Norway

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

Transport Licence Required

Yes

Yes, for the company operating the vehicles. Under the Professional Transport Act, anyone who carries goods by motor vehicle, or motor vehicle with trailer, for payment, whether nationally or internationally, must hold a licence (løyve). Statens vegvesen grants it. Since 1 January 2025, the old white national goods licences have expired, and operators need the blue community licence (fellesskapsløyve), which can be used for both domestic and international transport. The licence is tied to the company’s organisation number and cannot be lent or transferred. A valid licence document must be carried in each vehicle. Since 1 January 2026, vans used for paid goods transport within Norway also need a licence: either a community licence or a national operator’s licence for light goods vehicles (nasjonalt løyve for varebil).

Conditions for the Licence

The company must meet four conditions, drawn from Regulation (EC) No 1071/2009:

• Establishment: registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre with an effective and stable establishment in Norway. A post office box does not qualify.
• Good repute: police certificates of good conduct for the company, its transport manager, general manager, and board chair. Statens vegvesen rechecks conduct every three years.
• Financial standing: a bank or insurance guarantee lodged with Statens vegvesen, equivalent to EUR 9,000 for the first licence and EUR 5,000 for each additional licence for heavy goods vehicles (lower amounts apply for vans), plus a tax certificate showing no arrears. The company must not be in bankruptcy proceedings.
• Professional competence: a transport manager (transportleder) who has passed Statens vegvesen’s operator’s licence test or holds an approved equivalent qualification.

Ownership or Nationality Conditions

No Norwegian-nationality requirement was found. The licence condition is establishment in Norway rather than Norwegian ownership. Under Norwegian sanctions rules, a licence-holding company cannot be 25% or more owned by Russian or Belarusian owners.

Vehicle Registration and Driver Requirements

Yes. Vehicles must be registered, and drivers need the right category of driving licence for the vehicle (C1, C, or CE for trucks). Drivers who carry goods for payment in a truck also need the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (yrkessjåførkompetanse, shown as code 95 on the licence), renewed through periodic training every five years. Driving time, rest period, and tachograph rules apply to goods vehicles under EEA rules.

Compulsory Motor Insurance Required

Yes. Under the Motor Vehicle Liability Act, the owner of a registered motor vehicle must keep it covered by motor liability insurance (trafikkforsikring). This covers liability for harm caused by the vehicle. It is not insurance for the customer’s household goods.

Carrier Liability Rules

Set by the contract. Norway has no removal-specific statute, and the Norwegian Consumer Council states that the Craftsman Services Act (håndverkertjenesteloven), which protects consumers buying many other services, does not apply to moving. Available sources indicate that the Road Carriage Act (vegfraktloven), which governs most road freight contracts, also excludes removal goods. The Consumer Council advises that the contract must state the total price and all terms, who is responsible for the goods, and any upper limit on the mover’s liability. The mover remains liable for damage it causes, and the customer’s own home contents insurance may also cover the move. Under general contract law, the Contracts Act (avtaleloven) allows a court to set aside unreasonable terms.

Consumer Protection

Yes. The Marketing Control Act (markedsføringsloven) governs marketing and contract terms toward consumers. The Norwegian Consumer Authority (Forbrukertilsynet) supervises it and can prohibit contract terms that are unreasonable toward consumers, issue orders, and impose coercive fines and infringement fees.

Consumer Complaint Resources (For Movers Not Vetted as ITMs)

Yes. The Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) gives free advice by phone and chat but does not decide disputes. If a written complaint to the mover does not resolve the matter, the consumer can send the case to Forbrukertilsynet for mediation (fee of NOK 269 in 2026). If mediation fails, Forbrukertilsynet’s guidance says many cases can then go to the Consumer Complaints Committee (Forbrukerklageutvalget), a court-like body whose decisions bind the parties unless one of them takes the case to the district court within one month (fee of NOK 1,345 in 2026). Forbrukertilsynet describes the Committee’s areas as purchases of goods, craftsman services, and the right of withdrawal, so whether it can decide a dispute about a removal should be confirmed with Forbrukertilsynet. Complaints against movers based in another EEA country normally go first to the European Consumer Centre Norway (Forbruker Europa).

Industry Association

Yes. Norsk Flytteforbund (Norwegian Removals Association) is registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre as an association of business organisations. Membership is voluntary and is not a licensing requirement.

OverviewOverview & Scope

Norway regulates goods transport for payment at the company level, through a transport licence from Statens vegvesen. Because Norway is in the EEA, the licence follows the same EU model as other European countries: the company must be established in Norway, be of good repute, show financial standing through a guarantee, and employ a qualified transport manager. Since 1 January 2025, Norway issues one goods licence, the community licence, for both domestic and EEA transport. The licence attaches to whichever company operates the vehicles. A mover that runs its own trucks or vans needs it directly. Where a mover subcontracts the transport, the carrier’s own licence covers the transport it performs, and the mover should use carriers that hold it. Norway has no statute written for household removals, and neither the Craftsman Services Act nor, according to available sources, the Road Carriage Act covers them, so the written contract carries most of the weight on liability. Consumer disputes go to mediation at Forbrukertilsynet, with advice available from Forbrukerrådet.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Company licensing

1. Register the business in the Brønnøysund Register Centre.
2. Where the company operates its own vehicles to carry clients’ goods, obtain a community licence for goods transport from Statens vegvesen (or, for vans used only within Norway, a national operator’s licence for light goods vehicles), maintaining an effective and stable establishment in Norway and meeting the good repute, financial standing (guarantee), and professional competence conditions.
3. Appoint a qualified transport manager who has passed the operator’s licence test or holds an approved equivalent.

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

4. Carry the valid licence document in each vehicle used for licensed transport.
5. Register every vehicle and keep compulsory motor liability insurance (trafikkforsikring) in force for each one.
6. Ensure every driver holds the correct driving licence category and, for trucks, a valid Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (code 95), and observe driving time, rest period, and tachograph rules.

Subcontracted transport

7. Where transport is subcontracted, use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

Customer practices

8. Ensure marketing and contract terms comply with the Marketing Control Act and are not unreasonable toward consumers.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Company licensing

• Business registered in the Brønnøysund Register CentreVerified by DocumentRequired
• Statens vegvesen community licence (or national operator’s licence for light goods vehicles, for vans used within Norway)Where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Effective and stable establishment in Norway (not a post office box)Where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by AffirmationRequired
• Qualified transport manager appointed (operator’s licence test passed or approved equivalent)Where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Financial standing guarantee lodged with Statens vegvesen and maintainedWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• Licence document carried in each vehicle used for licensed transportWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by AffirmationRequired
• Each vehicle registeredWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Compulsory motor liability insurance (trafikkforsikring) in force for each vehicleWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Each driver holds the correct licence category and, for trucks carrying goods for payment, a valid Driver CPC (code 95)Where applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Driving time, rest period and tachograph rules observed for goods vehiclesWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by AffirmationRequired

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Customer practices

• Marketing and contract terms comply with the Marketing Control Act (markedsføringsloven) and are not unreasonable toward consumersVerified by AffirmationRequired