# Lost your upper secondary diploma: request a replacement

Lost a Norwegian upper secondary diploma? Find the right school, county authority or archive and request the document needed for work or study.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/mistet-vitnemal-videregaende-kopi
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-10-07T22:17:40.173+00:00
Modified: 2026-10-10T07:51:03.062599+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- Start with the document’s issuer The school, county authority or an archive may be the right contact, depending on the education and document type.
- Give the school, years and previous name Clear information helps locate the document, while identity is confirmed through the official channel.
- Check digital records before the application deadline An electronic diploma may be in Samordna opptak, but you must check that the correct document is available.

If you have lost your upper secondary diploma, you usually contact the school that issued it. If the school has closed, find the right school owner or archive. For a copy of a trade certificate, the county authority may be the right contact.

## Who should you contact when your diploma is missing?

Start with the school that issued the diploma. It can find the documentation or tell you who took over the archive.

This concerns documents from **Norwegian upper secondary education**. If you lost a document from another country, check the arrangements with its issuer there. A Norwegian school cannot issue a new original for a foreign school.

Oslo kommune (Oslo municipality)'s [diploma guidance](https://www.oslo.kommune.no/skole-og-utdanning/eksamen-og-elevvurdering/vitnemal/) says former pupils should contact the school for a replacement. Nordland fylkeskommune (Nordland county authority) also distinguishes ordinary school documents from documents following vocational training. The guidance was checked on 7 October 2026.

You do not need to apply for a school place again because the paper is missing. The request concerns proof of education you have already completed. SamfunnPrep's guide to [applying for upper secondary school](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/soke-videregaende-vigo-norge) concerns a different matter: admission to new education.

Before requesting a document, ask the recipient what it needs. An employer may request a trade certificate, while an admissions office needs a diploma with grades. Requesting the right document may save another round.

## How do a diploma, competence certificate and trade certificate differ?

These documents show different parts of your education. Use the name of the document you actually need, rather than simply requesting “my papers”.

| Document | What it usually shows | First contact |
|---|---|---|
| Vitnemål: diploma | Completed and passed education giving higher education entrance or vocational qualifications | The school or stated issuer |
| Kompetansebevis: competence certificate | Documented subjects or parts of education | The school or county authority, depending on the training path |
| Fagbrev or svennebrev: trade or journeyman's certificate | Passed trade or journeyman's examination and vocational qualification | The county authority holding the documentation |

Nordland county authority's [information on trade and journeyman examinations](https://www.nfk.no/tjenester/skole-og-opplaring/opplaring-i-bedrift/fag-svenne-og-kompetanseprove/informasjon-til-deg-som-er-oppmeldt-til-fag-svenne-eller-kompetanseprove.59812.aspx?sprak=1) explains where to request replacement documents there. An ordinary diploma without a trade certificate is requested from the school, while trade and journeyman certificates follow a separate county process.

If you passed some subjects but did not complete the whole education, a competence certificate may be the right document. Losing a paper does not turn incomplete education into completed education. The issuer must follow the results held in the archive.

For a new vocational path, read the guide to [a trade certificate as an adult](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/fagbrev-som-voksen). That is a different process from getting a copy of a trade certificate you have already earned.

## What if the school has closed?

Contact the school owner or archive that took over the documents. The right institution depends on the school and county.

A fylkeskommune is the regional authority responsible for public upper secondary education, among other things. Oslo has its own list of schools that took over documents from particular closed schools. If the school is not listed, the municipality refers you to Utdanningsadministrasjonen, its education administration.

Oslo asks people who need a diploma more than 25 years after attending school to contact Byarkivet, the City Archives. This is **a local arrangement**, not a common 25-year rule for all Norway. Other counties may store archives elsewhere and use different request procedures.

State where and when you attended school. The school may have changed its name or merged. If you do not know its current name, use the old name and municipality in your enquiry.

For a private school, investigate both the school's successor and who manages the archive. Do not send the same request to many random recipients. First ask the school owner to show you the right channel.

## What should your request contain?

Provide enough information for the issuer to find the right pupil and document. Also ask how to confirm your identity and receive the document.

A list may include:

- the name you used when attending the school
- your current name if it has changed
- the school name and municipality
- approximately which years you attended
- the education programme or subjects
- whether you need a diploma, competence certificate or trade certificate
- the deadline set by the recipient requesting the document.

Use the official school or county request form if available. Do not send a passport copy or full national identity number to a random email address. Follow the identification and secure submission instructions.

You can write: “I attended [school] in [year] and need a replacement diploma for an application. My name at the time was [name]. How do I request the document, and how should I confirm my identity?”

Ask about processing time, any charge and whether you receive paper or digital documentation. Do not assume every county sends a free copy the same day. State the application deadline early, without assuming the school can prioritise your case.

## Is an electronic diploma enough?

That depends on the recipient and what is registered. When applying through Samordna opptak, an electronic diploma may be available, but check that the correct document is actually there.

Samordna opptak is the joint application service for many programmes in Norway. Oslo municipality says people who completed Norwegian upper secondary education from the year 2000 **may** have an electronic diploma there. This does not mean everyone has one.

If the diploma is missing, you may need to upload it yourself. Check the information in the particular application. Having previously sent it to an employer does not mean it is available to the admissions office.

A screenshot of some grades is not necessarily accepted documentation either. Ask the recipient which format it needs. Do not confuse the electronic school system with services for results from universities and university colleges.

## What if you took new subjects as a private candidate?

You may need an updated diploma, rather than just a copy of the old one. Contact the appropriate issuer and explain which new results should be assessed.

Oslo says the school that issued the original diploma also issues a new diploma following grade improvement for former pupils. Other situations may follow a separate route through the private candidate office, privatistkontoret. Follow the instructions in the county where the document is to be issued.

SamfunnPrep's guide to [private candidate examinations in upper secondary education](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/privatist-videregaende-melde-seg-opp) explains registration. When new results are ready, check how they will be documented.

Keep the new document somewhere you can find it again. Check names, subjects and grades before forwarding it. SamfunnPrep's [practical tools](https://samfunnprep.no/en/verktoy) can help organise other tasks in Norway.

## FAQ

### Where do I request a copy of an upper secondary diploma?

Start with the school that issued it. If it has closed, ask the school owner who took over the archive.

### Does Oslo’s 25-year rule apply throughout Norway?

No. Oslo refers older documents to Byarkivet. Other counties may have other archive arrangements.

### Who can provide a copy of my trade certificate?

Contact the county authority holding the documentation. Check its local process for trade and journeyman certificates.

### Does everyone who finished from 2000 have an electronic diploma?

No. You may have one in Samordna opptak. Check the application documents and upload if required.

### Do I need a new diploma after improving grades?

You may need an updated document. Contact the issuer and explain which new private candidate examinations you have taken.

## Sources

- [Vitnemål](https://www.oslo.kommune.no/skole-og-utdanning/eksamen-og-elevvurdering/vitnemal/)
- [Informasjon om fag-, svenne- og kompetanseprøve](https://www.nfk.no/tjenester/skole-og-opplaring/opplaring-i-bedrift/fag-svenne-og-kompetanseprove/informasjon-til-deg-som-er-oppmeldt-til-fag-svenne-eller-kompetanseprove.59812.aspx?sprak=1)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "Lost your upper secondary diploma: request a replacement", SamfunnPrep, 2026-10-07T22:17:40.173+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/mistet-vitnemal-videregaende-kopi