# Nowhere to sleep: temporary accommodation from Nav

Have nowhere to sleep for the next 24 hours? Learn how to ask Nav for temporary accommodation, clarify costs and needs, and complain about a refusal in Norway.

Canonical: https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/nav-midlertidig-botilbud
Language: en
Publisher: SamfunnPrep
Author: Hlib Suslov
Published: 2026-10-07T19:16:03.846+00:00
Modified: 2026-10-09T11:24:09.010299+00:00
AI use policy: https://samfunnprep.no/ai-policy.txt

## Key takeaways

- Ask for an assessment for the next 24 hours Contact Nav where you are and explain when you will have nowhere to stay and what needs you have.
- Clarify both accommodation and payment If you cannot pay, ask Nav to assess financial social assistance as well as finding a suitable place.
- Residence and ties affect your rights Nav must assess your situation and any special rules, so being in the municipality alone does not give you full rights.

You can ask Nav for temporary accommodation if you have nowhere to sleep and stay for the next 24 hours. Contact the office where you are and explain the urgency. Nav assesses your rights and needs. Finding a place and helping you pay are separate questions.

## What should you do if you have nowhere to sleep tonight?

Contact your local Nav office or the office where you are staying. Clearly say that you are applying for temporary accommodation for the next 24 hours.

Nav is Norway’s labour and welfare administration. The local office provides municipal social services. Temporary accommodation addresses an urgent situation. For example, you may have lost your home after a fire or a relationship breakdown. [Nav explains the help available if you have no home](https://www.nav.no/ikke-bolig).

The rules in this guide were checked on 7 October 2026. The municipality’s duty to find accommodation is set out in [section 27 of the Social Services Act (sosialtjenesteloven) on Lovdata, which publishes Norwegian laws](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2009-12-18-131). Separate rules limit the rights of some foreign nationals. These are explained below.

Start with these steps:

1. Find the Nav office where you are and check its opening hours.
2. Explain where you can stay tonight and when that option ends.
3. Say whether you have children or needs that the accommodation must meet.
4. Ask for an assessment of accommodation and payment if you have no money.

The application must be assessed on the day it is received. Nav must limit the information needed to your specific situation. See [the current circular, point 4.27.1.1](https://lovdata.no/nav/rundskriv/r35-00).

If you are new to Norway, SamfunnPrep has a [checklist for your first week](https://samfunnprep.no/en/verktoy/forste-uke) with other practical tasks.

## Can you get help if you are staying with friends or family?

Yes, a temporary stay with others can also give you a right to help. Tell Nav how long you can stay and why the arrangement cannot continue.

You do not have to try to find accommodation on your own first. The circular makes this clear in [point 4.27.2.1](https://lovdata.no/nav/rundskriv/r35-00). Describe your situation clearly. “I can sleep on the sofa tonight, but I have to leave tomorrow” gives useful information about when your need starts.

## Which rules apply if you have moved to Norway?

Nav must assess your ties to Norway and the basis for your stay. Citizenship or being in the municipality alone does not give you full rights.

**Habitual residence (fast bopel)** means ties to Norway, rather than having a home. A person without housing can also have habitual residence. See [point 1.2.1.1 of the circular](https://lovdata.no/nav/rundskriv/r35-00).

For citizens of **EØS, the European Economic Area (Det europeiske økonomiske samarbeidsområdet)**, work and previous work can matter. A worker with lawful residence generally has full rights. Under certain conditions, you can retain worker status after your job ends. An old registration certificate alone does not show your current status. Nav explains the assessment in [the guide for EØS citizens, revised in June 2025](https://www.nav.no/_/attachment/inline/80563c44-286a-42e1-8ec9-91db6d550fd5:8fa28628323c77df2b26ca2414da9575fc6157bd/Veileder%20for%20Nav-kontoret%20ved%20vurdering%20av%20lovlig%20opphold%20for%20E%C3%98S-borgere%20juni%202025.pdf).

Other situations have separate limits:

| Situation | What Nav must assess |
| --- | --- |
| A short visit or a new jobseeker without habitual residence | Rights may be limited. Help can be provided if you cannot support yourself, until assistance from your home country can be expected. |
| A stay without a lawful basis | You have a right to advice and guidance. Short-term emergency help requires, among other things, that you cannot support yourself and cannot obtain state accommodation either. |
| State accommodation or settlement as a refugee | The reception-centre offer and the settlement municipality’s responsibility can affect which municipality must help. |

The table simplifies the [Regulations on social services for persons without habitual residence in Norway (Forskrift om sosiale tjenester for personer uten fast bopel i Norge)](https://lovdata.no/nav/forskrift/2011-12-16-1251). There are exceptions and special rules. With unlawful residence, help is provided until you could, in practice, have left the country. Nav can require you to assist with your departure. Missing identity documents alone do not mean that your stay is unlawful.

## What should you tell and show Nav?

Explain your need for the next 24 hours first. Bring the documents you have and say what you are missing.

For example, you can say: “I have nowhere to stay from tonight. I have one child with me and cannot pay for accommodation.” Also explain any health needs, difficulty with stairs or other factors affecting which place is suitable.

Nav can ask for evidence of lawful residence. Employment contracts and payslips can be relevant for EØS citizens. These are examples, not a fixed list that everyone must provide. [The EØS guide explains relevant documents](https://www.nav.no/_/attachment/inline/80563c44-286a-42e1-8ec9-91db6d550fd5:8fa28628323c77df2b26ca2414da9575fc6157bd/Veileder%20for%20Nav-kontoret%20ved%20vurdering%20av%20lovlig%20opphold%20for%20E%C3%98S-borgere%20juni%202025.pdf).

Ask for an interpreter if you need one for the conversation. State the language. Nav says that you may have a right to an interpreter in conversations on its [contact page](https://www.nav.no/kontaktoss).

## Who pays for the accommodation?

An offer is not automatically free. If you cannot pay, ask Nav to assess financial social assistance for the cost.

Clarify both where you should go and how payment will be arranged. [Nav distinguishes accommodation from financial help](https://www.nav.no/midlertidig-botilbud). SamfunnPrep also has a separate overview of [financial social assistance from Nav](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/okonomisk-sosialhjelp-nav).

## What standard must the accommodation meet?

The accommodation must be adequate and meet your needs. Nav must assess the place for you, as explained in [the national information about accommodation](https://www.nav.no/midlertidig-botilbud).

You must normally have access to a bathroom, toilet, cooking and laundry facilities, as well as privacy and visits. The requirements are also described in [the minister’s answer about accommodation in 2020](https://www.stortinget.no/no/Saker-og-publikasjoner/Sporsmal/Skriftlige-sporsmal-og-svar/Skriftlig-sporsmal/?qnid=62680). The place does not meet the requirements if you are excluded from your own room for much of the day.

For families with children and young people, these stays must be exceptional and never last more than three months. The circular sets stricter requirements, including quiet for schoolwork. Generally, stays over three months should be exceptional. This gives no right to three months of accommodation. See [points 4.27.2.2–4.27.2.3](https://lovdata.no/nav/rundskriv/r35-00).

## What should you do if the Nav office is closed?

Check the municipality’s website for help outside opening hours. Arrangements vary locally, so you need to find the contact for the municipality where you are.

In Oslo, the municipality says to contact Nav, and legevakt (the out-of-hours medical service) after working hours. This is [Oslo municipality’s arrangement](https://www.oslo.kommune.no/bolig-og-sosiale-tjenester/bolig/midlertidig-botilbud-dognovernatting/). It is not a national rule to contact legevakt about housing problems. Nav’s usual contact phone is also not a round-the-clock accommodation service.

## How do you get a decision and complain about a refusal?

Ask for a decision explaining the outcome. An individual administrative decision is normally written, but the law allows an exception if this would be particularly burdensome for practical reasons.

The rules on written decisions and reasons are in [sections 23–25 of the Public Administration Act (forvaltningsloven)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1967-02-10). Ask for an explanation if you do not understand why you were refused.

The usual complaint deadline is **three weeks from receiving notification of the decision**, rather than the date on the letter. Send your complaint to the Nav office that dealt with your application. State which decision you are complaining about, what you want changed and why. Ask for help writing the complaint. See [Nav’s complaint rights](https://www.nav.no/klagerettigheter) and [section 29 of the Public Administration Act (forvaltningsloven)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1967-02-10).

If Nav does not change the decision, the case goes to **Statsforvalteren**, the state’s regional complaints body for these cases. Also explain your current need for accommodation. Nav must attend to your need for help while the complaint is being processed, under [point 5.47 of the circular](https://lovdata.no/nav/rundskriv/r35-00).

## What happens after the first night?

Ask for a conversation about more stable housing. Nav can help with finding housing and applying for municipal housing, as described on [the page about having no home](https://www.nav.no/ikke-bolig).

Clarify the next contact and how long the current offer lasts. A temporary place does not mean that you have received a municipal flat. SamfunnPrep also explains [applying for municipal housing](https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/kommunal-bolig-sosialt-boligtilbud) as a separate next step.

## FAQ

### Must I sleep outdoors before asking Nav for help?

No. You can also get help when staying temporarily with friends or family. Explain how long you can stay. Nav assesses your situation and the rights you have.

### Is temporary accommodation free?

Not automatically. Finding a place and paying are separate questions. If you cannot pay, ask Nav to assess financial social assistance for the accommodation.

### Can I get help if I have recently arrived in Norway?

Ask Nav to assess your case. Lawful residence, ties to Norway, work and special rules can affect your rights. Visitors and some jobseekers may have limited rights. Help in emergencies has separate conditions.

### What should I do if the Nav office is closed?

Check the municipality’s website for local help outside opening hours. In Oslo, the municipality says you can contact legevakt (the out-of-hours medical service) after working hours. This is an Oslo arrangement, not a national accommodation service.

### How long do I have to complain about a refusal?

The usual deadline is three weeks from receiving notification of the decision. Send your complaint to the Nav office that handled the application. Ask for help writing it and explain your current need for accommodation.

## Sources

- [Midlertidig botilbud (nødssituasjon)](https://www.nav.no/midlertidig-botilbud)
- [Har ikke et sted å bo](https://www.nav.no/ikke-bolig)
- [Lov om sosiale tjenester i arbeids- og velferdsforvaltningen (LOV-2009-12-18-131)](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2009-12-18-131)
- [Rundskriv til sosialtjenesteloven R35-00](https://lovdata.no/nav/rundskriv/r35-00)
- [Forskrift om sosiale tjenester for personer uten fast bopel i Norge (FOR-2011-12-16-1251, sist endret FOR-2025-03-07-381)](https://lovdata.no/nav/forskrift/2011-12-16-1251)
- [Veileder for Nav-kontoret ved vurdering av lovlig opphold for EØS-borgere, revidert juni2025](https://www.nav.no/_/attachment/inline/80563c44-286a-42e1-8ec9-91db6d550fd5:8fa28628323c77df2b26ca2414da9575fc6157bd/Veileder%20for%20Nav-kontoret%20ved%20vurdering%20av%20lovlig%20opphold%20for%20E%C3%98S-borgere%20juni%202025.pdf)
- [Midlertidig botilbud – døgnovernatting (Oslo kommune)](https://www.oslo.kommune.no/bolig-og-sosiale-tjenester/bolig/midlertidig-botilbud-dognovernatting/)
- [Forvaltningsloven (LOV-1967-02-10), §§23–25 og29](https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1967-02-10)
- [Klagerettigheter](https://www.nav.no/klagerettigheter)
- [Kontakt oss](https://www.nav.no/kontaktoss)
- [Skriftlig spørsmål om midlertidig botilbud, svar fra arbeids- og sosialministeren](https://www.stortinget.no/no/Saker-og-publikasjoner/Sporsmal/Skriftlige-sporsmal-og-svar/Skriftlig-sporsmal/?qnid=62680)

Citation: Hlib Suslov, "Nowhere to sleep: temporary accommodation from Nav", SamfunnPrep, 2026-10-07T19:16:03.846+00:00, https://samfunnprep.no/en/articles/nav-midlertidig-botilbud