Upon the death of a person, his or her estate will be divided between his or her immediate family and close friends. Generally, the surviving spouse will receive a minimum of 50% of the estate, while the children and other relatives will receive the rest. In the event that the deceased did not leave a will, his or her estate will be divided in the public or  Dødsbo Oslo.

Norwegian inheritance laws regulate how estates are administered and divided. The Norwegian Inheritance Law (NIPL) is the main legal reference for how assets are distributed. However, the laws do not specifically address questions regarding legal jurisdiction, choice of law, and property rights. The general rules for inheritance settlement in Norway are similar to those in other countries.

The first step is to notify the district court of the death. If the deceased was domiciled in Norway, he or she should be reported to the Norwegian Tax Administration. If the deceased was domiciled in another country, he or she should notify the Norwegian Diplomatic Mission. After notifying the district court, a certificate of death will be issued by a physician or hospital authority. This certificate will be registered in the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry.

Depending on the rules of the deceased's country of domicile, the law may also regulate the distribution of a deceased's property. In Norway, the property of a deceased person is divided in favor of the closest relatives. However, the laws concerning inheritance do not specifically distinguish between movable and immovable property. In some cases, the law also applies to real estate. However, this is rare.

If the deceased leaves no will, his or her estate will be divided according to the lex domicilii principle. The lex domicilii principle states that if someone dies without a will, the assets of the deceased will be divided among his or her surviving spouse and descendants.

In addition, a spouse has the right to take over the entire estate if he or she is not a direct descendant of the deceased. However, this is limited to a maximum of four times the amount of the norwegian public pension base rate. However, this rule may be waived if the deceased left no children.

The surviving spouse's economic right is based on a basic amount determined by the national assembly. In addition, the spouse is also entitled to one-fourth of the estate. The spouse can claim the minimum amount of NOK 251,000. If the deceased left no children, the spouse can claim the minimum amount of NOK 100,000. The remaining third of the estate is for other relatives, including children, parents, and siblings.

After the deceased has passed away, the district court will send a guidance letter to the beneficiaries of the estate. This letter will include practical information and advice. The beneficiaries should also contact the district court to learn how their inheritance should be divided. The Norwegian Inheritance Law has strict rules on how an estate should be divided.