Prikkbelastning (demerit-point system) on your førerkort (driving licence): how many points can you have? (2026)

Prikkbelastning (the demerit-point system) is a warning scheme in traffic. Politiet (the police) register points on your førerkort (driving licence) when you are caught committing certain offences, such as speeding, driving through a red light, or using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. Most offences give three points, some give two. If you get eight points within three years, you lose your førerkort for six months. If you are a new driver in the probationary period, every point counts double – so four points are enough. The points come on top of the fine, and each point stays on your record for three years.

What is prikkbelastning?

Prikkbelastning is a points system meant to warn drivers who repeatedly break the traffic rules. The scheme is set out in forskrift om prikkbelastning (the demerit-point regulation) from Lovdata, and it applies to the whole of Norway. Politiet is the authority that registers the points and follows up the consequences.

Every time you accept a forelegg (a fixed penalty notice) or are convicted of an offence that gives points, the points are added to your førerkort. The aim is not to punish you an extra time, but to identify drivers who build up several minor offences over time – before it leads to a serious accident.

Which offences give points – and how many?

Most offences in the scheme give three points. Minor speeding offences and failing to secure a child give two points. The table shows the main categories from the regulation.

The line between two and three points for speeding depends on how much over the limit you were driving and which speed limit applied. You can find the general rules of the road in our overview of traffic rules in Norway.

How many points can you have before you lose your førerkort?

You lose your førerkort if you get eight points or more within three years. Then you lose your driving right for six months. This is the main rule for drivers who are not in the probationary period.

Politiet sends you a written warning letter when you are registered with at least four points. The letter is a reminder that you are halfway to the limit, so that you get the chance to drive more carefully before you risk losing your licence.

Example: If you drive through a red light in February (three points) and are later caught for illegal overtaking (three points) and driving too close (three points), you reach nine points within the three-year period. That puts you over the limit of eight, and you lose your driving right for six months. This is just an illustrative example, not a definitive answer for your own case.

Stricter rules in the probationary period for new drivers

If you are a new driver, stricter rules apply. When you get your class B førerkort for the first time, you have a probationary period of two years. During this period, double the number of points is registered for each offence.

In practice, this means that one ordinary three-point offence counts as six points for you. The limit for losing your førerkort is still eight points, but because everything counts double, four “ordinary” points are in practice enough – that is, two offences that would otherwise each give three points. If you lose your driving right during the probationary period, you must normally take the entire driving test again.

If you are about to take your licence soon, it is a good idea to know the requirements before you start. Read more about the theory test and the driving test.

How long does a point stay on your record?

A point stays on your record for three years. The time limit is counted from the day you accepted the forelegg, or from the day a final judgment was made in the case. After three years, the point is automatically deleted from the register.

This means the points do not all disappear at once. Each point has its own three-year time limit linked to that particular offence. If you get your driving right back after losing it, the points that led to the loss are deleted.

Points come on top of the fine

Prikkbelastning is a separate reaction that comes on top of the speeding fine or fee for the offence itself. So you pay the fine as usual, and the points are registered in addition. The points are not the punishment itself, but an administrative follow-up to the fact that you have broken the rules.

This is a bit like how a parking fine is a separate matter – but note that ordinary parking fees do not give points. Points apply to driving, not parking.

How do you check your points – and can you complain?

You can see how many points you have by logging in with politiet using electronic ID (BankID, Buypass ID or Commfides). If you do not have electronic ID, you can go to a police station with valid identification and ask.

You cannot complain about the points themselves. But you can dispute the underlying forelegg or fine in the normal way. If you do not accept the fine, the case goes further, and if the grounds fall away, the points fall away too. If you are unsure whether you should accept a forelegg with major consequences, you can seek legal help before you sign.

Prikkbelastning is not the same as confiscation on other grounds

Prikkbelastning is about losing your førerkort because you build up several minor offences. This is different from confiscation or loss of the førerkort on other grounds. Driving under the influence, very high speeds, or other serious offences can lead to loss of your driving right completely independently of how many points you have – under separate rules in vegtrafikkloven (the Road Traffic Act).

In other words: you do not need to have built up eight points to lose your licence. Serious single incidents can lead to on-the-spot confiscation and longer losses. The rules for points described here apply to the minor offences the scheme is designed for. If you have a foreign førerkort, separate rules apply for exchanging a førerkort from a country outside the EEA.