Depending on where you end up settling in Norway, you may need a car and, therefore, a Norwegian driver’s license. If you call Oslo home, there’s a good chance you can get by without a car and just use public transportation. Everywhere else, especially the smaller villages in Norway, you may need to be more mobile.
New arrivals in Norway can likely get by driving on their home country’s driver’s license for a short period of time. But please be advised there are certain time limits to when you must exchange your international driver’s license for a Norwegian one. Failing to do so in time means you’ll basically need to start from scratch with all the Norwegian driving training.
This requires several classes and passing a driving test. Additionally, there’s a significant cost to satisfy all the requirements. Depending on your situation you can expect to pay NOK25,000–50,000 to complete everything. This is the same for those coming to Norway without a driver’s license.
Driving in Norway is very easy and safe. There have been large investments in road infrastructure in Norway so there are many wide open freeways and tunnels to enjoy. Oh, and those Norwegians are far too shy to honk their horns or drive too aggressively.
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