The Norwegian state pension, explained
Alderspensjon has two parts: inntektspensjon, built from pension credits accrued into a notional account and divided by a life-expectancy divisor at claim, and garantipensjon, a safety net tapered against your OWN inntektspensjon — not a flat amount everyone gets. This page covers both parts, with the provision behind each figure.
Two parts: income pension and guarantee pension
Alderspensjon has two parts. Inntektspensjon (income pension) is built up across your working life as pension credits are added to a running pensjonsbeholdning (notional account), which at claim is divided by a delingstall (life-expectancy divisor) to give the annual pension. Garantipensjon (guarantee pension) is a safety net for those with low or no income pension — but it is tapered against your OWN income pension, not a flat amount everyone gets on top.
Legal basis: § 20-3, folketrygdloven (LOV-1997-02-28-19) kapittel 20
Income pension: credits and division
The pensjonsbeholdning is built from pension credits recorded across five separately-ruled sources, each valued at 18.1% of its own income base up to its own cap, all measured against the average grunnbeløp for the calendar year: pensionable earnings (up to 7.1×G), a flat credit for first-time military or civil service, unemployment-benefit receipt (net of any credit already counted under earnings), an assumed-income credit while receiving disability benefit (until the year the claimant turns 61), and a care-work credit for qualifying childcare or care of a sick, disabled or elderly person. The combined credit from the first four sources cannot exceed 18.1% of 7.1×G in any calendar year.
Legal basis: §§ 20-4 to 20-8, folketrygdloven (LOV-1997-02-28-19) kapittel 20
The credit rate itself is 18,1 % of the income base for each of the five sources. See the credit sources, the ceiling and the divisor in detail
Legal basis: § 20-5, folketrygdloven (LOV-1997-02-28-19) kapittel 20
Guarantee pension: ordinary and high rate
| Rate | Condition | Level (full insurance period) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary rate | You live with a spouse/partner who themselves draws disability benefit, an old-age pension or AFP, or has income above 2G, or draws a transitional benefit. | 234 765 kr |
| High rate | You are single — OR you are married/cohabiting and none of the ordinary-rate conditions apply to your partner. | 253 787 kr |
Notice: a married or cohabiting person whose partner has neither their own pension nor high income gets the HIGH rate — the same rate as a single person. It is the partner's situation, not marital status alone, that decides the rate.
Legal basis: §§ 20-9 to 20-11, folketrygdloven (LOV-1997-02-28-19) kapittel 20
When you can draw alderspensjon
The earliest draw age is 62 years. Drawing itself carries no penalty — but before 67 a separate condition applies: your pension must reach a minimum level. See the pension age and the pre-67 condition
Legal basis: §§ 20-2 and 20-15, folketrygdloven (LOV-1997-02-28-19) kapittel 20