Is my child allowed to work in Norway?
Yes, but with clear age limits. Under chapter 11 of the Working Environment Act, 15 years, or completed lower secondary school, is the minimum age for ordinary work. Children of 13–14 can do light work that does not harm their safety, health, development or schooling. Under 13, only cultural and artistic work is allowed, and only with prior consent from the Labour Inspection Authority. Here is where employers slip: written consent from the parents is required before anyone under 15 starts. For children of school age, working time is limited to a maximum of 2 hours on a school day and 12 hours a week, and young people under 18 must not do ordinary night work. Light family and farm work largely falls outside the rules.
📋 The rules
- Ordinary work: 15 or completed compulsory school
- Light work allowed from 13
- Under 13: only cultural work with Labour Inspection consent
- Written parental consent required under 15
- School day: max 2 hours, 12 hours a week
🔓 Exceptions
- Light family and farm chores fall largely outside the rules
- Cultural work for under-13s is allowed with prior Labour Inspection consent
- Young people under 18 must not do ordinary night work
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The responsibility lies with the employer, not the child or the parents. The Labour Inspection Authority can issue orders and fines, and serious breaches can bring a fine or imprisonment under the Working Environment Act. What most often catches businesses out is not gross child labour but the hours: a maximum of 2 hours on a school day and 12 hours a week is an absolute limit for children of school age, and it is easily broken on a busy weekend in a shop. If written parental consent is missing for an employee under 15, the employment is unlawful from day one.
📎 Official sources
- Working Environment Act ch. 11 · Lovdata →
- Regulation on work by children · Lovdata →
- Labour Inspection · Young people at work →
❓ Frequently asked
From what age can my child work?
Ordinary work requires 15 years or completed lower secondary school, while light work is allowed from 13. Under 13, only cultural and artistic work is allowed, with prior consent from the Labour Inspection Authority.
Can a 13-year-old work?
Yes, light work that does not harm safety, health, development or schooling, and with written consent from the parents. Working time is strictly limited for as long as the child is of school age.
Is parental consent required?
Yes. Written consent from the parents is required before anyone under 15 starts work. Without it the employment is unlawful from day one, and the responsibility lies with the employer.
How many hours can a school-age child work?
A maximum of 2 hours on a school day and 12 hours a week. On non-school days more is allowed but still limited — and the hours limit is the rule broken most often.
Can under-18s work at night?
No. Young people under 18 must as a main rule not do ordinary night work. The limit also applies to those who have turned 15 and can otherwise take entirely ordinary work.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can my child work norway”
- “working age 13 15”
- “light work 13 years”
- “parental consent child work”
- “working hours school child”
- “night work under 18”