Can you build your own shelter in Norway? What the law says

Short answer. Under the Civil Protection Act, developers must build private shelters for people who normally use a property where a shelter duty applies; the 1995 regulation sets it for buildings over 1,000 m² ¹². Building of new shelters has been halted since 1998 and every exemption is granted ³. No official source sets a shelter duty or permit for a private house: ask your municipality and a structural engineer.

What does the Civil Protection Act require?

The Act (sivilbeskyttelsesloven, LOV-2010-06-25-45) sets these duties ¹:

• § 20: a public or private developer shall build, equip and fit out private shelters for those who normally stay on the property; the requirement can be waived on application against payment of an amount used for public shelters.
• § 21: owners and users must keep the shelter in sound condition. It may be used for other purposes in peacetime if its protective capacity is not reduced and it can quickly be made ready.
• § 21: building changes that may affect the shelter's protective capacity must be submitted to the Civil Defence for approval before work starts.
• § 22: owners and users of private shelters are responsible for operating them in an emergency.

The Regulation on shelters (FOR-1995-03-15-254), § 11 a, says private shelters shall be built when erecting buildings with more than 1,000 m² of usable floor area, in areas where a shelter duty has been set ².

Are new shelters being built today?

No. Building of new shelters was temporarily halted in 1998. Buildings over 1,000 m² must apply for dispensation, and all applicants receive it; municipalities cannot order anyone to build ³. Decommissioning an existing shelter requires an application and is rarely approved ³.

What about a shelter at home?

No official source sets a duty or a specific shelter permit for a private house; voluntary construction falls outside the shelter regime ³¹². Ordinary building rules may still apply, so start with your municipality, and have any design done by a qualified structural engineer. Phaenyx does not give construction instructions. The guides on /guides/buried-container, /guides/reinforce-container, /guides/shelter-ventilation and /guides/nbc-filtration explain the issues to raise with that engineer.

Is the law about to change?

A reform is under consultation. On 20 August 2026, Sivilforsvaret's assistant chief, Georg Bryn, wrote in a reply published on DSB's site that the government has sent a proposed new regulation on shelters (tilfluktssteder) to consultation ⁴. Exposed municipalities would have to map existing capacity and condition and plan how the population can be protected, including "dekningsrom" in existing solid structures such as car parks and tunnels ⁴. As of 20 October 2026, it is still a proposal; no adopted regulation was found.

Frequently asked questions

I own a building with a shelter. Can I renovate it?

Changes that may affect the shelter's protective capacity must be approved by the Civil Defence before work starts ¹.

Can I use my shelter as a storage room?

Yes in peacetime, if its protective capacity is not reduced and it can quickly be made ready ¹.

Can I remove an existing shelter?

Decommissioning requires an application and is rarely approved ³.

What standards apply?

The 1995 Regulation on shelters: see the shelter standards page ².

Sources

1. Lovdata / Justis- og beredskapsdepartementet — Lov om sivil beskyttelse og beredskap (sivilbeskyttelsesloven), LOV-2010-06-25-45 — https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2010-06-25-45 (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Lovdata / Justis- og beredskapsdepartementet — Forskrift om tilfluktsrom, FOR-1995-03-15-254 — https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/1995-03-15-254 (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. Sivilforsvaret — Spørsmål og svar om tilfluktsrom — https://www.sivilforsvaret.no/dette-er-sivilforsvaret/tilfluktsrom/sporsmal-og-svar-om-tilfluktsrom/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. Direktoratet for samfunnssikkerhet og beredskap (DSB) — Debatt: Kommunene skal få hjelp med å sikre gode dekningsrom (tilsvar av Georg Bryn, Sivilforsvaret) — https://www.dsb.no/aktuelt/tilsvar-kommunene-skal-fa-hjelp-med-a-sikre-gode-dekningsrom/ (accessed 2026-10-20)