NAV Funeral Grant Norway: How to Claim Gravferdsstønad

Norway's Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) provides a funeral grant (gravferdsstønad) to help cover burial or cremation costs. The maximum payout in 2026 is NOK 30,898 — but the amount you actually receive depends on a means test that considers the deceased's financial situation.

Here's how the grant works, how to calculate your payout, and the deadline you cannot miss.

Who Can Apply

The grant goes to whoever personally paid the funeral home invoice — not necessarily the next of kin. If you paid for the funeral, you apply. If the estate paid directly from the deceased's accounts, the estate representative applies.

The deceased must have been a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme (Folketrygden). This covers most people who lived or worked in Norway.

The Means Test

NAV calculates the grant differently for single and married deceased persons.

Single Deceased Person

NAV adds up the deceased's:

• Net financial wealth (from the most recent tax return)
• Insurance payouts triggered by the death
• Pension payments payable in the month after death
• Funeral fund contributions from associations or employers

The grant is reduced NOK-for-NOK by this total. If total considered assets exceed NOK 30,898, the grant is zero.

Example: Net wealth NOK 1,000 + pension NOK 2,500 + funeral fund NOK 1,700 = NOK 5,200 in considered assets. Grant = NOK 30,898 - NOK 5,200 = NOK 25,698

Married Deceased Person

For married individuals, NAV uses the couple's combined gross financial wealth instead of the deceased's individual net worth. But the first NOK 30,898 of combined wealth is exempt (the statutory deductible).

Example: Combined couple wealth NOK 30,000 + pension NOK 2,500 + funeral fund NOK 1,700 = NOK 34,200 in considered assets. Calculation basis = NOK 34,200 - NOK 30,898 (deductible) = NOK 3,302. Grant = NOK 30,898 - NOK 3,302 = NOK 27,596

Children Under 18

The full NOK 30,898 is guaranteed for deceased children — no means test applies.

The 6-Month Deadline

You must submit your application within six months of the date of death. This deadline is absolute — miss it and you permanently forfeit the right to claim.

Applications can be submitted digitally through nav.no or on paper.

Required Documents

• Itemized funeral home invoice showing all charges
• Marriage certificate (if the deceased was married)
• The deceased's most recent tax return
• Bank statements showing the deceased's financial assets at the time of death
• Documentation of any insurance payouts triggered by the death

Transport Support

NAV also covers transport costs in specific situations:

• Domestic transport: If the distance from the place of death to the nearest cemetery exceeds 20 kilometers, NAV covers the transport cost minus a co-payment of NOK 2,985
• Nordic country deaths: If a Norwegian National Insurance member dies in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, or the UK, NAV covers the cost of returning the body to Norway
• International repatriation out of Norway: NAV will not cover transport costs to a foreign country — this must be paid by the family or travel insurance

Processing Time

NAV typically processes funeral grant applications within 4 to 6 weeks. Payment goes directly to the applicant's Norwegian bank account.

For the complete guide to financial obligations after a death in Norway — including the funeral grant application within the broader estate settlement timeline — see our Someone Died in Norway guide.