Have you obtained a driving licence from a country outside the EEA without an exchange agreement with Norway? Then you must obtain your full Norwegian driving licence anew. You can drive on your foreign driving licence for three months after you are registered as a resident. Here is the process step by step.

Can You Exchange Your Driving Licence?

Whether you can exchange (convert) your foreign driving licence depends on which country it is from:

  • EEA countries, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan and Greenland: you can exchange without a test. See the guide on converting a driving licence from EU, UK and Switzerland.
  • A few agreement countries (Australia, Canada, Israel, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea and USA): you can exchange, but must take theory test and practical exam.
  • All other countries (for example Syria, Eritrea, Somalia, Afghanistan, Thailand, Philippines, Iran and Iraq): you have no exchange agreement and must obtain your full driving licence anew, like a first-time applicant.

This guide is about the last group.

You Can Drive for Three Months

With a valid foreign driving licence, you can drive in Norway for three months from the day you are registered as a resident in the Norwegian National Registry. After that, you must have a Norwegian driving licence to drive legally. Start therefore early, as the entire process takes time.

How to Obtain a Driving Licence from Scratch (Class B)

For a car (class B) you must go through these steps, in this order:

  1. Traffic basic course: a mandatory course of 17 hours, including for example first aid and night driving. If you are over 25 years old, you can skip parts of the course, but must take first aid and night driving.
  2. Theory test: a digital test with 45 questions in 90 minutes. You must have at least 38 correct to pass.
  3. Safety course on track (skid pad training): 4 hours.
  4. Safety course on road: 13 hours.
  5. Practical exam: the practical test with an examiner from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, lasting around one hour.

You practice and take the courses with a driving school. The theory test must be passed before you can take the practical exam.

How Long Does It Take?

The entire process often takes several months. You must wait for an available time slot for theory test and practical exam, and you need enough driving hours to become a confident driver. Book your theory test early, and expect waiting time at the driving school, especially in large cities. The better you practice, the greater your chances of passing on the first attempt – and of saving money.

Theory Test in Your Language

You can take the theory test in several languages. The test for class B is available in bokmål, nynorsk, nordsamisk, English, Arabic, sorani and Turkish. If you speak another language, you can apply to take the test with an interpreter – the interpreter reads the questions aloud, and you answer verbally. You must arrange an interpreter with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration in advance and pay for the interpreter yourself.

What Does It Cost?

The actual fees to the state are not the most expensive part. As of 2026, the theory test costs 480 kroner and the practical exam costs 1 540 kroner (or 1 490 kroner if you pay online). In addition comes issuing of the driving licence and photo.

What costs the most are the mandatory courses and driving hours with the driving school. Prices vary greatly, but many pay around 32,000–42,000 kroner in total to obtain their driving licence. How much it costs depends on how many driving hours you need. See a complete overview in the guide on price of driving licence in Norway.

Get Ready

Obtaining a driving licence from scratch requires time and money, but many manage it. Good tips:

  • Start early, preferably before the three-month deadline expires.
  • Read up on traffic rules in Norway.
  • Choose a driving school you trust, and ask if they have practice material in your language.

Traffic rules and understanding Norwegian society are also topics on the civics exam. On SamfunnPrep you can practice for free. Ready to practice? Try SamfunnPrep Free.