The 2026 main kindergarten intake (hovedopptak) has an application deadline of 1 March. This is the most important allocation of kindergarten places each year, and anyone who wants a place from August through November must apply before the deadline. Who is entitled to a place depends on the child's age and the family's municipality of residence.
For immigrant families in Norway, the system can seem confusing — there are different portals, criteria, and deadlines in each municipality. But the underlying rules are the same across the country, and the 1 March deadline is identical everywhere. Here you will find answers on who can apply, how to submit the application, what a place costs in 2026, and what happens if you do not receive an offer. You will also learn how to appeal and how the rolling intake works for the rest of the year.
Who has the right to a place in the kindergarten intake?
The right to a kindergarten place is set out in the Kindergarten Act. Children who turn one year old by the end of November in the year you apply have the right to a place in the kindergarten intake. The family must be registered as residents in the municipality, or have a confirmed move-in date before the place is allocated.
When the place starts depends on the child's date of birth. Children born between January and August are entitled to a place from August in the same year. Children born in September, October, or November are entitled to a place by the end of the month they turn one. Children who turn one in December or later must wait until the next main intake.
Two groups receive automatic priority regardless of age: children with reduced functional ability, and children for whom a decision has been made under the Child Welfare Act. They have the right to a place under section 18 of the Kindergarten Act and must attach documentation from a doctor, BUP (child mental health services), or the child welfare service together with the application. Families with refugee status or particularly heavy care responsibilities may also receive priority in many municipalities.
If you move between municipalities after 1 March, you must apply in the new municipality as soon as your residential address is confirmed. The application from your previous municipality is not transferred automatically. Check your child's date of birth and the municipality's exact rules before you start — the date determines whether you have the right to a place or must wait until next year.
How to apply for a kindergarten place before 1 March
You submit the application electronically to the municipality. Most municipalities use Vigilo or Foreldreportalen, and you log in with MinID, BankID, or another electronic ID. The application deadline is 1 March across the entire country, but some municipalities have additional deadlines for places starting in October or November. Check your municipality's website for exact information.
You complete one application per child. In the application, you select up to five kindergartens in order of preference — both municipal and private. The municipality first tries to offer a place at your first choice, then your second choice, and so on down the list. The application is saved automatically, and you receive a confirmation by email once it is sent.
If your child is entitled to priority under section 18 of the Kindergarten Act, the documentation must be uploaded or sent in separately within the same deadline. The documentation cannot be more than three months old. Families who have recently moved to Norway often need to attach confirmation of their residence permit from UDI together with the application. Also read our guide on permanent residence permit and requirements if you are unsure of your family's status.
After 2 March, the portal is closed for changes for 4–5 weeks while the municipality processes the applications. Make sure all your choices are correct before you submit — you cannot change the order of preference or add kindergartens during this period.
The maximum price for kindergarten and discount schemes
The Storting (parliament) sets the maximum price for kindergarten each year. From 1 August 2025, the price is 1,200 kroner per month for a full-time place across the country. You pay the same amount in municipal and private kindergartens — there is no difference.
In municipalities in centrality zones 5 and 6 according to SSB (Statistics Norway), the maximum price is 700 kroner per month. In Finnmark and the action zone in North Troms, kindergarten is completely free. The maximum price for the entire 2025/2026 kindergarten year is therefore 13,200 kroner, spread over 11 payment months. July is payment-free.
Families with several children in kindergarten at the same time automatically receive a sibling discount. The second child receives at least a 30 per cent discount, and from the third child onwards the place is free. Low-income families can also apply for reduced parental payment — no household must pay more than six per cent of its total income for the place.
Children aged 2 to 5 in households with an income below 669,050 kroner per year are entitled to 20 hours of free core time per week (rate for the 2025/2026 kindergarten year). The income threshold is updated annually — check the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training's overview of discount schemes for the latest rate. You must apply for this every year through the municipality, attaching your most recent tax return or payslips.
Meal fees come on top of the maximum price, usually 250–500 kroner per month. Sibling discounts do not apply to meal fees. Check the kindergarten's bylaws for the exact amount before you accept the place.
Apply for a discount before the child starts — the reduction only applies from the month after the municipality receives a complete application.
How allocation works in the main intake
Case processing for the main intake starts on 2 March, the day after the application deadline. The municipality reviews all applications, assesses priority criteria, and distributes available places among the kindergartens. You cannot change the application during this period — usually until around 1 May.
The first offer letters are sent out around the middle of March. Everyone entitled to a place should receive a response by the end of April in most municipalities. The offer itself arrives in your digital mailbox, either Digipost, eBoks, or Altinn. Check these daily during the intake period — the response deadline is short.
You normally have a seven-day response deadline from the date the offer is sent. If you do not respond within the deadline, the offer lapses, and you must apply again. If you accept the place, you will receive further information from the kindergarten about the start date, settling-in period, and practical details. Many families combine parental leave with starting kindergarten — read more in our guide on NAV (welfare office) services for immigrants.
If you applied for up to five kindergartens but only your first choice was realistic, the offer may come from another option on your list. You can then accept and remain on the waiting list for your first choice. Log in to the municipality's portal regularly — waiting lists are often updated in September and December.
Double-check your email address, mobile number, and digital mailbox well before 1 March. A forgotten Digipost password is the most common reason families lose their offer.
Appeals and rolling intake if you do not get a place
If your application is rejected, or you are allocated a kindergarten you do not want, you can appeal. The appeal deadline is three weeks from the date you received the decision. The appeal must be in writing and sent to the kindergarten authority in the municipality — you can use email, eDialog, or regular post. You can only appeal if you did not receive your first or second choice, or if your place was rejected outright.
If you do not have the right to a place — for example because the child was born in December — the application automatically goes into the rolling intake. This means the municipality offers available places continuously throughout the year. The most common pattern is for places to become available between August and December, while very few places are available between January and June.
If you are on a waiting list, you must update the application at least twice a year. Most municipalities delete inactive applications at the turn of the year, and you must submit a new application in January if no place has been offered. You can also enquire directly with private kindergartens — they have their own bylaws and may have additional intake rounds outside the main intake.
Families receiving financial support from NAV (welfare office) while waiting for a place may be entitled to other benefits in the meantime — see our overview of NAV in Norway for immigrants. Set a reminder in your calendar for January 2027 for the next kindergarten intake — the 1 March deadline comes around faster than most people expect.