Child benefit in Norway 2026: amount, who gets it and how to apply

In 2026, child benefit (barnetrygd) is 2,012 kroner per child per month for all children under 18, after the rates rose on 1 February 2026. For children born in Norway, barnetrygd is automatic as a rule, but if you move to Norway with a child, you have to apply. Single parents may get extended child benefit of 2,572 kroner.

Child benefit is one of the most important support schemes for families in Norway, and one of the first that many newcomers meet. This guide explains what you get in 2026, who is entitled, why the money often arrives all by itself, and in which cases you actually have to send an application. All figures are from NAV as of 2026.

How much is child benefit in 2026?

From 1 February 2026, child benefit is 2,012 kroner per child per month. The amount is the same for all children under 18. So there is no longer a higher rate for the youngest children. The old system with one amount for children under 6 and another for children over 6 is gone. Whether the child is a newborn or 17 years old, the ordinary rate is the same.

In addition, there are some supplements that may come on top, depending on your situation:

• Extended child benefit for single parents: 2,572 kroner per month (see the separate section below).
• Small children supplement (smabarnstillegg): 712 kroner per month for single parents who have a child aged 0 to 3 and receive full transitional benefit.
• Finnmark and Svalbard supplement: 512 kroner per month per child for families living in Finnmark, on Svalbard or in certain municipalities in Nord-Troms.

All of these amounts apply as of 2026 and come from NAV. The rates are adjusted from time to time, so always check nav.no/barnetrygd for the very latest figure before you do the maths on your own finances.

Who gets child benefit?

To be entitled to child benefit, two things must be in place: the child must be resident in Norway, and you as a parent must be a member of the National Insurance Scheme (folketrygden). The National Insurance Scheme is the Norwegian social insurance system that most people who live and work in Norway are part of.

In practice this means:

• The child and you must live in Norway, and the stay must be intended to last more than twelve months.
• You and the child must be registered in the National Population Register (folkeregisteret), which Skatteetaten (the Norwegian Tax Administration) is responsible for.
• If you come from a country in the EU/EEA, your rights may follow separate EEA rules, for example if you work in Norway while your family lives in another EEA country.

Child benefit is not means-tested. That means it does not depend on how much you earn. All families who meet the conditions get the same ordinary rate. The person who lives permanently with the child receives the money, and if the child lives equally with both parents, the benefit can be split. If you want an overview of more NAV benefits, the guide on NAV benefits for immigrants is a good place to start.

When is child benefit automatic, and when do you have to apply?

This is perhaps the most important thing to understand. For many people everything happens by itself, while others have to take an active step.

Child benefit is automatic as a rule when a child is born in Norway. Once the birth is registered in the National Population Register with Skatteetaten, NAV opens the case automatically, and the money starts coming without you doing anything. So you normally do not have to apply for child benefit for a child who is born here. If you already receive child benefit, it usually comes automatically for new children too.

You have to apply yourself if you move to Norway with a child. If you come to the country with a child who was not born here, NAV does not open the case automatically, so you have to send an application. You also have to apply in a number of other cases, for example if you get a child from abroad, or if the care situation changes. You apply on nav.no, where you log in and fill out the form for child benefit. If you are new in the country, it can be wise to read your first week in Norway to get an overview of registration, the population register and your first contacts with the public sector.

Whether child benefit comes automatically or after an application, it is the registration in the population register with Skatteetaten that is the key. If the child is not registered correctly, the money will not come either.

Extended child benefit for single parents

If you are the sole carer of the child, you may be entitled to extended child benefit. In practice this means child benefit for one extra child: a supplement of 2,572 kroner per month as of 2026, in addition to the ordinary child benefit for your children.

Extended child benefit is for you if you live alone with children under 18, for example after a relationship breakdown, as a single mother or father, or because the other parent does not live with you. Unlike the ordinary child benefit, extended child benefit does not come automatically. You have to apply for it yourself on nav.no.

If you have a child aged 0 to 3 and receive full transitional benefit (overgangsstonad) from NAV, you can also get a small children supplement of 712 kroner per month. This supplement comes automatically when you are entitled to it, so you do not have to apply for it separately.

Finnmark and Svalbard supplement

From 2026 there is a separate regional supplement. The Finnmark and Svalbard supplement is 512 kroner per month per child, in addition to the ordinary child benefit. The supplement is meant to support families in the northernmost parts of the country.

You get the supplement if your family is resident in Finnmark, on Svalbard or in certain municipalities in Nord-Troms. The supplement is given based on where you are registered in the population register, and comes automatically for those who live in the area. You do not have to apply separately for it.

Child benefit and other family benefits

Child benefit is just one of several schemes for families with children, and it is easy to mix them up. In short:

• Child benefit (barnetrygd) is the fixed, monthly support per child that this article is about.
• Parental benefit (foreldrepenger) is what you get while you are at home on leave after birth or adoption. It is a completely separate scheme, see the guide on parental benefit in Norway 2026.
• A kindergarten place (barnehageplass) is something you apply for through the municipality, and the main intake has its own deadlines, read about kindergarten and the main intake 2026.

You can have these schemes at the same time. Child benefit runs regardless of whether you are on parental leave or whether the child has a kindergarten place.

In short

• Child benefit in 2026 is 2,012 kroner per child per month for all children under 18 (as of 2026, source NAV).
• For children born in Norway, child benefit is usually automatic; if you move to Norway with a child, you have to apply on nav.no.
• Single parents can apply for extended child benefit (2,572 kr/month), and there is a Finnmark and Svalbard supplement of 512 kr/month.

Always check nav.no for updated rates and conditions before you do the maths on your own situation. If you are unsure whether your case is opened automatically, you can log in to nav.no and see the status, or contact NAV directly.