Application for authorisation of a cleaning company

All cleaning companies must apply for official authorisation from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority. ‘Cleaning companies’ means companies that perform cleaning services themselves, or companies that hire out personnel who perform the cleaning services.

What do I need to be an authorised cleaning company?

Employers must be able to document that their company has

1.    signed up with an authorised occupational health service in accordance with Section 3-3 of the Working Environment Act

Attachments required for the application:

• Copy of the contract with authorised occupational health service. This must show the name and business registration number of the occupational health service. See the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's list of authorised occupational health services.
• Copy of the partnership plan or most recent paid invoice.

2.    Safety representative and Working Environment Committee (WEC) cf. Working Environment Act sections 6 and 7

Attachments required for the application:

• Copy of safety representative's contact information. Companies with fewer than 5 employees may agree on some alternative arragnement. This must be in writing and signed by all the employees.
• Copy of the minutes of the last meeting of the Working Environment Committee. Companies with more than 30 employees must have a WEC.

3.    Written contracts of employment for all groups of employees in the company, cf. sections 14-5 and 14-6 of the Working Environment Act

Attachments required for the application:

• Copy of completed and signed contracts of employment for each type of employment relationship used in the company (permanent, part-time, temporary, hired-out, etc.).

4.    Completed minimum wage requirements , cf. Regulations on general application of the collective agreement for cleaning companies

Attachments required for the application:

• Copy of written calculation (e.g. copy of payslip) showing that the cleaner is paid in accordance with the General Application Regulations. The hourly rate must be shown on the documentation.

5.    An insurance scheme ensuring that the employees will be financially compensated if they become injured or ill as a result of work, cf. Act relating to industrial injury insurance

Attachments required for the application:

• Copy of the page or pages of the insurance certificate which show that the employee(s) will be paid if they suffer occupational injury or illness.

Other documentation requirements

Are you applying for a sole proprietorship which does not employ cleaners, for which only you or your spouse perform the cleaning work?

If so, you must attach documentation showing your names and personal ID numbers.

Are you applying for a general partnership (ANS)/general partnership with shared liability (DA)?

If so, all participants must submit their names and personal ID numbers.

In order to complete this form, you need the Altinn role reporter/sender .

If you don't have the necessary role, you need someone to give it to you.  See our help pages for guidance on roles and rights.

The requirement for all cleaning companies to be authorised is stipulated in the Regulations relating to the official authorisation of cleaning companies and to the procurement of cleaning services (in Norwegian only). You can find the regulations at:
FOR-2012-05-08-408 Forskrift om offentlig godkjenning av renholdsvirksomheter og om kjøp av renholdstjenester.

Do you have any questions? See www.arbeidstilsynet.no/renhold

All cleaning companies must be authorised by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority in order to be permitted to operate legally in Norway. All cleaners working for the company will also have to carry HSE cards at work.

Apply for authorisation by completing and submitting this electronic form via Altinn. The application will be processed by the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, and you will receive written notification telling you when you will be able to order HSE cards.

The sections above show you what documentation you will need to have in order to be authorised. The application form will be easier to complete if you have the documents ready before you start.

Fee:

As of today, there is no fee for the application for public approval of cleaning business.

Case processing deadlines:

The processing time is 1–8 weeks for businesses that submit all necessary documents to demonstrate compliance with the regulations. If the application is incomplete or lacks attachments, the business will receive a letter from the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority with a deadline to rectify the issue and submit the correct documents.
Businesses that do not meet the regulations will receive a rejection decision. They are then no longer allowed to offer cleaning services, and it is also not permitted to purchase cleaning services from a business that has been rejected and is not approved.
Businesses cleared for card ordering will receive an approval decision as soon as the business completes the HSE card ordering for all employees or the owner themselves. Once approved, the business will be listed in the register with the status "approved with employees" or "approved without employees."

Right of Appeal:

Decisions on public approval of cleaning businesses and decisions on rejection of applications for public approval of cleaning businesses are individual decisions that can be appealed. The deadline for filing an appeal is three weeks.

Annual Report for Approved Businesses:

Approved businesses are required to submit an annual report to the Labour Inspection Authority, confirming ongoing compliance with approval requirements. The previous submission deadline was January 31. Starting from 2020, the deadline will be the decision date for the specific approval. Every three years, approved businesses must provide documentation to the Labour Inspection Authority, demonstrating ongoing compliance with approval requirements outlined in § 5. Please refrain from submitting an annual report until you receive a letter from the Labour Inspection Authority specifying the applicable deadline for your business.
Failure to submit an annual report may result in the loss of approval.

Incorrect Submission:
If you discover errors in the form after you have submitted it, please contact the response service (see the right column) or create a copy of the application, correct the error, and submit it again.