diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 02b9af1..ed06635 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ def init
     self.username ||= email.split('@', 2)[0]
   end
 
+  def has_contact_request?
+    contact_requests.any?
+  end
+
+  def notification_count
+    contact_requests.length
+  end
+
   def sent_contact_request?(user)
     (user.contact_requests.include? self) or (contacts.include? user)
   end
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/_navbar.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/_navbar.html.erb
index e445b9f..8bad671 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/_navbar.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/_navbar.html.erb
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 <%# https://getbootstrap.com/docs/4.5/components/navbar/ %>
 <nav class="navbar navbar-expand-md navbar-dark bg-dark">
   <div class="navbar-brand"><%= link_to I18n.t('index.portal_name'), root_path, class: 'portal-link' %></div>
-  <form class="form-inline">
-    <i class="fa fa-bell" style="color: white; padding: 10px"></i>
-    <a href="<%= search_users_path %>"><i class="fa fa-search" style="color: white; padding: 10px"></i> </a>
-  </form>
+  <% if user_signed_in? %>
+    <form class="form-inline">
+      <% if current_user.has_contact_request? %>
+        <a href="<%= user_contact_requests_path(current_user) %>"> <i class="fa fa-bell" style="color: red; padding: 3px"></i> </a>
+        <span class="badge badge-pill badge-danger"><%= current_user.count_contact_requests%></span>
+      <% else %>
+        <i class="fa fa-bell" style="color: white; padding: 10px"></i>
+      <% end %>
+      <a href="<%= search_users_path %>"><i class="fa fa-search" style="color: white; padding: 10px"></i> </a>
+    </form>
+  <% end %>
 <%= render 'layouts/navbar_desktop_part' %>
-</nav>
\ No newline at end of file
+</nav>
diff --git a/spec/features/header_and_footer_spec.rb b/spec/features/header_and_footer_spec.rb
index 9d4d236..2b297e6 100644
--- a/spec/features/header_and_footer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/header_and_footer_spec.rb
@@ -18,4 +18,20 @@
       expect(page).not_to have_link('My contacts')
     end
   end
+
+  describe 'notification' do
+    let(:alice) { FactoryBot.create :user }
+    let(:bob) { FactoryBot.create :user }
+
+    before do
+      alice.contact_requests << bob # bob added a contact request for alice
+      sign_in alice
+      visit notes_path
+    end
+
+    it 'shows the number of notifications in the navbar' do
+      element = page.find('nav.navbar')
+      expect(element).to have_text '1'
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index d68be20..af0f36a 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -106,6 +106,18 @@
       user.contacts << contact
       expect(user.sent_contact_request?(contact)).to be true
     end
+
+    it 'determines if there are any contact requests' do
+      expect(user.has_contact_request?).to be false
+      user.contact_requests << contact
+      expect(user.has_contact_request?).to be true
+    end
+
+    it 'counts my contact requests' do
+      expect(user.count_contact_requests).to be 0
+      user.contact_requests << contact
+      expect(user.count_contact_requests).to be 1
+    end
   end
 
   describe 'status scope' do