Countries outside the EU/EEA

If you have moved to Norway and your driving licence was issued outside the EU/EEA in one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea or the USA you can exchange it for a Norwegian driving licence after passing a practical driving test. This exchange must be made within one year of your taking up normal residence in Norway.

If you have a passenger car licence from Japan, you can exchange it for a Norwegian Category B licence without taking a practical driving test. This also applies to a Swiss driving licence. This exchange must be made within one year of your taking up normal residence in Norway.

For such an exchange to be made, all the conditions stipulated for a Norwegian driving licence must be fulfilled:

• The driving licence must be valid when the application is submitted
• The licence holder must be legally resident in Norway and have a residence permit
• The licence holder must have reached the age stipulated for driving a passenger car in Norway

If you have a driving licence from a country outside the EU/EEA, you must acquire your drivinglicense in the same manner as first-time applicants in Norway. However, you do not have to take the theory part of the course in basic road traffic knowledge, but you must complete mandatory courses in night driving and first aid.      

The driving licence must without exception be issued by the applicant’s last country of residence.

If you have a Category B driving licence (passenger car) issued in Greenland after 1 January 1995, you can exchange it for a Norwegian driving licence after passing a practical driving test.

Contact a traffic service office to find out what steps you need to take to be allowed to drive in Norway.

Driving as a visitor

People coming to Norway from countries outside the EU/EEA after 1 July 2010 can use their foreign driving licence for up to three months after residence in Norway has been registered before exchanging it for a Norwegian licence. Registration of residence means registration with the Norwegian authorities. These rules apply both to people visiting Norway (tourists, students and the like) and to people who take up normal residence in the country. It is not possible to apply for an extension of driving entitlements after the three months have expired.

Motorcycle

If you have a Category A1 (light motorcycle) or Category A (motorcycle) licence and want to retain the driving entitlement of this category, you must pass the practical driving test in this category before being granted a Norwegian licence. This applies to all the countries whose licence holders have the right to exchange their licences for a Norwegian licence.