Black market or official cleaning? How to check that your cleaner has legal status
Check that the cleaning company has a legal status in the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Renholdsregisteret, require the cleaner to have a valid HMS card, and ask for a written agreement and invoice. "Godkjent", "Søknad under behandling", and "HMS-kortbestilling under behandling" are legal statuses. If you get no results, or if the status is "Ikke godkjent", you must not buy the service.
What is Renholdsregisteret, and why does it exist?
The cleaning industry was long one of the worst for undeclared work and social dumping. That is why the authorities established a public register at the Labour Inspection Authority: all businesses selling cleaning services must apply for approval and be listed there.
The register is not a voluntary mark of quality. It is a legal requirement. An approved business with employees must, among other things, have an agreement with an approved occupational health service (BHT) and hold occupational injury insurance. Everyone performing cleaning work, including sole proprietors working alone, must have an HMS card. If the company is listed as approved, someone has actually verified that the basic requirements are in place.
The most important point for you as a private individual: You can buy from a business with the status "Godkjent", "Søknad under behandling", or "HMS-kortbestilling under behandling". If you get no results, or if the status is "Ikke godkjent", you are breaching the purchasing prohibition if you order. The responsibility does not lie solely with the seller – as a buyer, you also have a duty to check.
How do you look up a cleaning company?
You do not need a login or technical expertise. Here is what you do:
- Go to the Labour Inspection Authority's Renholdsregisteret (search "renholdsregisteret arbeidstilsynet").
- Enter the company name or organization number. You can find the org. number on the quote, the invoice, or their website.
- Check that the business is listed with a legal status.
- Verify that the name and org. number match the entity you are actually paying.
The statuses "Søknad under behandling" and "HMS-kortbestilling under behandling" mean that you are legally allowed to buy services while the Labour Inspection Authority processes the application. If you get no results, or if the company is listed as "ikke godkjent", you should stop there. This follows from the Labour Inspection Authority's overview of statuses you can buy from, checked 25 August 2026.
What is an HMS card, and why should you ask to see it?
The HMS card is a personal ID card that cleaners are required to carry at work. It shows the name, photo, business name, and org. number, linking the person standing in your home to a registered business.
Ask to see the card the first time someone arrives. It links the person to the registered business on the card. If the card is missing, check the business's status in the register and ask for an explanation; the status "HMS-kortbestilling under behandling" means the order is not yet complete.
Which rate applies to employees – and how do you evaluate a low price?
For employees performing cleaning in private companies that sell cleaning services, the minimum wage is set by regulation. The Labour Inspection Authority's current rate, checked 25 August 2026, is 236.54 NOK/hr for employees over 18 years of age from 15 June 2025. Section 4 of the Regulation states that the Collective Bargaining Board may adjust rates following collective agreement revisions.
When the work is performed by employees, the employer also incurs costs for items such as employer's National Insurance contributions, holiday pay, pensions, insurance, and equipment. Therefore, compare written quotes with the same scope of work. A low price is reason to ask questions, but the price alone does not indicate what someone earns or whether the work is legal.
| Signal | What you should check |
|---|---|
| Unusually low total or hourly price | Compare scope, time spent, travel, and equipment in written quotes |
| All price levels | Check legal register status, HMS card, organization number, and invoice |
| Work performed by employees | Ask how the provider documents wage and working conditions |
A low price to the customer does not in itself prove that the work is undeclared. It is a signal to check register status, HMS card, organization number, and invoice before ordering.
Is there a tax deduction for house cleaning?
There is no general or specific tax deduction for ordinary private house cleaning equivalent to the Swedish RUT scheme. A narrow transitional rule for health-related expenses may nevertheless cover necessary domestic help in certain older cases. The Tax ABC references this under S-25-6.3.3 and S-25-14.3. Ask the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) before claiming such a deduction.
What do you risk with undeclared cleaning?
It feels cheap there and then. The bill arrives later, and it can be substantial.
- Damage to property. Renholdsregisteret does not document liability insurance for the customer's home or belongings. Ask the provider about such coverage and request written documentation.
- Personal injury. An approved business must document occupational injury insurance or a similar scheme for employees. That is distinct from liability insurance for your property.
- Weak documentation. Without a written agreement, invoice, and receipt, it becomes harder to prove who performed the job, what you agreed on, and what loss occurred.
- Illegal purchase. If you buy from a business that lacks a legal status in the register, you breach the purchasing prohibition described by the Labour Inspection Authority.
A reputable provider gives you a written agreement and invoice, explains which insurance policies apply, and describes what happens if you are not satisfied.
How to check that the cleaner is legitimate
Use this checklist before you sign or let anyone in:
- Look up the company in Renholdsregisteret and ensure the status is legal.
- Ask for an HMS card the first time the cleaner arrives.
- Verify the organization number – the same number should appear on the quote, invoice, and register.
- React to unusually low prices. Compare the same scope and request a written explanation; price alone does not indicate pay or legality.
- Insist on a written agreement and invoice. Never pay cash without a receipt.
- Distinguish between insurance coverage. Register approval documents the occupational injury scheme for employees; request separate proof of liability insurance for customer property damage.
- Verify claims about tax deductions. There is no general scheme for ordinary private house cleaning; ask the Tax Administration if the narrow transitional rule for health reasons applies to you.
- Ask how quality is documented. Request specific procedures, inspection points, and terms for rectifying defects.
The entire check takes under ten minutes. It is cheap insurance against an expensive problem.
Declared work pays off
The difference between undeclared and declared cleaning is not price alone. With a legal purchase, you can verify the business and the person carrying out the work, receive written documentation, and clarify insurance coverage before the job starts.
If you want to compare real prices, see what move-out cleaning costs and what office cleaning costs. If you want to know how to choose the right company, read our guide on choosing a cleaning provider. At Vaskeladden, we are approved in Renholdsregisteret, pay collective agreement wages, and provide written agreements for everything we do – in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger.
