§ 20. New limitation period after the debtor acknowledges the claim
When the debtor (skyldner) acknowledges the claim (krav) under § 14, a new limitation period (foreldelsesfrist) begins to run. The new period is counted from the acknowledgement of the claim (erkjennelse), or from a later date if you can only demand payment later. The length of the new period follows the ordinary rules in the Limitation Act (foreldelsesloven).
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The text of the law (unofficial translation)
When limitation (foreldelse) is interrupted by acknowledgement of the claim under § 14, a new limitation period runs under the rules of this Act from the acknowledgement of the claim or from the later date on which the creditor (fordringshaver) is at the earliest entitled to demand performance (oppfyllelse).
What does this mean?
§ 20 tells you what happens after limitation has been interrupted by acknowledgement of the claim. Acknowledgement of the claim is regulated in § 14. It means that the debtor clearly confirms the claim, either in words or by action. When that happens, the old period stops. Then a new period begins.
This is very useful in practice. Many claims are not paid by the first due date. The debtor may ask for more time. You may agree on a new payment date. The debtor may pay a little and promise the rest later. If the debtor at the same time clearly acknowledges the claim, § 20 can give a new limitation period.
The new period runs under the rules in the Limitation Act. This means you must find the right type of period. Is it an ordinary claim with a 3-year period under § 2? Is it a loan of money (pengelån) with a 10-year period under § 5? Is it a periodic payment (terminytelse) under § 6? § 20 does not give the same length for all claims. It only says when the new period starts.
The main rule is that the new period starts from the acknowledgement of the claim. If the debtor writes on 1 June 2026 that he owes you NOK 30,000, the new period normally starts on 1 June 2026.
But § 20 has an important extra part: "or from the later date on which the creditor is at the earliest entitled to demand performance". This means that if the acknowledgement of the claim also gives a new payment deadline in the future, the new limitation period may only start when you can demand payment under the new agreement.
Example: the debtor acknowledges the claim on 1 June 2026, but you agree that payment is not due until 1 December 2026. The period can then start on 1 December 2026, because that is the earliest date you can demand performance under the new arrangement.
This makes § 20 important when payment is postponed. But you need clear written wording. If the agreement is unclear, there may be a dispute over whether the period started at the acknowledgement of the claim or later.
What happens when the debtor acknowledges the debt?
When the debtor acknowledges the debt, limitation is interrupted under § 14. Under § 20, a new period begins. This means that you do not just "pause" the old period. You get a new period under the rules of the Act.
This can save a claim that is close to becoming time-barred. Imagine a claim becomes time-barred on 1 July 2026. The debtor acknowledges the claim in writing on 15 June 2026. Limitation is then interrupted before the period runs out, and a new period runs from the acknowledgement of the claim.
But the acknowledgement of the claim must come before the claim is time-barred (foreldet). If the claim is already time-barred, the situation is different. There may then be a question of whether the debtor can still take on a new obligation, but that is not the usual § 14 and § 20 situation. You should therefore not wait until after the deadline and hope that an acknowledgement of the claim will fix everything.
It is also important that the acknowledgement of the claim concerns the right claim. If the debtor acknowledges one invoice (faktura), that does not necessarily mean that all other claims between you have also been acknowledged. You should therefore be specific.
Write the amount. Write the invoice number. Write the date of the loan. Write what the claim concerns. The clearer the acknowledgement of the claim is, the easier it is to calculate the new period.
How long will the new period be?
The new period has the same type of length that the claim would otherwise have had under the Limitation Act. For an ordinary monetary claim (pengekrav) it is often 3 years under § 2. For a loan of money it can be 10 years under § 5. For interest (renter) and ongoing performance owed (ytelse), other rules may apply.
This means you should not think: "Acknowledgement of the claim always gives 3 new years." That is not always true. You must look at what kind of claim it is.
If a customer acknowledges an ordinary unpaid invoice, the new period will often be 3 years. If a borrower acknowledges a private loan of money, the new period for the principal (hovedstol) can be 10 years. If the debtor acknowledges unpaid interest, the interest may have its own period.
§ 20 says "under the rules of this Act". It therefore sends you back to the rest of the Limitation Act. This is why frontmatter or internal systems for Rettsregel should always link § 20 to both § 14 and the relevant rules on periods.
In practice, you should in any case not use the whole new period without reason. If someone acknowledges the debt, use the opportunity to get a payment plan. If the payment does not arrive, follow up early.
What if you agree on a new payment date?
The period may then start from the new payment date, if that is the first time you can demand performance. This follows directly from § 20. The Act says that a new period runs from the acknowledgement of the claim or from the later date on which you can at the earliest demand performance.
This is useful when payment is postponed. You can write: "You acknowledge owing NOK 50,000. The amount is to be paid no later than 1 December 2026." It is then clear that you cannot demand payment before 1 December, if that is the agreement. The new period can then be counted from this date.
But be careful with unclear payment plans. If the debtor writes "I'll pay when I can", it is unclear when you can at the earliest demand payment. That can lead to a dispute. Write specific dates and amounts instead.
With an instalment (avdrag) plan, each instalment can have its own due date (forfallsdato). The question of the period can then become more complex. The main claim may be acknowledged, but individual instalments may fall due on different dates. So make the payment plan clear.
What happens if you get it wrong?
If the acknowledgement of the claim is unclear, you may have trouble proving that a new period started. You may believe you have a new period, while the debtor later says he never acknowledged the claim. This is why the acknowledgement of the claim should be in writing and specific.
If you agree to postpone payment without a clear date, it may be unclear when the new period starts. It may also be unclear when you can demand payment. Uncertainty is bad when deadlines have to be calculated.
If you think the new period is always the same length, you may count wrong. Interest, instalments, loans of money and ordinary invoices can have different rules. Check what kind of claim you have.
Examples
Anne has lent NOK 80,000 to her brother. Repayment was due on 1 May 2023. In March 2026, Anne is worried about limitation. She asks her brother to confirm the debt. Her brother writes: "I confirm that I owe you NOK 80,000. I will pay the full amount by 1 October 2026." This is an acknowledgement of the claim under § 14. Under § 20, a new limitation period runs. Because payment can only be demanded on 1 October 2026 under the new agreement, the period can be counted from that date. Anne should save the message. If her brother does not pay on 1 October, she should follow up quickly.
Petter has an invoice for NOK 18,500. The customer writes: "I know the invoice is unpaid. I'll pay next week." The customer does not pay. The message is a clear acknowledgement of the claim. Under § 20, a new period begins. Since this is an ordinary invoice claim, the new period will often be 3 years. Even so, Petter should not wait three new years. He should follow up when the payment does not arrive. If the customer had only written "I'll check the invoice", it would have been much weaker. It is then not certain that § 14 and § 20 will help.
Common mistakes
- Believing that acknowledgement of the claim only stops the period temporarily
- Believing that the new period is always 3 years
- Not writing the new payment date clearly
- Accepting "I'll pay when I can" as a safe payment agreement
- Forgetting that the acknowledgement of the claim must concern the right claim
What should you do?
When the debtor acknowledges the claim, save the acknowledgement of the claim. Make sure it shows the amount, the basis and the payment date. If it is unclear, reply with a clarification and ask the debtor to confirm.
Write specific payment deadlines. Do not use "as soon as possible" if the deadline matters. Write a date.
Put the new limitation date in your calendar. Add a reminder at least 6 months before. Even after acknowledgement of the claim, the claim must be followed up.