Norwegian Licence, Albanian Roads: 2026 Zero-Alcohol Rule

Albania is an easy swap for Norwegian drivers in one respect: both countries drive on the right, so junctions and roundabouts work the way you expect. What replaces that worry are two adjustments that have nothing to do with which side of the car you sit on.

Alcohol: from 0.02 to nothing

Norway already runs one of Europe’s lowest limits at 0.02%. Albania goes further: its road code allows no alcohol at all at the wheel. A reading up to 0.3 g/l costs ALL 5,000-15,000, higher readings bring licence suspensions of months to years, fines rise by a third to two thirds between 22:00 and 07:00, and a repeat offence above 0.5 g/l means the licence is revoked for good. If you are driving, do not drink.

The signs and the road

Limits are 40 km/h in towns, 80 on secondary rural roads, 90 on main interurban roads and 130 on motorways. Away from the motorways the surface is the real limit: markings fade, edges crumble, and UK advice describes driving as often aggressive and erratic, with road deaths among the highest in Europe. The coast road and mountain routes are worth the trip, but drive to what you can see. Speeding fines start at ALL 1,000-3,000 for up to 10 km/h over and rise to ALL 2,000-4,000 between 10 and 30 km/h over. The car must carry a warning triangle and a first-aid kit.

Paperwork

Norway and Albania are both parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention. UK advice says a 1968 international driving permit is useful alongside a licence and that the 1949 model is no longer accepted, so if you take a permit, make sure it is the 1968 version. After a year you would need an Albanian licence. Hire firms set their own rules, so check before you book.

In an emergency, call police on 112, ambulance on 127 and fire on 128. The Albania driving guide has the full rules, the Speeding Fine Calculator estimates penalties, and the guide to who pays driving fines abroad explains what happens if a fine follows you home.

Sources

• Albanian Road Code (Law 8378/1998, consolidated July 2026 incl. Law 58/2026): zero alcohol limit, drink-driving bands and night surcharge, speed limits, speeding fines, equipment: qbz.gov.al
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Albania safety and security (1968 IDP useful; 1949 IDP not accepted; Albanian licence after one year; aggressive and erratic driving, high road deaths): gov.uk
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Albania getting help (police 112, ambulance 127, fire 128): gov.uk
• Lovdata, vegtrafikkloven § 22 (Norway, 0.2 per mille): lovdata.no
• UN Treaty Collection, 1968 Convention on Road Traffic (Albania 2000, Norway 1985): treaties.un.org