Get your driving license in Norway from scratch: basic course, theory and driving test

Do you want to get your driving license in Norway from scratch? Then you follow a fixed sequence: traffic basic course, mandatory training, theory test and finally driving test. You cannot book the driving test directly – you must pass the theory test first.

How to get your driving license in Norway from scratch

Getting your driving license in Norway from scratch means starting without a driver's license from before. You must go through five fixed steps before you can drive a car alone.

Many are surprised that they cannot just book a driving test. The law requires that you take courses and practice in the right order. Statens vegvesen (the state authority for roads and driver's licenses) oversees the tests and fees.

If you already have a valid driver's license from an EU/EEA country, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you might be able to skip the whole process. Then read how you convert your driver's license. If the license comes from a country outside the EEA, special rules apply. This guide is for you if you have to start from scratch.

Driver's license class B applies to regular passenger cars. The same main steps apply to other classes, but the details vary. The five steps are:

1. Traffic basic course – the mandatory starting course.
2. Practice driving and step-by-step training – with a driving school and privately.
3. Mandatory safety courses – on track and on road.
4. Pass the theory test – the written test.
5. Pass the driving test – the practical test.

If you have never had a driver's license, you should plan to use both time and money. But the process is the same for everyone, and you have good support along the way.

Step 1: Traffic basic course

Traffic basic course is the first step for everyone who wants to drive a car. The course is mandatory and lasts 17 teaching hours.

You can start the course when you are 15 years old. Here you learn basic traffic understanding, first aid and night driving. The course also provides an introduction to Norwegian traffic rules. When you're done, you'll be allowed to practice drive.

Step 2: Practice driving and step-by-step training

After the basic course you can start practice driving. You can practice privately with a supervisor or with an approved driving school (traffic school).

For class B you can start practicing from age 16. A private supervisor must be at least 25 years old and have held a driver's license continuously for five years. The car must be marked with a red L at the back, and the supervisor is considered the driver and has the responsibility.

The training is divided into steps. At step 2 you learn to master the car technically. At step 3 you learn to drive independently in varied traffic. Much private practice, called quantity training, makes you a safer driver.

Step 3: Mandatory safety courses

Two safety courses are mandatory for everyone. You must take them even if you drive well from before.

Safety course on track is often called skid pad training. There you learn how the car behaves on slippery roads. Safety course on road is a longer course with driving on country roads and a summary. The course on track belongs to step 3, while the course on road is step 4 and the last before the driving test.

Step 4: Pass the theory test

The theory test is a written test with Statens vegvesen. You must pass it before you can take the driving test.

The test for class B has 45 questions, and you can have a maximum of 7 errors. You have 90 minutes. If you fail, you must wait two weeks before you can try again.

The test is available in several languages: Norwegian, English, Arabic (MSA), Sorani, Turkish and North Sámi. If you need another language, you can apply for an oral test with an interpreter. Then you pay for the interpreter yourself. You must also have adequate vision, and if necessary you submit an eye test report.

A passed theory test is valid for three years. Spend good time reading theory. Many newcomers prepare for both the theory test and other Norwegian tests, such as the social studies test on SamfunnPrep.

Step 5: Pass the driving test

The driving test is the practical test. An examiner from Statens vegvesen sits in and evaluates how you drive.

You can first take the driving test when the theory test has been passed and all training is registered. You must be at least 18 years old. If you pass, you get a driver's license class B. Then you can finally drive a car alone.

How much does it cost to get your driving license in Norway?

The state fees are fixed, but the driving school sets its own prices. Therefore the total varies a lot.

The fees above apply from 1 February 2026. You book and pay for the tests on the websites of Statens vegvesen. You save money by paying online instead of at the traffic station (Statens vegvesen's local office).

The training itself costs the most. Driving lessons, mandatory courses and car rental for the driving test come in addition. In total, many end up spending many thousands of kroner. See full overview in the article on what it costs to get a driver's license in 2026.

How long does it take?

There is no fixed answer for how long it takes. It depends on how much you practice and how quickly you can get an appointment for the tests.

Many use between six months and one year from basic course to driver's license. If you practice a lot privately between driving lessons, it often goes faster and cheaper. Remember that the waiting time for the driving test can be long in some places.

Good advice before you start

With good planning, the path to a driver's license from scratch becomes both easier and cheaper.

• Check that the driving school is approved by Statens vegvesen.
• Book the theory test in good time.
• Practice a lot privately to use fewer driving lessons.
• Always bring valid ID to the tests.

SamfunnPrep is made for you who are new to Norway. There you can practice social studies for free and learn how public institutions, such as Statens vegvesen, work.

Traffic rules and how public institutions work are also part of the social studies test – practice for free on SamfunnPrep.