To become an interpreter in Norway, you must go through the National Interpreters' Register. As of 7 August 2026, 3,025 interpreters are listed there, distributed across 74 spoken languages. Six languages have only one qualified interpreter in the entire country. Your native language could be your qualification in itself.
Become an Interpreter in Norway: 3,025 Interpreters Cover 74 Spoken Languages
As of 7 August 2026, the National Interpreters' Register contains 3,025 interpreters in 74 spoken languages. The Directorate for Integration and Diversity (IMDi) itself writes only "over 70 languages"; the figure 74 is the register's own count on that date.
Only 1,374 of the 3,025 interpreters report having capacity for full-time assignments. Six languages have only one qualified interpreter in all of Norway as of 7 August 2026: Tibetan, Cebuano, Indonesian, Belarusian, Tigre and Chinese.
The distribution by category as of 7 August 2026 is A = 116, B = 595, C = 45, D = 1,333 and E = 1,441. Nearly all are in the lowest categories.
If your native language is in demand, you already have half the qualification. The counterpart is the right to a free interpreter in the public sector.
From 1 January 2027 Public Authorities Must Use Qualified Interpreters
The Interpreters Act § 7 states that public authorities must use a qualified interpreter when they have an obligation to use an interpreter. A qualified interpreter means an interpreter who meets the requirements for registration in the National Interpreters' Register.
The law includes a transitional rule: "Until 31 December 2026, there is an exemption from the requirement to use a qualified interpreter." From 1 January 2027 the requirement applies in full. This is expected to increase demand for registered interpreters.
This assumes the exemption is not extended. The law gives the King the authority to extend it by regulation, so check the current rule on lovdata.no before planning based on this date.
The Path In: Four Steps to the National Interpreters' Register
The quickest path in is a language test plus a free course.
- The Bilingual Test — oral exam lasting 30 minutes. Own contribution 500 kroner in the autumn round 2026.
- Course in the Interpreter's Area of Responsibility (TAO) — free, fully digital, two and a half weeks. Bilingual Test and TAO together give category E.
- Introduction to Interpreting in the Public Sector — basic subject worth 30 credits at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University or The Western Norway University of Applied Sciences. Gives category D.
- Bachelor's Degree in Interpreting in the Public Sector (180 credits, category B) or State Authorization Exam (category C). Both together give category A.
The Interpreters Regulation § 10 also requires that you are of legal age, have a residence permit or right of residence that gives grounds for work, and can document your qualifications.
Categories A to E: What Each Category Requires
A is highest, E is the entry point for most.
| Category | This is required | Number of interpreters as of 7 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| A | State authorization and bachelor's degree in interpreting | 116 |
| B | Bachelor's degree in interpreting, or state authorization + basic subject worth 30 credits | 595 |
| C | State authorization | 45 |
| D | Basic subject in interpreting in the public sector (30 credits) | 1,333 |
| E | Bilingual Test + TAO course, or state-authorized translator/specialist translator + TAO course | 1,441 |
The figures count interpreters with at least one language in the category; one interpreter can have different categories in different languages. Category means money: the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the police pay hourly rates according to category, but you must take the assignment directly to get full benefit from it.
The Bilingual Test: Price, Deadline and the 80 Per Cent Requirement
The Bilingual Test is the entry exam. It is arranged twice a year by OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University. The Samisk høgskole / Sámi allaskuvla is responsible for Sámi languages.
- Price: 500 kroner in the autumn round 2026. From 1 January 2027 the own contribution is 1,000 kroner. The amount is not refunded.
- Application deadline: for the autumn round 2026 the deadline is 17 August 2026. The deadlines repeat each semester, approximately 1 February and 15 August — check oslomet.no for the current deadline.
- Norwegian requirement: Norwegian documented on one of eight approved grounds. Most common for immigrants is the Norwegian Test from the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) with at least B2 in all four skills.
- Content: 30 minutes oral, two parts with 13 sequences each, no aids. You must have at least 80 per cent correct to pass.
- Location: Oslo, or via screen in Alta, Bergen, Bodø, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Trondheim, Tromsø and Ålesund — but not from home.
- Five-year clock: the TAO course must be completed within 5 years of passing the test, otherwise you must take the entire test again.
The test is demanding: the failure rate was 62 per cent in 2023 and 65 per cent in 2024. On SamfunnPrep you can practise for free on the Norwegian Test, the most common of the eight approved grounds.
Education and State Authorization: Why So Many Fail
The studies are free, but the exams are strict. The basic subject is 30 credits part-time over one year, online with some weekend seminars in Oslo. The bachelor's is 180 credits over four years, with application deadline 1 February via Søknadsweb. OsloMet still requires a semester fee, "currently just under 1,000 kroner".
OsloMet announced on 28 May 2026 an additional 50 study places on the basic subject in autumn 2026, in eight languages, including Dari, Polish, Somali, Tigrinya and Ukrainian. The application window for this intake is 1–10 August 2026. Admission to the basic subject takes place once a year, with studies starting in August — check oslomet.no for the next deadline.
The State Authorization Exam costs 3,000 kroner in registration fee, which is not refunded, and you can attempt it a maximum of three times in the same language. It has a screening test with 60 multiple choice questions, where 48 correct answers are required, and a practical oral exam.
In 2023, only 3 out of 26 candidates with a bachelor's degree passed the practical exam, that is 12 per cent. Among candidates without a bachelor's degree, 11 out of 38 passed, that is 29 per cent.
Candidates with a bachelor's degree can be exempted from the screening test and go directly to the practical exam. The group without a bachelor's degree has already been screened once, so only the strongest came through. The pass rate on the screening test fell from 40 per cent in 2020 to 20 per cent in 2023. The report does not provide corresponding figures for 2024 and 2025.
What Does an Interpreter Earn in Norway?
There is no wage regulation for interpreters. The courts, the prosecution service and the Child Welfare and Health Board have a fixed rate under the Fee Regulations — and it was cut 1 January 2026, when the Fee Regulations § 2 went from 4/5 to 2/3 of the public fee rate. The fee rate is 1,375 kroner in 2026.
| What | Rate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Interpreting in courts and Child Welfare and Health Board | 917 kroner per hour | Was 1,052 kroner in 2025 — a cut of 135 kroner |
| Travel time | 641.90 kroner per hour | 0.7 × the rate, only for absence over 30 minutes |
| Cancellation three working days or fewer before the meeting | 3 × the rate per day | Applies to the first two days of the meeting |
These are the court rates. Other public authorities do not publish their hourly rates centrally, so there you negotiate the price yourself or through an intermediary.
Police Certificate, Confidentiality and Your Own Business
Most people who work as interpreters are freelancers. Some interpreters are self-employed with a sole proprietorship (ENK) and send invoices; others agree that the fee is paid as salary.
- Police certificate. The Interpreters Act § 10 requires a comprehensive and extended police certificate for assignments for, among others, the police, the prosecution service, the courts, the immigration service, the correctional service and the Child Welfare and Health Board — and for assignments in criminal cases for the conflict resolution board. A note does not automatically stop you — the client must assess whether the matter affects your suitability. See how to apply for a police certificate.
- Confidentiality. The Interpreters Act § 15 gives the interpreter the same confidentiality obligation as the Public Administration Act §§ 13 to 13 e. Material with confidential information must be returned or destroyed afterwards.
- Tax and VAT. Interpreting services are as a rule subject to VAT. Read about the VAT threshold of 50,000 kroner and about advance tax for sole proprietorships before you send the first invoice.
The Norwegian Interpreters Association and Interpreters in the Trade Union Federation organize interpreters.
The path into the profession goes through exams. On SamfunnPrep we collect all exams and tests in Norway, and you can practise for free before you sign up.
