If you are searching for exchange foreign driving licence Norway, start with the country that originally issued your driving entitlement. Some licences can be exchanged without new tests, others require tests, and some cannot be exchanged. Statens vegvesen provides separate guidance for EU/EEA licences and eligible licences from outside the EU/EEA.

This guide focuses on passenger cars, Category B. Use it to identify the right official page and organise your next steps before booking a theory test or paying for training.

Exchange foreign driving licence Norway: check your country

EU/EEA, the UK and Switzerland

An EU/EEA licence can be exchanged for the corresponding Norwegian category without new tests, subject to the official conditions. Statens vegvesen says that UK and Swiss licences follow the same exchange rules as EEA licences. See the EU/EEA exchange guidance and the country pages listed below.

There is an important qualification: an EU/EEA card originally obtained by exchanging a non-EU/EEA licence may be assessed under the original country’s rules. The official EU/EEA page explains exceptions, including certain further tests, upgrades and long continuous EU/EEA entitlement histories. Do not decide your route from the current card’s country alone.

Eight countries with theory and practical tests

Statens vegvesen groups Australia, Canada, Israel, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea and the USA together. For an approved Category B exchange under this route, you must pass both a theory test and a practical test. You have two practical-test attempts and two years after approval to pass the tests. Read the specific country-group guidance.

Put the deadline in your calendar when the decision arrives. The exchange deadline and the number of practical attempts are separate things to track. Read the decision carefully rather than assuming a fresh application automatically resets everything.

Try free practice on DrivingNorway in Norwegian, English or Arabic. The app explains why the correct answer is right and brings back questions you answered incorrectly until you answer them correctly.

Japan and Greenland have separate rules

A Japanese Category B licence can be exchanged without tests when the conditions are met. The application deadline is one year after taking up normal residence in, or moving back to, Norway; the ordering deadline also needs attention. See Vegvesen’s Japan guidance.

For Greenland, eligible Category B licences issued after 1 January 1995 can be exchanged through a practical-test route. The official page gives two practical attempts and a two-year period after approval to pass. Check the Greenland conditions before applying.

Other issuing countries

If a non-EU/EEA country is absent from the official exchange list, Statens vegvesen says its licences cannot be exchanged under that scheme. That does not answer every question about temporary recognition or your individual circumstances. Start with the official non-EU/EEA overview and ask which route applies to obtaining a Norwegian licence.

Applying for an exchange: a practical sequence

1. Read the page for your actual route

Check the issuing country, category, validity and any earlier exchange history. If you obtained the entitlement during a student stay abroad, look specifically for the documentation conditions on that country’s page. Write down questions that affect your application before you book an appointment.

2. Prepare the requested documents

The official routes describe a paper application and submission of the original licence; additional residence, translation, health or eyesight documentation depends on the route and circumstances. Follow the exact list on your country page. Avoid sending a bundle based on another person’s experience.

Keep copies of your own application notes and make a list of what you are handing in. If a document is unclear, resolve that question before assuming it will be accepted.

3. Submit and follow the decision

The country pages explain submission at a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office or by post, with an appointment needed for an in-person visit. Read the decision letter for the next step and any personal deadline. Separately check whether you may drive while the application is being processed; an exchange application is not a general promise of continuing driving entitlement.

When a theory test is part of your route

If your approved exchange requires a theory test, make preparation a separate task from the paperwork. Review Norwegian situations you find unfamiliar, then practise explaining the reasoning behind your answers. Previous driving experience can be useful, but it does not replace checking the rules being tested.

Use our guides to the theory-test format, booking the theory test and learning from mistakes to organise the learning side of your plan. A mock-exam result helps identify gaps; it does not determine whether your licence qualifies for exchange.

A separate point for Ukrainian licence holders

Statens vegvesen currently recognises valid Ukrainian licences for people with a residence permit in Norway while Norway’s temporary collective-protection scheme for Ukrainians remains in effect. The entitlement must be documented with a physical licence. Read the specific Ukrainian-licence guidance.

Recognition for driving and exchange for a Norwegian card are different questions. Check the first before assuming you immediately need a new Norwegian test.

Frequently asked questions

Can every foreign driving licence be exchanged in Norway?

No, the issuing country and other conditions matter. Check the official exchange-country list alongside the separate EU/EEA rules.

Do EU/EEA licence holders need a new theory test?

An ordinary qualifying EU/EEA exchange does not require new tests. Special rules can apply when the licence originally came from a non-EU/EEA country, as the official guidance explains.

Do US and Canadian Category B exchanges require theory?

Yes, the current country-group route requires both theory and practical tests after approval. The same official page covers the other six countries in that group.

Can I use this article instead of my decision letter?

Use the article to find the right route and prepare questions. Follow Statens vegvesen’s decision and country-specific conditions for your actual application.

Where can I practise if a theory test is required?

Start free practice on DrivingNorway in one of its three practice languages. Explanations show why the correct answer is right, and questions you got wrong return until you answer them correctly.

Official sources