You can deregister your car on Din side at Statens vegvesen when it will be unused. Liability insurance and the traffic insurance tax stop automatically. The car must be stored safely, and you must register it again before using it.

What does deregistering the car mean?

Deregistration takes the car out of ordinary use. You keep the car, but cannot use it as a registered vehicle.

Statens vegvesen is the public authority responsible for vehicle registration. You can deregister the car digitally through them. This may be useful for winter storage, a longer stay abroad or lengthy repairs.

As of 3 October 2026, you do not need to hand in the number plates when deregistering digitally yourself. Deregistration and later registration are free. However, an unpaid ownership-transfer fee must be paid before registration again.

Do not confuse deregistration with selling or scrapping. When you only deregister, you remain the owner. Plan both storage and how to return the car to use.

SamfunnPrep's guide to car insurance in Norway explains the difference between liability insurance and other cover. This helps when choosing insurance for the storage period.

Where can a deregistered car be stored?

The car must be stored safely and locked, away from places accessible to the public. An ordinary street parking space is unsuitable for a deregistered car.

Statens vegvesen says the car cannot be on a street, road or other place people can access. It must also not be positioned where it can cause damage. This matters because ordinary liability insurance stops on deregistration.

Arrange storage before deregistering. A private space may still be open to the public. Consider more than who owns the land. Check who has access and whether the car is safely stored.

Use this practical checklist:

  • Are you allowed to store the car there?
  • Can you lock it and keep the keys safe?
  • Could it roll or endanger others?
  • Might other family members think it can still be used?
  • Have you arranged how to move it later?

If storage requires a final drive, do this while the car is still legally registered and insured. Do not deregister first and drive to storage afterwards.

How to deregister on Din side

Log in at Statens vegvesen, select the correct vehicle and complete deregistration. Check the status afterwards.

Find the registration number. If you have several cars, check both the number and model before confirming. Save the receipt or confirmation with the insurance papers.

As of 3 October 2026, both owners must approve within ten days if the car has two owners. This also applies when registering it again. Agree on the action with the co-owner beforehand.

A recently registered car normally needs to have been registered for at least 15 days before deregistration again. There is an exception when registration followed an ownership transfer. See Statens vegvesen on deregistration and registration⁠.

You can also use a trafikkstasjon, a vehicle services office. Book an appointment before attending. If the service says you cannot complete the process, ask Statens vegvesen about the reason.

What happens to the insurance?

Liability insurance and the traffic insurance tax stop automatically when the car is deregistered. Clarify other insurance with your insurer.

Liability insurance covers liability for damage the car causes to others. Traffic insurance tax is a state tax paid through insurance. Keeping the plates on therefore does not mean ordinary cover continues.

Ask the insurer whether the car remains insured against fire, theft or damage during storage. Request a written answer stating the cover, its start date and the excess. Understand the consequences before cancelling all cover.

Also check storage costs. Insurance savings may be smaller than expected if you need paid storage. This is your own comparison, rather than a guarantee that deregistration always saves money.

What if the inspection deadline expires?

The car can remain deregistered, but an expired inspection deadline must be dealt with before ordinary registration. You receive no EU-kontroll reminders while the car is deregistered.

EU-kontroll is the periodic inspection of vehicle safety and environmental standards. Check the deadline when planning storage. Put it in your calendar even if you will not use the car.

If the inspection deadline has passed, the car must pass inspection before registration again. Statens vegvesen states that you must use prøveskilt, temporary plates, to drive to the workshop in this situation. Clarify transport before booking the workshop appointment.

SamfunnPrep has a separate guide to EU-kontroll and inspection deadlines. It explains the inspection; deregistration does not change the car's technical condition.

How do you register the car again?

Arrange insurance and the other requirements, then complete registration at Statens vegvesen before using the car. An agreement with the insurer alone is insufficient.

Consider contacting the insurer a few days before your planned drive. Then check EU-kontroll and any other registration obstacles. Log in to Din side and complete registration once the conditions are met.

If the car has a co-owner, both of you must do what is required. Look for confirmation that registration is actually complete. Do not rely only on having started the process.

Statens vegvesen stresses this in its guidance on registering before use⁠. Plates still on a car do not necessarily show that it is registered.

Example: storing the car through winter

Plan a start and end date, but check the car again before the first drive. The storage plan should also be clear to others with a key.

Your car will stay in a locked garage through winter. First arrange the space and any storage insurance. Park the car, deregister it and tell the family it cannot be used.

Statens vegvesen recommends removing the plates or clearly marking that the car is deregistered. Consider leaving a note with the keys. See the deregistration checklist⁠.

Before taking the car out again, check insurance, the inspection deadline and registration status. If a step is missing, postpone driving until it is completed.

Checklist before driving

Drive only once the car is registered again and the conditions for use are met. Checking the status is a separate action even if the plates were never removed.

Use SamfunnPrep's practical tools as a starting point for your own checklists. Write down the storage location, insurance agreement, inspection deadline and who must confirm registration again.