Family benefits and childcare in Norway

Norway supports families with a monthly child benefit for every child, a cash-for-care benefit for toddlers without a kindergarten place, and kindergartens with a national price cap. Nav pays the cash benefits. Your municipality runs kindergarten admissions and price reductions. Amounts are set by Stortinget and change from time to time.

Child benefit (barnetrygd)

• NOK 2,012 a month per child under 18, from 1 February 2026.
• Families in Finnmark, on Svalbard and in some municipalities in Nord-Troms get an extra NOK 512 a month per child (2026).
• Single parents can get an extended child benefit (utvidet barnetrygd) on top.
• The child must live in Norway. A child is treated as resident if they stay here for at least 12 months in a row. If the whole family lives here and is registered, foreign citizens with a residence permit can get barnetrygd. EEA citizens who work in Norway can qualify even for stays shorter than 12 months. If the family lives in another EEA country, Nav may pay the difference between the two countries' benefits.

Cash-for-care benefit (kontantstøtte)

• For children aged 13 to 19 months who do not have a full-time place in a publicly funded kindergarten. You can get it for at most 7 months.
• NOK 7,500 a month with no kindergarten place (2026). A part-time place gives a lower rate, from NOK 6,000 down to NOK 1,500.
• You and the child must live in Norway. Both parents (if the child lives with both) must have been members of the National Insurance Scheme, or another EEA country's scheme, for at least 5 years.

Kindergarten (barnehage)

• A child who turns one by the end of August has the right to a kindergarten place from August, in the municipality where the child lives. Children who turn one in September, October or November get a place by the end of that month. The municipality sets the application deadline.
• Price cap: NOK 1,200 a month for a full-time place (since 1 August 2025). In the least central municipalities the cap is NOK 700, and in the action zone in Finnmark and Nord-Troms kindergarten is free. Food costs extra. In Oslo, for example, food in municipal kindergartens is NOK 320 a month (2026).
• Siblings: at least 30% off for the second child, and the third child is free.
• Low income: no household pays more than 6% of its income per child. Children aged 2–5 in households with income below NOK 692,465 (from 1 August 2026) get 20 free hours a week (gratis kjernetid). You must apply to your municipality for these reductions.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Kontantstøtte needs 5 years of membership for both parents. Many newcomers do not qualify yet.
• If you miss the municipal kindergarten deadline, you may not get a place in August. Check your municipality's website early.
• Low-income reductions are not automatic in the first year. In Oslo you apply once and the city renews the application after that.
• Tell Nav if the child moves abroad or stays outside Norway for a long time, because this can affect barnetrygd.

Official guidance: Nav: child benefit, Nav: cash-for-care benefit, Udir: kindergarten fees, Oslo kommune: kindergarten prices