TEK17
TEK17 is the short name for the building technical regulations, the central regulations under the Planning and Building Act. The regulations set minimum requirements for buildings in Norway: what a building must at minimum withstand, satisfy and document in order to be built lawfully. The Norwegian Building Authority (DiBK) administers the rules and publishes guidance for each chapter.
The regulations came into force on 01/07/2017 as the successor to TEK10 (2010), TEK97 and the REN regulations from 1987. As a general rule, existing buildings follow the TEK version that applied when they were built. A change of use or a major rebuild can trigger an upgrade to current requirements, while facade refurbishment and maintenance normally do not. This means that an apartment block from 1950 does not have to be upgraded to the TEK17 standard to remain in use, but that a conversion from office to housing usually triggers requirements close to today's level. The regulations are updated regularly, most recently by an amendment on 15/08/2025.
Structurally, the regulations are divided into 18 chapters. The most important ones for developers and designers:
- Ch. 2 Documentation, what must accompany a building application and a final completion certificate.
- Ch. 5 Degree of utilisation, including UFA and BYA under section 5-4.
- Ch. 6 Calculation and measurement rules, for eaves height, ridge height and measurable area.
- Ch. 7 Safety against natural hazards, flooding, landslides and strong wind.
- Ch. 8 Outdoor amenity space, section 8-3 on quality requirements for outdoor amenity space. See also section 5-6 (minimum outdoor amenity space, MUA), which indirectly limits %BYA on residential plots.
- Ch. 9 External environment, emissions, waste handling and environmentally harmful substances.
- Ch. 10 Structural safety, loads, stability and load-bearing capacity for load-bearing structures.
- Ch. 11 Fire safety, risk classes, fire classes and escape.
- Ch. 12 Layout and universal design.
- Ch. 13 Indoor climate and health, radon, ventilation and daylight.
- Ch. 14 Energy, energy efficiency, energy budget and energy performance certificate.
- Ch. 15-16 Installations and systems, and safety inspection of lifts.
- Ch. 17 Climate and life cycle, greenhouse gas accounting for materials under section 17-1, mandatory from 01/07/2021.
The rules are consistently written as functional requirements, supplemented by performance requirements and pre-accepted solutions in DiBK's guidance to TEK17 and by references to Norsk Standard, in particular NS 3700 and NS 3701 on passive houses, NS 3940 on area and volume calculations, NS 8175 on sound and the NS-EN 1991 series on loads on structures. A developer can document compliance either through pre-accepted performance levels or through analytical documentation (verification in a calculation model).
Together with the building application regulations (SAK10), TEK17 makes up the operative building rules that a responsible designer must be able to document compliance with in a framework permit and a permit to start work. For developers, TEK17 is both the frame the project must stay within and a cost driver: stricter energy and accessibility requirements feed straight into the cost estimates per square metre, and the changes between TEK10 and TEK17 (especially ch. 12 on universal design and ch. 14 on energy) have made office buildings considerably more expensive to upgrade.
In practice, the design team must check TEK17 requirements early in the feasibility study, in particular the requirements for outdoor amenity space, parking provision, universal design, fire compartmentation, daylight and the energy budget. Mistakes here can trigger rework late in the process.
From Placepoint's dictionary: TEK17
More information: DiBK: Byggteknisk forskrift (TEK17), Lovdata: Forskrift om tekniske krav til byggverk, Lovdata: Byggesaksforskriften (SAK10), Standard Norge: NS 3940
English: TEK17 (the Norwegian building technical regulations).
Frequently asked questions
What is TEK17?
TEK17 is the Regulations on technical requirements for construction works and sets minimum requirements for buildings in Norway. It regulates requirements for energy, fire safety, indoor climate, accessibility and structure.
When does TEK17 apply?
TEK17 applies to works that need an application under the Planning and Building Act. It covers new buildings, extensions and substantial changes. Minor works and refurbishment are partly exempt.
What are the universal design requirements in TEK17?
TEK17 requires buildings to be designed and built so that everyone can use them on equal terms (universal design). For buildings open to the public and workplace buildings, the requirements are stricter than for housing.
Is TEK17 the only version?
No, TEK has been revised several times. TEK10 applied from 2010 and was replaced by TEK17 in 2017. Existing buildings follow the TEK version they were built under, with exceptions for substantial changes.
Who uses TEK17?
TEK17 is used by architects, consulting engineers and contractors during design. The Municipality checks that applications meet TEK17 when processing a building application.