Norway's new register laws drop the deputy chair role, with knock-on effects for signing rights
New Norwegian laws on the Central Coordinating Register and the Register of Business Enterprises took effect on 1 January 2026. Deputy chairs (nestleder) are no longer a registered role for most businesses and were re-registered as board members in early 2026, alongside the removal of observers and many contact persons. Signature rights or procuration tied to the deputy chair role may no longer be relied on by banks.
Brønnøysundregistrene announced on 9 December 2025 that a new Central Coordinating Register Act (enhetsregisterloven) and a new Business Register Act (foretaksregisterloven) would take effect on 1 January 2026.
What changed
- Deputy chair (nestleder) is no longer a registered role for most businesses. Exceptions are entities required to have one by special law, mainly public-sector bodies such as municipal enterprises. Registered deputy chairs were re-registered as board members after New Year, and businesses did not need to act.
- Between January and March 2026, all registered observers and many contact persons were also removed. In total, more than 200,000 businesses saw changes.
- Signing rights: where signature rights (signaturrett) or procuration (prokura) are tied to the deputy chair role, banks and others may no longer be able to identify who holds them. Brønnøysund recommended reviewing these rights and registering changes through Altinn, usually after a board or annual meeting decision.
Who is affected
Norwegian companies and other registered entities, especially those whose signing arrangements refer to the deputy chair.
What to do
Check each Norwegian entity's registered signature and procuration rules and update any that depend on the deputy chair.