Child maintenance
Article | Last updated: 09/02/2021 | Ministry of Children and Families
Parents have a duty to pay for their children irrespective of whether or not they live with them.
Child maintenance is payable by the parent who does not live with his/her child.
Both parents are obliged to pay the costs of the child's upbringing and education according to their financial ability.
The rules governing the determination of and changes to child maintenance are stated in Chapter 8 of the Children Act.
Regulations governing the determination of and changes to child maintenance are administered by the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV).
Both parents are obliged to pay the costs of the child's upbringing and education according to their financial ability. The parents are obliged to pay for their child irrespective of whether or not they live with him or her. If the parents do not live together, the parent who does not live with the child must pay monthly child maintenance to the child. The duty to pay child maintenance normally lasts until the end of the month when the child has his/her 18th birthday. If the child attends upper secondary school, the parent may also be ordered to pay child maintenance after the child reaches the age of 18 years.
Child maintenance is basically a private-law concern and parents can agree on and pay it without the authorities being involved. If the parents do not agree on the child maintenance, either of them can ask the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) to determine this. In cases where the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) determines or changes the child maintenance, each of the parties must basically pay a fee equal to one court fee, which is currently NOK 1 130 (determined in 2018).
The Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) bases its determination of the child maintenance on what it costs to rear a child (the rearing cost). The rearing cost is to be divided between the parents according to their incomes and the parent who is best off financially is to pay for a larger share of the costs of having the child. In addition, the ability to contribute of the parent who is obliged to pay and this person's contact with the child are to be taken into account.
The regulations governing the determination of and changes to child maintenance are administered by the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV). For information and guidance, see: nav.no.