Australians in Norway 2026: 3 Months, NOK 3,350 Speed Fines
Australia
Norway
Yes, for three months, with an IDP or an authorised Norwegian translation beside your licence. Norway keeps right, its alcohol limit is 0.02%, and 10 km/h over costs NOK 3,350.
Fjord roads, long tunnels and car ferries make Norway one of the best self-drive countries in Europe. For an Australian, the documents need one addition, the side of the road flips, and the alcohol rule is far stricter than at home.
Three months, with the right paper
Norway’s licence regulation (§8-2) lets a visitor drive on a licence from outside the EEA for up to three months. Licences from countries in the 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna conventions are accepted when they follow the convention model; a licence in national format needs an authorised translation into Norwegian, and an international driving permit is accepted together with the national licence. Australia is a 1949 country, so get an IDP from your state motoring club before you fly and carry it with your licence and passport. Canada’s travel advice gives its drivers the same tip. The Driving Permit Checker covers Sweden and Finland if the route crosses borders.
Keeping right
Australia keeps left; Norway keeps right. Roundabouts turn anticlockwise, and the dangerous moments are the obvious ones: leaving the rental car park, the first junction, the first narrow tunnel. Headlights must be on at all times.
A near-zero alcohol limit
The Road Traffic Act counts anyone over 0.2 per mille in the blood, or 0.1 mg per litre of breath, as under the influence. Up to 0.5 per mille is usually punished with a fine; above that, prison becomes possible. Against Australia’s 0.05, the only workable rule is no drinking at all.
Speeds and fines
Unless signs say otherwise, the limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 km/h elsewhere; higher limits appear only where signed. Speeding fines are a fixed national tariff, not a share of income: up to 5 km/h over costs NOK 1,250, up to 10 km/h over NOK 3,350. Oslo and other cities run road tolls and low-emission zones, so ask the hire company how charges are billed. Emergencies: 112 police, 113 ambulance, 110 fire. The Norway driving guide and speeding fine calculator have more.
Sources
- Forskrift om førerkort m.m. §8-2 (non-EEA licences: three months; convention model, authorised translation, IDP with licence): lovdata.no
- Vegtrafikkloven §6 (50/80 km/h defaults), §22 (0.2 per mille, 0.1 mg/l) and §31 (penalties): lovdata.no
- Forskrift om forenklet forelegg i vegtrafikksaker (NOK 1,250 up to 5 km/h, NOK 3,350 up to 10 km/h over): lovdata.no
- Global Affairs Canada, Norway travel advice (three months; carry an IDP; headlights; 0.02%; tolls; 112/113/110): travel.gc.ca
- UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (Australia a party): treaties.un.org
- WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Australia profile (0.05 g/dl): who.int
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Winter tyres in Norway — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Norway whenever conditions are wintry — 1 Nov - first Sunday after Easter (Nordland/Troms/Finnmark: 16 Oct - 30 Apr) — tread-depth rule; winter tyres themselves are not compulsory.
- Legal winter tread minimum: 3 mm (5 mm for vehicles over 3.5 t, except motorhomes up to 7.5 t (3 mm)) — not the 1.6 mm figure most guides quote, which is the year-round minimum.
- Accepted marking: No marking requirement for cars
- Studded tyres: allowed
- Penalty: NOK 1,000 PER TYRE; NOK 2,000 per tyre over 7,500 kg GVW (+50% if unpaid within 3 weeks — forskrift 1993-09-17-855 §2, §3)
In Norwegian the rule is vinterdekk, and snow chains are snøkjettinger — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Checked against national legislation, 1 Oct 2026 · Full Norway tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for up to three months. Norway's licence regulation accepts licences from 1949 and 1968 convention countries when they follow the convention model; a licence in national format needs an authorised Norwegian translation, and an IDP is accepted together with the licence. Australia issues 1949 permits, so the simplest answer is an IDP from your state motoring club.
On the right, the opposite of Australia. Roundabouts run anticlockwise and you give way to traffic coming from your left as you enter. Take the first hour on quiet roads.
0.2 per mille in the blood, or 0.1 mg per litre of breath: a fraction of Australia's 0.05. Above 0.5 per mille the penalty can include prison. If you are driving, don't drink.