Am I allowed to drive a foreign car in Norway?
Yes, but if you are resident in Norway the car must be registered on Norwegian plates and the taxes paid. You count as resident once you stay more than 183 days in a year — the threshold people misjudge when they assume the foreign car can sit there "a little longer". As a resident you pay the one-off registration tax, with a weight component of 12.71 kr per kg above 500 kg, 25% import VAT and a re-registration fee, and you must have insurance. From 1 January 2026 EVs also pay the weight component, while the NOx component is abolished entirely. Tourists and people resident abroad may drive on foreign plates for up to a year. On import you declare in the red zone at the border, and customs clearance normally takes a few days.
📋 The rules
- Resident in Norway: the car must be registered on Norwegian plates
- Resident = staying more than 183 days a year
- One-off tax: weight component 12.71 kr/kg above 500 kg
- 25% import VAT applies on import
- Tourists may drive on foreign plates for up to a year
🔓 Exceptions
- Removal-goods relief does not cover cars, but a removal-car scheme can reduce the one-off tax
- EEA commuters and students can apply to drive on foreign plates
- From 1 January 2026 EVs pay the weight component; the NOx component is abolished
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Driving an unregistered foreign car while resident in Norway is expensive: you can be charged the full one-off tax and 25% import VAT at once, given a surcharge, and the car can be seized. Driving without insurance is a criminal offence in itself, quite apart from the tax case. Miss the customs deadline after importing and extra fees pile on top, and the bill grows the longer you wait. Note that the 183-day rule attaches to your stay, not to the car — it is your residence status that decides, not where the car was bought or who owns it.
📎 Official sources
- Road Administration · Vehicle import →
- Tax Administration · One-off tax →
- Customs · Moving to Norway →
❓ Frequently asked
How long can I drive on foreign plates?
If you are a tourist or resident abroad, up to a year. If you are resident in Norway — that is, staying more than 183 days in a year — the car must be registered on Norwegian plates straight away.
What must I pay on import from the EEA?
The one-off tax with its weight component of 12.71 kr per kg above 500 kg, 25% import VAT and a re-registration fee, plus insurance. The car coming from the EEA does not make it tax-free in Norway.
Do EVs pay tax now?
Yes. From 1 January 2026 EVs pay the weight component of the one-off tax, while the NOx component is abolished entirely. Older guides saying EVs are wholly exempt from the one-off tax are therefore out of date.
How do I register the car in Norway?
You declare in the red zone at the border and complete customs clearance, which normally takes a few days. Then you register the car with the Road Administration, and the one-off tax and import VAT are settled in connection with registration.
What happens if I drive unregistered as a resident?
You risk being charged the full one-off tax and import VAT, given a surcharge, and having the car seized. If you also lack insurance, that is a criminal offence in its own right, quite apart from the tax case.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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