Contractual pension (AFP) in the public sector
In the public sector, contractual pension (AFP) is a pension you can receive between the ages of 62-67.
Who can receive AFP contractual pension?
You may be entitled to a public AFP if you
- are working in a job in the public sector that has a collective agreement where an AFP is part of the agreement.
- have turned 62
- meet the requirements in the regulations relating to conditions of employment, employment at the time of withdrawal and prior earned rights to a national insurance retirement pension.
- are gainfully employed and a genuine employee up to the time you draw AFP.
- do not draw a national insurance retirement pension at the same time.
Which AFP scheme applies to you depends on where in the public sector you are working. The state and the local authorities each have their own schemes.
What do you get?
If you are between the ages of 62 and 65 you will receive AFP based on the provisions in the National Insurance Act. The pension is equivalent to what you would have received in national insurance retirement pension, without life expectancy adjustment, as if you had continued to work up to the age of 67. You will also receive an AFP contractual pension supplement of NOK 1,700 per month.
If you are between the ages of 65 and 67, your AFP will be calculated according to what gives you the highest pension, either calculation according to the National Insurance Act or according to the provisions relating to calculation of retirement pension from your public occupational pension scheme. For more information about AFP after the age of 65, please contact your occupational pension scheme.
Combination of AFP and employment income
You will receive reduced AFP if you have an employment income. Read more about combination of AFP and employment income. Remember that you must also notify NAV of changes in income.
AFP in public sector in combination with other benefits
You cannot receive AFP in public sector in combination with retirement pension, disability pension, survivor’s pension or work assessment allowance from NAV. You may be entitled to AFP if you forfeit these benefits.
You cannot receive AFP from the public sector if you are receiving or have received AFP from the private sector.
You cannot receive sickness benefits in combination with 100 per cent AFP from public sector. If you receive graded AFP from public sector, you can receive sickness benefits in combination with graded AFP. Your sickness benefits will then be calculated based on your income.
Calculate your AFP
You can calculate your future AFP online at Din pensjon.
How long will you receive payments?
When you turn 67, your AFP is automatically converted to an ordinary retirement pension from your occupational pension scheme. You must also apply to draw a national insurance retirement pension, you do not receive this automatically.
You can apply for a national insurance retirement pension online at “Din Pensjon” or by using a paper application form.
In the event of death, AFP early retirement pension will be paid up to and including the month of Death.
Other relevant benefits/services
If you are supporting a spouse who is 60 or older, you may be entitled to a dependant's/ spouse allowance in addition to AFP. You will not receive the allowance if your spouse has an income higher than the basic amount, is receiving disability pension or retirement pension or is entitled to full retirement pension, or is receiving AFP.
No dependant's allowance / spouse allowance is granted to AFP in the public sector with effect from 1 January 2022 or later. This supplement will be phased out during 2023 and 2024. From 2025, no one will receive the supplement anymore.
How to apply
If you are employed by the state, you must fill out the AFP form and submit the form to your employer. Your employer will fill out the information on the same form and send it to the State Pension Fund.
You can obtain the application form from your employer, the State Pension Fund or from NAV or you can print the form out yourself at spk.no. You must also ask your employer to submit a notice of retirement. See spk.no for more information about the application process.
If you are employed by the local authorities, and are a member of KLP or other municipal pension funds, you must contact your employer about how to apply and when you must apply.
Please note that you cannot apply for public AFP online at “Din pensjon”. You must apply as described above.
When should you apply?
If you are employed by the state, you must apply for AFP at least 3 months before the date you want to draw AFP. If you are a member of a municipal occupational pension fund you must contact this to find out when you must apply.
To or from abroad
If a previous period of living abroad means that you have less than 40 years insurance period, your basic pension and any special supplement will be correspondingly smaller. If you have lived or worked abroad, you may also be entitled to pensions from other countries.
If you are moving abroad and receiving AFP from the public sector, you must check whether you can still receive your AFP. The regulations about receiving your AFP abroad are the same as for retirement pension for people born before 1954.
AFP is not covered by the social security provisions in the EEA Agreement or other social security agreements. Therefore, as an AFP pensioner you do not have the same rights to health care as an ordinary old age pensioner has when he or she moves to another EEA member state.
Notify changes
Has there been a change in your income, or are you going to stop working?
If you have a contractual pension (AFP) with the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund, you must report any changes in your income or termination of employment to the person responsible for your AFP pension.
If you are
- under 65 years of age, you must report changes in your income to NAV. This applies from the month you turn 65.
- over 65 years of age, you must report changes in your income to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. This applies from the month after the month in which you turned 65.
Read more about changes in income.
Changes in marital status, address, etc.
If you are under 65 and have a state AFP, you must notify NAV if
- You change address
- You move abroad
- There are changes in your income (wages and self-employment income). If you are receiving dependant’s allowance, you must notify of changes in other income that are part of the calculation basis. You must also notify if the person you are supporting has an income that exceeds the National Insurance basic amount.
- Have a spouse, partner or co-habiting partner whose income changes
- You marry, divorce or your spouse dies.
- Enter into a civil partnership, or if you and your partner move apart, or if your partner dies
- If you become a co-habiting partner or if you and your co-habiting partner move apart or if your co-habiting partner dies.
If you are over 65 and have a state AFP, you must notify changes to the State Pension Fund.
If you have a municipal AFP, you must notify changes to your AFP provider.
Deferred settlement
When the tax assessment for a calendar year is ready, NAV calculates the deferred settlement in the public sector for those who are under 65, and the State Pension Fund for those who are over 65. Read more about deferred settlement in the public sector.
In the municipal sector, your AFP provider calculates the deferred settlement.
Payments
The pension is liable to tax. The Norwegian Tax Administration determines your tax deduction and provides further information about this.
If you are under 65 and have a state AFP, NAV will calculate and pay your pension.
When you turn 65, the State Pension Fund will take over responsibility for the AFP scheme. It will still be NAV who pays you the pension.
Read more about Payment dates, holiday pay and tax withholding. You can check payment dates at Your payments service. You can also check your payments at Din pensjon.
In the municipal sector, it is the local authorities’ AFP provider that calculates and pays you your pension.
Most of the main information about your entitlements and duties is available here in English. There are also links to other more detailed information; however, some of this information is only available in Norwegian.