Driving Permit for Norway
Driving in Norway with a foreign licence: when an IDP is required, the 3-month tourist rule, right-side driving, the 0.02% alcohol limit, electronic tolls and winter tyre laws.
- Drive on
- Right
- Convention
- 1949 + 1968
- IDP validity
- 3 months
- Processing time
- 24-48 hours
Do you need an IDP to drive in Norway?
Norway recognises the International Driving Permit under the 1968 Vienna Convention, but for most visitors an IDP is a safeguard rather than a legal must. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) lets tourists drive on a valid foreign licence for up to three months from arrival. An IDP becomes mandatory only in specific cases: if your licence has no photograph, if it is written in a non-Latin alphabet (such as Arabic, Cyrillic or Japanese script), or if its categories do not follow the Geneva or Vienna Convention standards. A certified translation can substitute for the IDP where the issue is language alone. EU/EEA, UK and Swiss licences are accepted without extra paperwork, and Japanese category B licences enjoy an extended one-year validity.
In practice, rental desks at Oslo Gardermoen, Bergen and other hubs accept any readable Latin-script licence, though some firms ask non-European drivers for an IDP — carrying one alongside your original licence removes all doubt at both the counter and police checks. Norwegian police can stop vehicles for routine document and sobriety checks, so keep your licence (and IDP, if applicable) with you whenever you drive.
Traffic in Norway drives on the right, and the rules are among Europe's strictest. Dipped headlights are compulsory at all times, even in midsummer daylight, and the blood alcohol limit is 0.02% — one of the lowest in the world, so the only safe amount to drink before driving is none. Tolls are collected automatically by camera, winter tyres are required in snowy conditions, and general speed limits run from 50 km/h in towns to 80 km/h on rural roads and up to 110 km/h on motorways.
Norway recognises the IDP under both the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Conventions.
Norway is a signatory to both the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Conventions. In practice, an IDP issued by another signatory country is recognised for your permitted visitor stay — in Norway, plan on 3 months.
What you need to drive in Norway
Have these ready before you pick up the keys.
Minimum driving age of 18 for passenger cars (category B) — you must meet Norwegian age limits for each vehicle category
Valid original driving licence from your home country, carried whenever you drive
IDP or certified translation required if your licence has no photograph or is not written in the Latin alphabet
Third-party motor insurance is mandatory (included with rental cars)
Speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h as the general rural limit, and up to 110 km/h on the best motorways; residential zones can be as low as 30 km/h
The blood alcohol limit is 0.02% (0.2 g/L) — one of the strictest in the world and a tenth of the limit in many US states
Dipped headlights are mandatory 24/7, even in bright summer daylight; right-hand-drive cars must fit headlamp deflectors
Norway's extensive toll network (bompenger) is fully electronic — cameras read your plate, and city toll rings such as Oslo's charge different rates by fuel type, emissions and time of day
Studded tyres are permitted from 1 November until the first Sunday after Easter, extended to 15 October – 1 May in the northern counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark
Seat belts are compulsory for everyone, and children under 135 cm must use an appropriate child restraint
What to know before you turn the key
Norway drives on the right — the driver sits on the left, and roundabouts flow anti-clockwise.
Carry your IDP and your original license together — rental desks and police checks will ask for both documents.
Rental desks in Norway generally accept Latin-script licences without an IDP, but drivers with non-European licences should carry one to avoid problems
All Norwegian toll stations are electronic and camera-based — there are no cash booths; rental cars pass charges on via the number plate (AutoPASS/Epass24)
Winter tyres with adequate tread are legally required in winter conditions, and dipped headlights must be on at all times year-round
Norwegian traffic fines are among the highest in Europe, with speeding penalties reaching several thousand kroner even for modest excesses. Drink-driving over the 0.02% limit can bring an income-linked fine, licence confiscation and, in serious cases, imprisonment. Driving with a licence the police cannot read — without the required IDP or certified translation — can result in a fine and being barred from continuing your journey.
Local rules to watch in Norway
Low-emission zones, tolls, and city-specific rules that catch visiting drivers out.
Oslo: the toll ring charges vary by vehicle emissions and time of day, and parking is expensive — many visitors rely on the excellent public transport and pick up a rental car only when leaving the city
Bergen: gateway to the fjord routes, with its own toll ring, narrow streets and frequent rain — take extra care on wet cobbles and steep approaches
Tromsø: Arctic driving conditions for much of the year; the studded-tyre season runs longer here (15 October to 1 May), and winter tyres are essential
Signs you'll meet on the road
Eight internationally recognised signs — including which side of the road Norway keeps.
Common questions about driving in Norway
Drive Norway, confidently.
Apply online in minutes and get instant digital access to your IDP translation — with an IDP PVC card option if you want one in your wallet.