First Day Abroad

Driving in Norway: licence, roads and tolls

Part of the Norway arrival guide.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Driving in Norway: the three basics

Drives on the
right

The driver sits on the left and overtakes on the left. Roundabouts turn anticlockwise.

Your licence
EU licence is enough

An EU, EEA or Swiss licence is valid as it stands. A licence from anywhere else works alongside an International Driving Permit, which hire desks and police expect to see.

Motorways
Tolls by distance

Motorways charge for the distance driven, at barriers or by camera. Budget for it on a long drive; it is rarely trivial.

There are no toll booths: AutoPASS reads the plate and bills the hire company, which passes the charge on with a fee.

Norway has no toll booths at all - cameras read the plate and the bill reaches the hire company weeks later, with a fee.

No booths anywhere: AutoPASS reads the plate and the charge follows you home.

  • You cannot pay a Norwegian toll at the roadside. Hire cars are registered with AutoPASS and the company bills the tolls on with an administration fee per crossing, which adds up on a fjord route.
  • City tolls apply as well as road tolls. Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim charge on entry by camera, with the rate varying by time of day and engine type.
  • The alcohol limit is 0.2 g/l and the penalties are among the harshest in Europe, including prison for serious cases.
  • Ferries are part of the road network. Many routes have no alternative, they take cars in the order they arrive, and AutoPASS pays for those too.
  • Mountain passes close in winter without much notice; the road authority's live map is the only reliable source before setting off.
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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.