You are entitled to a payslip when you are paid or immediately afterwards. If you do not receive one, ask in writing for an itemised payslip for each missing period. At the same time, check the payment in your bank account and what your employer reported to Skatteetaten. Neither record replaces the payslip.
What are your rights when a payslip is missing?
Section 14-15 of the Working Environment Act requires a written statement at the time wages are paid or immediately afterwards. It must show how the pay was calculated, the basis for holiday pay and any deductions. Arbeidstilsynet says you should raise a missing payslip with your employer. The right also applies if you work part time, on a short contract or only occasional shifts.
A bank transfer labelled “salary” proves that you received money. It does not necessarily show gross pay, tax withheld, hours worked or the holiday pay basis. That is why you should ask for the itemised document itself. If you already have a payslip but do not understand the figures, use SamfunnPrep's explanation of gross pay, tax and net pay. This guide covers what to do when the document does not arrive.
What information should you ask the employer to show?
Request a payslip for each pay period that is missing. You need a clear breakdown, not just an annual income total. Check these fields in particular:
| Information | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Pay period and payment date | Shows which hours or days the payment covers. |
| Gross pay and any supplements | Lets you compare it with your contract and timesheets. |
| Advance tax withholding and other deductions | Shows why net pay is lower than gross pay. |
| Net payment | Should be comparable with the amount in your bank account. |
| Holiday pay basis | Helps you check the holiday pay you have earned. |
Payroll systems do not all look alike. A payslip may be called “lønnsspesifikasjon” or be stored in a digital employee portal. Ask where to find it, and request a readable copy if you cannot access the portal. A screen view that disappears when your job ends will be hard to use later. Save the document in a secure private place.
How to request missing payslips
Start with a short message to payroll or your line manager. List the missing pay periods. Say that you need an itemised statement under section 14-15 of the Working Environment Act. Also ask whether the digital portal has a problem or the payslips were sent to the wrong address. That may explain the missing documents even if the wages themselves are correct.
Subject: Missing payslip for [month/period]
Hello. I was paid on [date], but I have not received a payslip for [period]. Please send a written pay statement showing the calculation, holiday pay basis and deductions. I am also missing payslips for [other periods]. Could you send them through the agreed secure channel and confirm when I can expect them? Kind regards, [name].
Keep the message and any reply. If you have left the job, give the employer an address where they can reach you. Do not send a passport copy or BankID details in ordinary email. A former employer should be able to identify you using your name, employment period and a secure exchange. Workers' rights in Norway gives background on employment documentation.
How can you check your income while waiting?
Log in to Skatteetaten's “Mine inntekter og arbeidsforhold” service. There you can see what the employer reported in the monthly a-melding, which also goes to NAV and Statistics Norway. Compare the month, employer, income and tax withholding with your bank statements and contract. This service is useful for checking, but it does not generate an employer payslip.
Take care to distinguish gross and net: Skatteetaten may show income before tax, while your bank account shows the amount after tax and other lawful deductions. Different figures alone do not mean that someone reported the wrong amount. If income or tax was in fact reported incorrectly, Skatteetaten says you should first ask the employer who submitted the information to correct it.
If the employer has gone bankrupt or does not correct an incorrect tax withholding entry, Skatteetaten has separate guidance for the tax assessment. It says which documents to send in that situation, including your employment contract, bank statements and any payslips you do have. Do not invent a tax withholding amount in your tax return. Contact Skatteetaten if you lack evidence of what was withheld.
When is this more than a missing document?
Some workers receive the right amount in their account but no payslip. Others discover that hours or overtime have also gone unpaid. Separate these issues. A payslip is a statement; the bank transfer is the payment. If money is missing, you must also claim unpaid wages. How to claim unpaid wages explains that process.
Example: Amir worked 45 hours in September at 220 kroner per hour. He received 7 200 kroner in his account but no payslip. The agreed gross pay for those hours is 9 900 kroner, but the 2 700 kroner difference could be tax and other lawful deductions. Amir cannot tell from the bank statement alone. He asks for the payslip, compares Skatteetaten's reported information and checks any supplements. If the figures still differ, he asks for a written correction.
The opposite can happen too: the employer gives you a payslip showing pay, but no money reaches your account. The document is not proof that you were paid. Check your bank statement. If the wages are indeed missing, send a separate payment claim. This distinction can matter when you explain the case to a union, Skatteetaten or NAV.
What if the employer does not reply?
Send one clear reminder listing the missing periods. Ask for a written answer and keep evidence that you asked. Contact a workplace representative or trade union if you have one. Arbeidstilsynet can explain the duty to provide payslips and accepts reports of serious concerns. A report is not the same as the agency collecting a private wage claim for you.
Use this short checklist before taking further action:
- Note which pay periods have no supporting document.
- Save your contract, timesheets and bank statements.
- Ask the employer in writing for the payslips and a secure way to receive them.
- Check reported income in Skatteetaten's service.
- Separate missing documents from missing payment and incorrect reporting.
SamfunnPrep has tools to organise everyday life in Norway and further explanations of working life. Ask the employer for the payslip itself and Skatteetaten about reported tax. Sources checked on 2 October 2026: section 14-15 of the Working Environment Act, Arbeidstilsynet's pay guidance and Skatteetaten's pages on income records and incorrect tax withholding.
