Lovdata

Lovdata is a Norwegian online provider of legal information that maintains a comprehensive database of Norwegian law. The service gathers and presents current statutes, regulations, and court decisions, along with official annotations and search capabilities. It is widely used by lawyers, scholars, journalists, businesses, and the public as a reference for Norwegian law.

Content and scope: The Lovdata database includes primary sources such as acts (lov) and regulations (forskrifter), as well as court decisions from Norwegian courts, together with amendments and historical versions. It aims to reflect official legal texts and to keep material up to date with new and amended laws published by Norwegian authorities. The platform provides advanced search, cross-references, and links to related materials to support legal research.

Access and governance: Lovdata operates as a foundation and portal introducing both free public content and paid services for professionals. The basic search and many documents are available at no cost, while Lovdata Pro offers enhanced search tools, alerts, and broader access for institutions and practitioners. The organization is dedicated to improving public access to law in Norway, working in collaboration with authorities and the legal community.

Impact: Lovdata is regarded as an authoritative source for Norwegian legal information and is frequently cited in courts, government agencies, and academic work. By consolidating official legal texts in a centralized database, it supports transparency, legal certainty, and efficient legal research in Norway.