NorgeStart
Driving
Moving to Norway or just arrived? NorgeStart explains Norwegian bureaucracy, work, taxes, housing, healthcare and daily life in plain language — with an AI assistant that translates official letters and audits payslips.
Updated: 2026-07-06
Your foreign licence
- EU/EEA licence: valid as long as it's valid at home; exchange optional.
- Non-EU licence: you may drive up to 3 months after moving here. A few countries can exchange within 1 year (usually with a practical test); most others must take the full Norwegian licence (theory + practical + courses — often NOK 30–40k with lessons). Check your country: vegvesen.no.
Rules that surprise foreigners
- Alcohol limit 0.02% — one beer is too much. Penalties: fine of ~1.5 monthly salaries, licence loss, prison for higher levels. Morning-after driving counts too.
- Headlights on always, 24/7, all year.
- Default speed limits: 50 in built-up areas, 80 outside, 100–110 motorway. Fines are brutal (NOK 8 000+ for 15 over) and speed cameras (including average-speed pairs) are everywhere.
- Right-hand priority (høyreregelen): on unmarked residential roads, cars from the right have priority — surprises almost every foreigner.
- Pedestrian crossings: you MUST stop for anyone waiting, not just walking.
Winter driving
- Tyres must suit conditions — winter tyres (min 3 mm tread) on snow/ice; studded tyres allowed ~1 Nov to Easter (longer in the north); Oslo/Bergen/Trondheim charge a studded-tyre fee (~NOK 1 400/season).
- Mountain passes close or run convoys in storms — check vegvesen.no/175 before crossing in winter.
- Keep in the car: ice scraper, snow brush, jumper cables, blanket. An engine heater or EV preheat makes -15° mornings civilised.
Tolls, parking & EVs
- Tolls (bompenger) are charged by cameras — get an AutoPASS tag (20% discount); foreign-plated cars get invoices via Epass24. Oslo ring tolls: ~NOK 20–60 per pass depending on time/fuel.
- Parking: read the signs (Norwegian only) and pay by app (EasyPark). Fines NOK 660–990 are routine; private wardens are diligent.
- Norway is the EV country — used EVs are cheap, tolls/parking often discounted, chargers everywhere (apps: Elton, Recharge, Tesla).
Bringing or buying a car
- Importing your car = customs + weight/CO₂ taxes — often NOT worth it for ordinary cars; calculate first at Skatteetaten.
- Buying used: check on finn.no; verify EU-kontroll (inspection) status and that no debt (heftelser) is registered on the car — debts follow the car in Norway!
- Yearly costs: insurance (NOK 6–15k), traffic insurance fee, EU-kontroll every 2 years.