The conciliation board and small claims let you settle disputes about money or goods cheaply and without a lawyer. Filing a conciliation claim costs 1.54 court fees, approximately 2,071 krone in 2026. Claims under 250,000 krone are handled as simple small claims procedures in the district court.
What is the conciliation board and small claims?
The conciliation board is the lowest and cheapest level in the Norwegian court system. Every municipality has one conciliation board. Here you can settle a dispute about money or goods without spending a lot of money on a lawyer.
The conciliation board is not a regular court with judges. The three members are ordinary people from the municipality, called lay judges. They are elected for four years by the municipal council.
The goal is for the parties to reach agreement. This is called a settlement. If you cannot agree, the conciliation board can in many cases issue a judgment.
If you have received an unpaid debt claim or payment demand, this is often where such disputes end up at the conciliation board.
When should you use the conciliation board?
Use the conciliation board when you disagree with someone about money or goods. It could be a neighbor who owes you money, a store that refuses to give a refund, or a customer who doesn't pay your invoice.
A common example: you have sold something privately and the buyer doesn't pay. Then you can file a conciliation claim instead of giving up your claim.
Some cases do not belong here. Family cases, employment disputes, and cases against the state go other routes.
If the claim exceeds 200,000 krone and both parties have lawyers, you can skip the conciliation board and go straight to the district court.
If the case concerns a product or service, it often involves your consumer rights.
A conciliation board also has a practical advantage: filing a conciliation claim stops the statute of limitations for your claim. A money claim can otherwise become too old to collect. If you file the claim in time, you keep your claim alive.
What does a conciliation claim cost?
A conciliation claim is the written letter that starts a case at the conciliation board. You write who the parties are, what you are claiming, and why.
The fee is 1.54 times the court fee. The court fee (called R) is 1,345 krone as of 1 January 2026. A conciliation claim therefore costs approximately 2,071 krone in 2026.
You pay the fee when you file the claim. If you win the case, the opposing party can be ordered to pay the fee back to you.
The court fee is a fixed rate the state uses to calculate what various legal steps cost. Many fees are measured in court fee units. Once you know the rate, you can calculate the price yourself. The rate is adjusted each year.
How do you file a conciliation claim?
Follow these steps:
- Try to settle the matter yourself first. Send a written demand to the other party.
- Write a conciliation claim with the names of both parties, what you are claiming, and why.
- Send the claim to the conciliation board in the municipality where the other party lives.
- Pay the fee.
- Attend the hearing. You can attend alone.
You can find forms and addresses at domstol.no.
What does a conciliation board judgment mean?
A conciliation board judgment is a decision that applies in the same way as a regular judgment. If you cannot agree, the conciliation board can determine the outcome itself.
The conciliation board can issue a judgment in money claims, especially when the claim does not exceed 200,000 krone, or when both parties want a judgment (Civil Disputes Act § 6-10). You can use a judgment to collect the money.
If the other party does not appear, you can get a default judgment in your favor. This makes many cases settled quickly.
If you disagree with the judgment, you can take the case to the district court within one month. Treatment starts over there.
What is small claims procedure in the district court?
Small claims procedure is a simple and inexpensive lawsuit for small claims. It takes place in the district court, which is the court above the conciliation board.
If the dispute is under 250,000 krone, it is handled as a small claims procedure. The threshold was raised from 125,000 to 250,000 krone. The rules are in the Civil Disputes Act.
The advantages are:
- Fast processing. The judgment should come within three months, often a week after the hearing.
- Low costs. The losing party usually pays a maximum of 20 percent of the claim, up to 50,000 krone.
- Simple. Parties often conduct the case themselves, without a lawyer.
The courts are an important part of the rule of law in Norway, and they must be open to ordinary people as well.
When can you go directly to the bailiff?
If you have a clear money claim that the other party does not dispute, you can go directly to the bailiff. The bailiff helps collect money, for example by seizing (levying) what the other party owns.
This route is suitable for claims that no one disputes, such as an unpaid invoice. If the other party disputes the claim, the case must instead go to the conciliation board first.
In short, there are three levels in a money dispute. If the claim is undisputed, you can go to the bailiff. If you disagree, you start at the conciliation board. If that doesn't work, the case goes to the district court, often as a small claims procedure. You can thus resolve most disputes cheaply and on your own.
Do you need a lawyer to settle the dispute?
No, you usually do not need a lawyer. Both the conciliation board and small claims procedure are designed so ordinary people can manage on their own. It keeps claims and costs low.
If you need help in a consumer case, the Consumer Authority and the Consumer Council provide free advice. The Consumer Complaints Board can hear certain cases without it costing you anything. This help is free because your rights should not depend on how much money you have.
In other words, you have a system built for you to stand up for yourself, with low risk and low costs.
On SamfunnPrep we explain how such schemes work in practice, in simple language. This also applies to topics like rental contracts and housing, where disagreements are common.
The court system is part of the curriculum for the citizenship test — practice free on SamfunnPrep.
