/innbyggermedvirkning/innbyggerforslag/)
- [Veileder om innbyggerforslag](https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/7596a2d77524488d88a32f58a5aeac36/innbyggerforslag.pdf)
- [Innbyggerforslag – Saltdal](https://www.saltdal.kommune.no/selvbetjening/innbyggerforslag)
- [Innbyggerforslag – rapport 2020](https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/241a4d0f1fc64ae487c276bc7d442cc2/r1021139-kmd-innbyggerforslag-pth-1308915.pdf)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "Resident proposals: bring an issue to the council", SamfunnPrep, 2026-11-02T14:28:30.386+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/innbyggerforslag-kommunen