Reduced parental payment: cheaper daycare 2026

Maximum fee for daycare is 1,200 kroner in 2026. With a low income, you can get reduced parental payment, free core hours or sibling discount.

Hlib SuslovPublished:July 16, 2026Last updated:July 17, 20264 min read

Important. This article gives general information, not individual advice. Always check your specific case with the responsible authority before acting.

See the official source: nav.no

Reduced parental payment means families with low income pay less for daycare. The maximum fee is 1,200 kroner per month in 2026. If your household earns little, you can get a lower price, free core hours or a free place. However, you must apply to your municipality yourself each daycare year.

What is reduced parental payment in daycare?

Reduced parental payment means that no one should pay more than 6 percent of household income for one daycare place. The maximum fee is always the upper limit. The scheme applies to both public and private daycare.

A standard full-time place costs a maximum of 1,200 kroner per month in 2026. This maximum fee has remained unchanged since August 1, 2025 and stays at the same level in 2026. The price is the same in most of the country, but in some places it is lower:

In the least central municipalities (centrality zone 5 and 6), the maximum fee is 700 kroner per month.
In the support zone in Finnmark and Nord-Troms, daycare is free.

The maximum fee applies to the place itself. Food (meal costs) is in addition and is not part of the maximum fee. In many municipalities, meal costs are 300–400 kroner per month. If you want to know how to get a place, you can read the guide on daycare admission and prices in Norway.

How low must the income be?

The rule on reduced parental payment applies when 6 percent of annual income becomes lower than the maximum fee. Because the maximum fee is now so low, this only applies to households that earn less than 220,000 kroner per year.

The limit is based on combined personal and capital income before tax for all adults in the household. If there are two adults, both incomes are counted. The municipality retrieves the figures automatically from the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten). The calculation uses the income from the previous year. For the daycare year 2025/2026, it is the income in 2024.

Here is an example: if the household earns 180,000 kroner per year, the payment becomes 6 percent of this divided by 11 months. This gives approximately 982 kroner per month instead of 1,200 kroner. Daycare requires payment for 11 months — July is free.

If your income changes significantly during the year, you can apply again immediately. You do not have to wait until a new daycare year.

Many websites state a much higher income limit. This information is outdated. As the maximum fee was significantly reduced in recent years, the income limit for reduced parental payment also fell. If your income is above 220,000 kroner, you pay the full maximum fee. However, free core hours and sibling discount can help you instead. The same type of scheme exists for school-based childcare (SFO/AKS), see the guide on SFO and AKS with free hours and reduced payment.

Who is entitled to free core hours?

All 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds in low-income families are entitled to 20 hours of free stay in daycare each week. The same applies to children with deferred school start.

From August 1, 2026, the income limit for free core hours is 692,465 kroner. For the previous daycare year (from August 1, 2025), the limit was 669,050 kroner. The limit is therefore much higher than for reduced parental payment. This means many more families are entitled to free core hours than to the 6 percent discount.

The scheme applies to children aged 2–5 years, plus children with deferred school start.
20 hours per week are free. If the child uses more time, you only pay for the hours over 20.
You can get free core hours even if you are not entitled to reduced parental payment.
Free core hours is a separate scheme. You must apply for it in addition.

Sibling discount: reduced payment for second and third child

If you have more than one child in daycare at the same time, you get a sibling discount. You pay at least 30 percent less for the second child, and daycare is free from the third child onwards.

The discount applies even if the children attend different daycare centers, as long as they are in the same municipality. Sibling discount is in addition to reduced parental payment and free core hours. You can therefore have rights to multiple schemes at the same time. On SamfunnPrep you will find guides about daycare and family finances that explain how the schemes fit together.

Scheme	Who it applies to	Income limit (2026)
Reduced parental payment	All children in the household	Less than 220,000 kroner
Free core hours (20 hours/week)	2–5-year-olds and deferred school start	Less than 692,465 kroner
Sibling discount	Second child and onwards	No income limit

How to apply for cheaper daycare

You apply for reduced parental payment and free core hours to the municipality where the child lives. Nothing happens automatically the first year — you must submit your application yourself.

Find the application form on your municipality's website.
The municipality retrieves your income automatically from the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten). If your income has fallen significantly this year, for example because you lost your job, you can attach documentation such as your latest tax return or payslip.
You receive a decision for one daycare year at a time.
You must apply again each daycare year. Some municipalities create a new application for you automatically, but many do not. Always check yourself.

This is the most common mistake: many people think the discount renews itself and miss out on money. Apply in good time before each new daycare year. If you disagree with the municipality's decision, you can appeal. The deadline is stated in the decision letter, usually three weeks.

If the family has a low income, there are several other schemes to look at. You may be entitled to housing allowance from the State Housing Bank, cash benefit if the child does not have a daycare place, or financial assistance from NAV as a last resort.

Rules about daycare, discount schemes and support from NAV are part of what you learn in the introductory programme and appear on the Norwegian Society Test. On SamfunnPrep you can practice free on such topics. If you are new to the country, the checklist for your first week in Norway helps you get quickly started with daycare, the population register and NAV.

Sources

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much does daycare cost in 2026?

The maximum fee for a full-time place is 1,200 kroner per month in 2026. In the least central municipalities it is 700 kroner, and in the support zone in Finnmark and Nord-Troms, daycare is free. Food (meal costs) is in addition.

How low must the income be for reduced parental payment?

For the daycare year 2025/2026, the household must earn less than 220,000 kroner per year. Then you pay a maximum of 6 percent of income for one place. The municipality retrieves the income automatically from the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten).

What is the income limit for free core hours?

From August 1, 2026, the limit is 692,465 kroner. Then 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds are entitled to 20 hours free in daycare each week, regardless of whether the family is entitled to reduced parental payment.

Must I apply for reduced parental payment every year?

Yes. You receive a decision for one daycare year at a time and must apply to your municipality again each year. Some municipalities renew the application automatically, but many do not — always check yourself.

Can I get sibling discount and free core hours at the same time?

Yes. Sibling discount, free core hours and reduced parental payment are three different schemes. You can have rights to several of them at the same time, but you must apply for each one.

Where do I apply for cheaper daycare?

You apply to the municipality where the child lives, often on the municipality's website. If your income has fallen this year, you can attach documentation such as your latest tax return or payslip.