A missed appointment fee may be charged if you miss a hospital appointment without giving notice at least 24 hours beforehand. Frikort does not cover the fee. Agreed phone and video appointments have an exception. Cancel through the correct channel and keep the confirmation.
How much can a missed appointment fee be?
As of 4 October 2026, Helsenorge states a fee of NOK 1,993 for failing to attend without timely notice. For outpatient psychiatric care and addiction treatment, the fee cannot exceed NOK 443.
An outpatient clinic treats you without admitting you to hospital. Helsenorge is the public health portal. Helfo, the agency that administers frikort among other tasks, supplied the information on payment at hospitals and outpatient clinics.
| Agreed consultation | Missed appointment fee as of 4 October 2026 | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| In-person outpatient appointment, main rule | NOK 1,993 | For non-attendance without notice at least 24 hours beforehand |
| In-person outpatient psychiatric care or addiction treatment | Maximum NOK 443 | Separate lower limit |
| Agreed phone or video consultation | The fee cannot be charged | Applies to this missed appointment fee |
This is not a price list for all GPs, dentists or entirely private clinics. Check the rules with the service concerned. SamfunnPrep's guide to frikort and patient copayments explains ordinary payment when you actually receive healthcare.
How do you cancel correctly?
Use the contact method given in your appointment letter and give notice no later than 24 hours before the appointment. Check that you are cancelling the correct appointment.
Read the date, time, department and location. A hospital may have several appointments for you on the same day. Cancelling an examination in one department does not necessarily cancel another appointment.
On Helsenorge, you can open an individual appointment and see options for changing or cancelling it. What is available depends on the hospital or municipality. Not every appointment can therefore be managed digitally in the same way, according to the appointment guidance.
If you cannot find a cancellation option, use the contact information in the appointment letter. Do not assume a message to your GP is also sent to the hospital department. Your GP and the hospital are separate points of contact.
What should a cancellation contain?
Identify the appointment you are cancelling and ask for confirmation. If you still need treatment, also say you want to clarify a new appointment.
Follow the treatment provider's rules for identification and secure communication. A short message could be:
“I cannot attend the appointment at [department] on [date] at [time]. I wish to cancel and request confirmation. I still need follow-up and would like information about a new appointment.”
This is a suggested message, not a cancellation channel. Send it only through a contact method accepted by the department. A message in the wrong inbox may make it difficult to document that the department received notice.
Keep:
- the cancellation confirmation
- the date and time when you gave notice
- the channel you used
- the department's name
- any information about a new appointment
After a phone call, you can write your own note. Record when you called and what was agreed. Ask for written confirmation when possible.
How do you calculate the 24-hour deadline?
Count backwards from the appointment time. The deadline is expressed in hours, so giving notice the day before may still be too late.
A simple calculation example: If your appointment is on Tuesday at 10:00, 24 hours earlier is Monday at 10:00. Notice on Monday evening is later than this. The example illustrates calculating time, not a separate local rule.
Cancel earlier when you know you cannot attend. Check the contact method well in advance if the deadline falls outside the department's telephone hours. Do not wait for an SMS reminder to check the appointment letter.
If the time in the letter is unclear or the appointment has recently changed, contact the department. Ask for confirmation of the correct time. Keep both the old and new message in case of an invoice dispute.
What if you become ill on the same day?
Notify the department as quickly as possible and explain the situation. This guide does not promise that illness automatically exempts you from the fee.
Ask what the department needs to assess the case. Also request guidance about a new appointment if treatment is still necessary. You should not simply fail to attend because you assume the hospital does not want ill patients.
If the appointment concerns a child or you are helping someone else, clarify who can change it. Access and authorisation on Helsenorge have their own conditions. The guide to Helsenorge and digital health services explains the service.
How do you check an invoice?
Check which appointment and payment the invoice concerns. Distinguish between a missed appointment fee, an ordinary patient copayment and other costs.
Frikort applies to approved patient copayments. A missed appointment fee does not count towards earning it, and frikort does not remove this fee. An invoice is therefore not necessarily wrong merely because you have frikort.
In particular, check whether the appointment was in person, by phone or by video. The fee discussed here cannot be charged for missing an agreed phone or video consultation. The ordinary patient copayment for a completed consultation is a separate matter.
What do you write if the fee seems wrong?
Contact the treatment provider or billing office and ask for a specific explanation. Refer to verifiable information, such as a cancellation confirmation or the agreed consultation format.
You could write: “I request a new assessment of invoice [number]. I gave notice on [date and time] through [channel]. The confirmation is attached. Please explain the basis for the fee and how to handle the invoice while you assess the case.”
Do not leave the invoice unanswered. Follow up through the channel given by the treatment provider. Pasient- og brukerombudet can provide free advice about patient rights, but does not decide the invoice itself.
SamfunnPrep explains practical healthcare arrangements in simple words. The tools overview also has resources for other steps in life in Norway.
