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Child maintenance and advance maintenance payments

child support maintenance advance payment father does not pay mother does not pay

Translated: translated from the Norwegian original with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is the authoritative one. See the Norwegian original →

How child maintenance is set, what you can do if it isn't paid, and what advance maintenance payments are.

Norwegian original last checked against official sources: 21 September 2026. Rules and figures change, so always check the official site before you act.

Child maintenance (barnebidrag) is money one parent pays to the other to ensure the child is supported when the parents don't live together.

Private agreement or NAV?

• Private agreement: if you agree on the amount, you don't need to involve NAV.
• NAV sets the maintenance: if you can't agree, one of you can ask NAV to set the maintenance according to the regulations. NAV charges a fee of 1,345 kroner from each party when the maintenance is set or changed.

The maintenance is usually set from the month NAV received the application.

Who collects the money?

If you want, the Tax Administration collects the maintenance free of charge, both for private agreements and NAV decisions. If the paying party doesn't pay, the Tax Administration sends a reminder, and can later deduct the money from wages or other benefits.

Advance maintenance payments

Advance maintenance payment (bidragsforskudd) is a means-tested benefit that can be given if the child maintenance isn't paid. You may be entitled to it when the other parent is to pay maintenance collected by the Tax Administration, the child lives permanently with you, and you have actual care.

The maintenance lasts until

Normally until the child turns 18. After 18, the child can receive maintenance if they attend upper secondary school.

If you disagree with a decision

Any party can complain within three weeks of the decision. The complaint is sent first to the NAV unit that made the decision, and can go on to the appeals body. Also read Complain about a NAV decision.

Tip: Maintenance and contact arrangements are often connected to other questions. If you have questions about permanent residence, contact, or parental responsibility, these come under Family and children, not NAV.

NAV. Child maintenance (Norwegian) →

Sources

• NAV. Child maintenance (Norwegian)
• NAV. Advance maintenance payment (Norwegian)

Kontaktpunkt24 gives general information, not legal advice. If you need help with your own case, contact a lawyer, a legal aid service, or the relevant authority.

This page is translated from Norwegian with the help of a language model, and may contain errors. The Norwegian version is always the authoritative one.