Reform of local government
Historical archive
Published under: Solberg's Government
Publisher: Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation
Article | Last updated: 03/12/2020
The government initiated a local government reform in 2014. The result is a reduction from 428 municipalities to 356, and from 19 to 11 counties, from 1.1.2020.
The government initiated a local government reform in 2014. The result is a reduction from 428 municipalities to 356, and from 19 to 11 counties, from 1.1.2020.
In 2014, a broad majority in the Parliament supported the government’s description of the need for a reform, and the main elements of a reform process. Further, it was decided that also the regional level would be part of the reform process. A part of the reform is also to transfer tasks to the municipal level.
In april 2017 the government proposed a new municipal structure to the Parliament for both municipalities and counties. The parliament voted over this in june 2017. The result was that 119 municipalities merge into 47 new municipalities.
The parliament has also voted to merge counties with the result of a reduction from 19 to 11 counties.
The main aim of the local government reform is to reduce the number of municipalities.
The goals for the local government reform are:
- Good, equal services for inhabitants, today and in the future
- Comprehensive and coordinated community development, in both larger and smaller municipalities
- Sustainable and financially solid municipalities
- Strengthen local democracy, and give the municipalities more power
There is also transfer of certain tasks to the municipalities and counties from 1.1.2020.
New counties and municipalitites in Norway
Since 2013, the Norwegian government has implemented a municipal reform and a regional reform that has led to the establishment of a number of new municipalities and counties. As of 1 January 2020, there are 356 municipalities and 11 counties in Norway.
According to Norwegian law and custom, the new municipalities and counties take over all the responsibilies and rights from the old units.
Here is an overview of which previous municipalities and counties the new, merged municipalities and counties consists of. The number specified refers to the municipality or countys number as it appears in statistics and public registers.
|
New county |
Old counties |
|
30 Viken |
01 Østfold, 02 Akershus and 06 Buskerud |
|
34 Innlandet |
04 Hedmark and 05 Oppland |
|
38 Vestfold og Telemark |
07 Vestfold and 08 Telemark |
|
42 Agder |
09 Aust-Agder and 10 Vest-Agder |
|
46 Vestland |
12 Hordaland and 14 Sogn og Fjordane |
|
50 Trøndelag |
16 Sør-Trøndelag and 17 Nord-Trøndelag |
|
54 Troms og Finnmark |
19 Troms and 20 Finnmark |
|
New Municipality |
Old municipalities |
|
3020 Nordre Follo |
0213 Ski and 0217 Oppegård |
|
3025 Asker |
0220 Asker, 0627 Røyken and 0628 Hurum |
|
3030 Lillestrøm |
0226 Sørum, 0227 Fet and 0231 Skedsmo |
|
3026 Aurskog-Høland |
0121 Rømskog and 0221 Aurskog-Høland |
|
3014 Indre Østfold |
0122 Trøgstad, 0123 Spydeberg, 0124 Askim, 0125 Eidsberg and 0138 Hobøl |
|
3002 Moss |
0104 Moss and 0136 Rygge |
|
3005 Drammen |
0602 Drammen, 0625 Nedre Eiker and 0711 Svelvik |
|
3804 Sandefjord[1] |
0706 Sandefjord, 0719 Andebu and 0720 Stokke |
|
3805 Larvik[2] |
0709 Larvik and 0728 Lardal |
|
3811 Færder |
0722 Nøtterøy and 0723 Tjøme |
|
0704 Tønsberg |
0704 Tønsberg and og Re |
|
3802 Holmestrand[3] |
0702 Holmestrand, 0715 Holmestrand, 0713 Sande and 0714 Hof |
|
3817 Midt-Telemark |
0821 Bø and 0822 Sauherad |
|
4225 Lyngdal |
1027 Audnedal and 1032 Lyngdal |
|
4204 Kristiansand |
1001 Kristiansand, 1017 Songdalen and 1018 Søgne |
|
4205 Lindesnes |
1002 Mandal, 1021 Marnardal and 1029 Lindesnes |
|
1103 Stavanger |
1103 Stavanger, 1141 Finnøy and 1142 Rennesøy |
|
1108 Sandnes |
1102 Sandnes and 1129 Forsand |
|
4626 Øygarden |
1245 Sund, 1246 Fjell and 1259 Øygarden |
|
4631 Alver |
1256 Meland, 1260 Radøy and 1263 Lindås |
|
4624 Bjørnafjorden |
1241 Fusa and 1243 Os |
|
4618 Ullensvang |
1227 Jondal, 1228 Odda and 1231 Ullensvang |
|
4621 Voss |
1234 Granvin and 1235 Voss |
|
4647 Sunnfjord |
1430 Gaular, 1431 Jølster, 1432 Førde and 1433 Naustdal |
|
4640 Sogndal |
1418 Balestrand, 1419 Leikanger and 1420 Sogndal |
|
4649 Stad |
1441 Selje and 1443 Eid |
|
4602 Kinn |
1401 Flora and 1439 Vågsøy |
|
1579 Hustadvika |
1548 Fræna and 1551 Eide |
|
1506 Molde |
150 Molde, 1543 Nesset and 1545 Midsund |
|
1507 Ålesund |
1504 Ålesund, 1523 Ørskog, 1529 Skodje, 1534 Haram and 1546 Sandøy |
|
1578 Fjord |
1524 Norddal and 1526 Stordal |
|
1577 Volda |
1444 Hornindal and 1519 Volda |
|
5060 Nærøysund |
5050 Vikna and 5051 Nærøy |
|
5006 Steinkjer |
5004 Steinkjer and 5039 Verran |
|
5007 Namsos |
5005 Namsos, 5040 Namdalseid and 5048 Fosnes |
|
5054 Indre Fosen |
1624 Rissa and 1718 Leksvik |
|
5057 Ørland |
5015 Ørland and 5017 Bjugn |
|
5058 Åfjord |
5018 Åfjord and 5019 Roan |
|
5001 Trondheim |
5001 Trondheim and 5030 Klæbu |
|
5059 Orkland |
5024 Orkdal, 5016 Agdenes, 5023 Meldal and part of 5012 Snillfjord |
|
5056 Hitra |
5013 Hitra and part of 5012 Snillfjord |
|
5055 Heim |
1571 Halsa, 5011 Hemne and part of 5012 Snillfjord |
|
1806 Narvik |
1805 Narvik, 1854 Ballangen and part of 1850 Tysfjord |
|
1875 Hamarøy |
1849 Hamarøy and part of 1850 Tysfjord |
|
5421 Senja |
1931 Lenvik, 1927 Tranøy, 1929 Berg og 1928 Torsken |
|
5412 Tjeldsund |
1852 Tjeldsund and 1913 Skånland |
|
5406 Hammerfest |
2004 Hammerfest and 2017 Kvalsund |
[1] Sandefjord amalgamated from January 1st 2017, but changed number from January 1st 2020 because of changes on the county level.
[2] Larvik amalgamated from January 1st 2018, but changed number from Januar 1st 2020 because of changes on the county level.
[3] 0702 Holmestrand and 0714 Hof amalgamated to 0715 Holmestrand from January 1st 2018. 0715 Holmestrand and 0714 Sande amalgamated to 3802 Holmestrand from January 1st 2020.
Proposition to the Storting no. 96 S - Changes in the local government structure (pdf)