Strandskydd
Strandskydd is a general building ban in a zone along the sea, lakes and watercourses in Sweden. As a rule it applies 100 metres from the shoreline, measured at normal water level, both on land and in the water, and it covers new buildings, jetties and works that significantly change living conditions for plants and animals.
The legal basis is in chapter 7 of miljöbalken (1998:808), the Swedish Environmental Code. Sections 13 to 18 define what strandskydd covers and which bans apply, while sections 25 and 26 govern the balance between private and public interests (intresseprövning). Länsstyrelsen, the county administrative board, can extend the zone to up to 300 metres where this is needed to serve the two purposes of strandskydd: securing public access to shore areas and preserving good living conditions for animal and plant life.
From 01/07/2025 new rules apply following proposition 2024/25:102, "Lättnader i strandskyddet – ett första steg". General strandskydd no longer covers lakes smaller than one hectare or watercourses narrower than two metres, but länsstyrelsen can still impose strandskydd of up to 100 metres on such small waters in the individual case where this is needed to secure the purpose.
An exemption requires one of the specific grounds listed exhaustively in miljöbalken chapter 7, sections 18 e to g. The six original grounds cover, among other things, that the area is already in use and no longer accessible under the right of public access, that it is well separated from the shore by a road, railway or continuous built-up area, that a facility must lie by the water because of its function, that an ongoing activity is being expanded, or that an important public interest is present. In 2025 a new ground was added in section 18 f for permanently operated, small-scale rural businesses. Within areas a municipality has designated as LIS areas, landsbygdsutveckling i strandnära lägen, in the oversiktsplan, two further grounds apply under section 18 g.
The municipality decides the exemption as a rule. Länsstyrelsen takes over the decision for areas protected under other provisions in chapter 7 of miljöbalken, such as national parks, nature reserves that länsstyrelsen has designated itself and biotope protection areas, and for works linked to state roads, railways and defence installations. Whoever decides, länsstyrelsen must review all municipal exemption decisions and has three weeks to decide whether the decision should be reviewed. If it finds that the conditions are not met, it can annul the exemption. Strandskydd areas often overlap with riksintresse for outdoor recreation or nature conservation, since both forms of protection cover the same coastal values.
Norwegian comparison: the closest parallel is the building ban in the strandsonen under plan- og bygningsloven, the Planning and Building Act. Both countries build on a fixed zone width from the water's edge with a general building ban and the option of an exemption. The difference lies in the precision. The Swedish zone is routinely extended to 300 metres where needed, and the grounds for an exemption are listed exhaustively in the law. The Norwegian strandsone is instead practised through three regionally differentiated zones and a broader discretionary exemption assessment, without a comparable statutory list of accepted grounds.
From Placepoint's dictionary: Strandskydd
More information: Naturvårdsverket: Strandskydd, en vägledning för planering och prövning, Naturvårdsverket: Dispens från strandskyddet, Proposition 2024/25:102: Lättnader i strandskyddet
English: The statutory shoreline protection zone in Sweden (100 to 300 metres, sea, lakes and watercourses).
Common questions
How wide is strandskydd in Sweden?
As a rule 100 metres from the shoreline, on land and in the water. Länsstyrelsen can extend the zone to up to 300 metres where this is needed to serve the purpose of strandskydd.
Does strandskydd apply to all lakes and watercourses?
Not automatically any more. From 01/07/2025 general strandskydd does not cover lakes smaller than one hectare or watercourses narrower than two metres, but länsstyrelsen can impose it on such waters in the individual case.
Who can grant an exemption from strandskydd?
The municipality decides as a rule. Länsstyrelsen decides instead for protected areas such as national parks and nature reserves, and for state roads, railways and defence installations.
What are LIS areas?
LIS stands for landsbygdsutveckling i strandnära lägen. These are areas a municipality designates in the oversiktsplan where two extra grounds for an exemption can be used to promote rural development.
What is the difference between Swedish strandskydd and the Norwegian strandsone?
The Swedish zone is routinely extended to 300 metres and the grounds for an exemption are listed exhaustively in the law. The Norwegian strandsonen is divided into three regional zones with a broader discretionary assessment.
Can länsstyrelsen review a municipal exemption?
Yes. Länsstyrelsen must review all municipal exemption decisions and has three weeks to decide whether the decision should be reviewed and, where relevant, annulled.