Registering a change of address within Norway is free. You update your new address in the National Population Register (Folkeregisteret) at skatteetaten.no using ID-porten, and the deadline is at most 8 days after you have moved. Posten's “mail forwarding” (ettersending) is an entirely separate, optional paid service that simply redirects your mail — it does not update Folkeregisteret.
Two processes people confuse
“Registering a move” sounds like one thing, but it is actually two different processes:
- Moving to Norway from abroad. The first time you register as a resident, you must appear in person at a designated tax office for identity verification. You bring a valid passport and documentation of your basis for residence. You will then be registered in Folkeregisteret and receive a national identity number (fødselsnummer) or a D-number (d-nummer). This cannot be done online.
- Moving within Norway. Once you are already registered and are simply changing address within the country, you notify the new address digitally. You do not need to appear anywhere in person.
The rest of this article covers the second situation — a regular domestic move. If you are brand new to the country, see Your first week in Norway and the difference between national identity numbers and D-numbers.
Change-of-address notification within Norway: free and online
When you move to a new residential address in Norway, you must notify Folkeregisteret. This is called a moving notification (flyttemelding), and it is free.
- You register the move at skatteetaten.no and log in with ID-porten (MinID, BankID or similar).
- Deadline: you may notify at the earliest 31 days before and at the latest 8 days after you have moved.
- Most notifications are processed automatically. Some require manual case handling and take a little longer.
You can also register the move for free at posten.no. Both services forward the notification to Folkeregisteret, and you pay nothing for the moving notification itself. You need a national identity number or D-number and an electronic ID to log in.
Who must notify — and who can choose
The main rule is simple: everyone who moves to a new residential address in Norway must notify within 8 days. Parents notify on behalf of children who move with them.
There are some exceptions:
- Students can choose whether to change their registered address to their place of study or keep the address at their parents’ home. If you want to remain registered at your childhood home but receive mail at your student accommodation, you register a postal address instead of a full change-of-address notification. You do not need to change your registered address to qualify for “away student” status with Lånekassen.
- Commuters who live away during the week but have their home elsewhere have specific rules for what counts as a residential address.
Your address in Folkeregisteret governs a great deal: which municipality you belong to, your GP, where you vote in elections, your taxes — and whether emergency services can find you if something happens. That is why it pays to have the correct address registered at all times.
The most common trap: paid and fake websites
Skatteetaten regularly warns: you should never pay to register a change of address. Yet commercial websites and adverts continue to appear that charge you to “register your move” for you — and may look almost identical to the official pages.
The problem is twofold:
- You pay for something that is free of charge in the first place.
- Skatteetaten finds that such operators do not always forward the address to Folkeregisteret. You then remain incorrectly registered, even though you have paid.
“The safest approach is to register your change of address for free at skatteetaten.no or posten.no,” Skatteetaten summarises. Always verify that you are actually on skatteetaten.no or posten.no before logging in with ID-porten, and be sceptical of adverts that promise to “handle your move” for a fee.
Posten “ettersending”: what it actually does
Posten’s mail forwarding (ettersending) and address change (adresseendring) are not the same as a change-of-address notification. They redirect your mail — not your official registration.
- A permanent address change with Posten is free and forwards your mail to the new address for up to twelve months.
- Temporary mail forwarding (midlertidig ettersending) is a paid service for when you are away for a period and will be returning. As of 2026 it costs 300 kr for up to 60 days domestically, then 150 kr per month. For abroad the price is 400 kr, then 200 kr per month.
The most important thing to understand: none of Posten’s services update Folkeregisteret. With Posten your permanent address remains unchanged in their own register. Forwarding simply ensures that letters and parcels reach you at another location. If you want to be correctly registered as a resident, you must still submit the free change-of-address notification to Folkeregisteret. Many people pay for mail forwarding in addition, because they want their post at the new address straight away — but it never replaces the moving notification itself.
What happens if you do not register the move
Having the correct address in Folkeregisteret is not optional once you have actually moved. If you fail to notify, you may remain registered at your old address, which has practical consequences:
- You may end up in the wrong tax municipality and have tax and fee correspondence sent to the wrong place.
- Important letters from NAV, Skatteetaten, the municipality or your GP may go astray.
- You may be listed on the electoral roll in the wrong municipality before an election, meaning you would have to vote somewhere other than where you live.
- Access to certain municipal services and the correct GP is tied to your registered address.
In addition to the practical inconveniences, you have a legal obligation under the population register legislation to report your correct residential address. It only takes a few minutes to do it right from the start, so it is worth submitting the change-of-address notification as soon as you have moved — and in any case within the 8-day deadline.
How to do it correctly — quick checklist
In brief, the difference looks like this:
| Change-of-address notification | Posten mail forwarding | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Changes your official residential address | Redirects your mail |
| Cost | Free | Permanent: free · temporary: paid |
| Where | skatteetaten.no / posten.no | posten.no |
| Deadline | Within 8 days of moving | Whenever you wish |
| Updates Folkeregisteret? | Yes | No |
Checklist when moving within Norway:
- Register the move free of charge at skatteetaten.no (or posten.no) within 8 days.
- Log in with ID-porten — do not pay anyone to do it for you.
- Renting a new home? Read about rental agreements in Norway 2026 before you sign.
- Check that your GP, NAV, bank and insurer have your new address once the notification is registered.
The correct address in Folkeregisteret is free, takes just a few minutes, and ensures you receive your post, your voting rights, and the services you are entitled to.
