Pension in Norway: the state pension, AFP and workplace pension
By Kalkulatorbanken · Last updated
Figures and rules are for 2026 and checked against the sources at the bottom of the page. Norwegian version of this guide.
Norwegian retirement pension has three parts: the state pension from the National Insurance Scheme (alderspensjon from folketrygden), pensions through your employer (the mandatory workplace pension, tjenestepensjon, and for many a contractual pension, AFP) and your own savings. Years you have lived or worked in Norway count towards the state pension, and you need at least 5 years of coverage to be entitled to any. A full state pension needs 40.
Prefer to run your own numbers? Open the Norway Pension Calculator.
In short
- The state pension for those born in 1963 or later is built from 18.1% of your pensionable income up to 7.1 times the average basic amount (G), every year until the year you turn 75.
- You can draw from 62 if your pension is high enough, and from 67 without conditions. The longer you wait, the higher the monthly amount.
- You need at least 5 years of national insurance coverage to be entitled to a pension, and 40 years for the full guarantee pension.
- Years in other EEA countries, and in some countries with a social security agreement, can be added to your Norwegian coverage period.
The three layers
- The state pension from the National Insurance Scheme, administered by NAV. It is lifelong and based on your income and your years of residence or work in Norway.
- Pensions through your employer. Employers must have a workplace pension scheme (tjenestepensjon), and the minimum contribution is 2% of pay up to 12G a year, where G is the National Insurance basic amount. Many pay more. Some sectors also have AFP, a contractual pension. Private-sector AFP is paid in addition to the state pension.
- Your own pension savings, for example in an individual pension account.
The pension calculator combines the layers in today's money. Amounts that depend on G use the basic amount, which you can look up in the basic amount (G) calculator.
How the state pension builds up
For people born in 1963 or later, each year 18.1% of your pensionable income, up to 7.1 times the average basic amount, is added to your pension balance. You accumulate from the first NOK you earn, and you can continue until the end of the year you turn 75. Unemployment benefit, sickness benefit, work assessment allowance and care benefit also count towards pension accrual. When you start drawing, the balance is spread over the life expectancy of your age cohort, which is why each cohort has to work a little longer than the one before for the same pension.
The guarantee pension
If you have limited or no accumulated rights you may get a guarantee pension, which is NOK 253,787 a year at the high rate and NOK 234,765 at the standard rate, from 1 May 2026, for someone with a full coverage period. The guarantee pension is reduced by 80% of your income pension, so an income pension always leaves you better off. Single people get the high rate. You need a national insurance period of at least 5 years to be entitled, and 40 years for the full guarantee pension. The period normally runs from the year you turn 16 to the year you turn 66, for the years you work or live in Norway.
If you came to Norway as an adult
The example below uses people born in 1985 who all draw at 67, in today's money before tax. The model counts the coverage years as the people's years in Norway.
Worked example
| Profile | Years of coverage | Income pension | Guarantee pension | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grew up in Norway, NOK 700,000 a year from 22 | 40 | NOK 29,094 | NOK 0 | NOK 29,094 |
| Arrived at 35, NOK 700,000 a year | 32 | NOK 20,694 | NOK 364 | NOK 21,058 |
| Grew up in Norway, NOK 350,000 a year from 22 | 40 | NOK 14,547 | NOK 9,511 | NOK 24,058 |
| Arrived at 45, NOK 350,000 a year | 22 | NOK 7,116 | NOK 5,939 | NOK 13,055 |
At NOK 700,000 a year the income pension is far above the guarantee level, so arriving at 35 mainly means fewer years of accrual: NOK 21,058 a month instead of NOK 29,094. At NOK 350,000 a year the guarantee pension matters, and a coverage period of 22 years reduces it. The monthly total is NOK 13,055 against NOK 24,058 for a full record.
What this means if you are new to Norway
- If you have lived or worked in an EEA state, those periods may be added to your coverage period in Norway. The same applies to some other countries with which Norway has social security agreements. Coverage of at least five years is rounded to the closest full year.
- Check whether you may also be entitled to a pension from another country. Apply early, because processing across borders takes longer: NAV gives 6 months as the expected time for an application from abroad.
- If you have lived in Norway fewer than 40 years and your pension is small, you may be entitled to a supplementary benefit that secures a minimum level of income. It depends on other income, pensions from other countries, wealth and whether you live alone.
- You can normally keep your retirement pension if you move abroad. In an EEA country you receive the same payment as if you lived in Norway. If you stay abroad for more than 12 months, check how it affects your membership of the National Insurance Scheme and your right to health services.
When to start drawing
You can draw from the month after your 67th birthday. If your accumulated rights are high enough you can start from 62, but the monthly amount is lower because it is spread over more years. You may draw 20, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100 percent, change the share later, and work at the same time without your pension being reduced. For people born after 1953 the pension increases if you continue to work.
| Starting age | Per month before tax | Allowed? |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | Not allowed: pension too low | No |
| 65 | NOK 25,279 | Yes |
| 67 | NOK 29,094 | Yes |
| 70 | NOK 36,404 | Yes |
Starting at 62 is not allowed in this case, because the accumulated pension would be below the level required for early withdrawal. Start at 70 instead of 67 and the monthly amount rises from NOK 29,094 to NOK 36,404. NAV says that for most people it is more beneficial to work longer, and that the retirement age is proposed to rise gradually in step with life expectancy.
AFP and tax on pensions
AFP in the private sector is paid in addition to the state pension. To draw only AFP you must first draw it together with at least a 20% partial state pension for at least one month. For public-sector AFP the rules differ by birth year, so ask your employer's scheme. Calculators for AFP exist only in Norwegian: the private AFP calculator (in Norwegian) and the public AFP calculator (in Norwegian).
Pensions are taxed, but the national insurance contribution on pension income is 5.1% instead of the 7.6% on salary. The income tax calculator and the net salary guide show how tax works. For contributions on pay, see the national insurance contribution calculator.
Calculate with your own numbers
Norway Pension Calculator uses the 2026 rates and shows the working step by step. It takes under a minute. You do not need to log in or have BankID, and what you type stays in your browser.
Estimate your Norwegian pension →