To complain as a consumer in Norway, the main rule is simple: complain in writing to the company first, then go to the right complaint board. Some doors are free, others cost a small fee. Here you see which door applies, what it costs, and which deadline you must keep.
Complaining as a consumer: complain to the company first
The first step is always a written complaint to the company itself. If you skip this, the case will be rejected by the complaint board (Consumer Complaints Act §§ 9 and 14). At the same time, check what rights you have (reklamasjon and angrerett) before you send the claim.
The complaint system has three steps, and they are taken in order:
- 1. Complain to the company. Send an email or letter with a clear demand — repair, price reduction, cancellation, or compensation — and a response deadline. Forbrukerrådet provides free guidance and has ready-made complaint letter templates; they recommend a deadline of around 14 days.
- 2. Mediation or the right complaint board. If you get no, you send the case further to mediation with Forbrukertilsynet or to the complaint board that covers your issue.
- 3. forliksrådet or court. If the board does not resolve the matter, the case can go further to forliksrådet or the court.
Complaining as a consumer is designed so you can do it yourself, without a lawyer.
What does it cost to complain?
It depends on which door you use. The sector boards are free, while the general goods and craftsman services route costs a small fee.
Since 1 July 2024, Forbrukertilsynet and Forbrukerklageutvalget (FKU) charge a case handling fee. In 2026, mediation with Forbrukertilsynet costs 269 kroner (0.2 R) and Forbrukerklageutvalget costs 1 345 kroner (1 R, that is one court fee). You must have tried mediation first; the case cannot go straight to Forbrukerklageutvalget (Consumer Complaints Act § 13). You pay the fee even if the case is rejected or you lose — it is not refunded. If you win at FKU, you can demand the fee back from the other party.
Many guides still write "free mediation". That is not correct after 1 July 2024.
By comparison, forliksrådet costs 2 071 kroner (1.54 R) in 2026. If there is a free sector board for your issue, it is almost always the cheapest route.
Which complaint board applies to your issue?
There is a separate complaint board for most industries, and almost all of them are free for you. The table shows the right door for each issue (figures apply to 2026):
| Type of issue | Right complaint body | Does it cost? | Binding for the company? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods and craftsman services | Mediation with Forbrukertilsynet, then Forbrukerklageutvalget | 269 kr / 1 345 kr | FKU decision becomes a binding court ruling |
| Bank, insurance and debt collection | Finansklagenemnda | Free | Advisory, followed in over 95% of cases |
| Electricity and network charges | Elklagenemnda | Free | Advisory |
| Mobile, internet and TV | Brukerklagenemnda | Free | Advisory |
| Package holiday | Pakkereisenemnda | Free | Advisory |
| Flight, train and bus | Transportklagenemnda | Free | Advisory |
| Private parking | Parkeringsklagenemnda | Free | Binding court ruling after 4 weeks |
| Purchase from another EEA country | Forbruker Europa | Free | Mediation, voluntary |
Brukerklagenemnda stands here for Brukerklagenemnda for Electronic Communications. For disputes with a landlord there is Husleietvistutvalget, and for the purchase of a new home there is Boligtvistnemnda — separate bodies with the same logic. All boards require that you have complained to the company first.
If you are affected by fraud and want money back from the bank, Finansklagenemnda is the right door. If the case is about delayed or cancelled flight, it goes to Transportklagenemnda. Note that Transportklagenemnda covers flights, trains and buses — but not taxis. On SamfunnPrep we collect such overviews of rights in everyday life.
Is the decision binding?
Two bodies give decisions that become a binding court ruling: Forbrukerklageutvalget and Parkeringsklagenemnda. The other boards give advisory opinions.
A decision from Forbrukerklageutvalget becomes a binding court ruling if no one brings the case to court within one month (Consumer Complaints Act §§ 17 and 22). Then the claim can be enforced through the bailiff's office, like a normal ruling. A decision from Parkeringsklagenemnda becomes binding in the same way after four weeks.
There is no lower amount limit at Forbrukerklageutvalget. The government proposed a limit of 5 000 kroner in 2023, but dropped it — even small cases are taken.
The other boards, such as Finansklagenemnda, Elklagenemnda and Transportklagenemnda, give advisory opinions. Companies follow them anyway almost always — Finansklagenemnda reports over 95 percent.
How long does it take?
Count on several months. Mediation with Forbrukertilsynet often takes several months, while Forbrukerklageutvalget uses around 11–13 months. Parkeringsklagenemnda normally uses about four months.
The deadlines in your case run meanwhile. The reklamasjon deadline is two years generally and five years for goods that are supposed to last significantly longer. Therefore send the reklamasjon to the seller in time, even if the board case drags out.
Did you buy from an online shop abroad?
If you bought from a seller in another EU/EEA country, you complain to Forbruker Europa (ECC Norway). It is free.
Forbruker Europa provides advice and tries to mediate in cross-border cases. They handle the complaint in Norwegian, and a case normally takes up to 90 days. Mediation is voluntary for both parties, but Forbruker Europa helps you find the right body if the seller does not want to cooperate.
The EU's old ODR platform is shut down — it closed on 20 July 2025. Older Norwegian articles still link to it. Do not use it; use Forbruker Europa.
Complaint about public decisions is a different route
Complaint about a public decision — from NAV, UDI or the municipality — follows a different route. It goes under the Public Administration Act, not through these consumer boards.
Many of these rules are part of the civic knowledge on the civic knowledge test. On SamfunnPrep you can practice for free, and the tools on SamfunnPrep help you navigate your rights in Norway.
