What you need to know about boating licences in Norway
With Norway's beautiful coastline, numerous fjords, lakes, and rivers, it's no surprise that boating is very popular in the country. However you will likely need a licence to operate a boat.
Norway offers a plethora of opportunities for boating enthusiasts to indulge in their favourite water activities, and the country's stunning coastline and fjords are especially popular among both local and international boat lovers.
While boating is deeply ingrained in Norwegian culture, it is also strictly regulated – and the subject of heated and recurring social debates, which tend to take place during the summer season, when dozens of boat drivers are regularly caught operating vessels with high blood alcohol levels.
So, what are the rules you should know about when it comes to boating in Norway, and what does the process of getting your licence look like?
Key rules
To start off, the current regulations note that people born before 1980 don't need a licence to operate a boat longer than 8 metres or with a motor with more than 25 horse powers.
However, if you were born in 1980 or later, you'll need a license to operate such a boat. You'll also need to be at least 16 years of age to get the licence.
In Norway, you can navigate leisure crafts measuring up to a maximum of 15 meters with a boating license.
Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash
You can find more information about the requirements for the boating licence (including age limits, qualifications, and others) on the webpage of the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
Note that operating a boat without the appropriate licence can result in fines.
The Norwegian Boating License exam
To get your licence, you'll need to pass the boating exam at an approved test centre, which consists of a theoretical test prepared under guidelines issued by the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
You can find an approved test centre on the webpage of the Boating Licence Holder Registry (Båtførerregisteret).
In order to take the exam, you'll need to be over the age of 14. However, you need to be 16 to get a licence issued. The exam lasts one hour, and you can usually choose between the English or Norwegian exam.
You'll have to answer at least 40 questions correctly (out of 50) to pass the exam. In addition, there are several particularly important topics where you can only have two wrong answers (out of 12 such questions) to pass.
Once you complete it, you'll receive the result in writing immediately. If you fail the test, you can retake it after 14 days.
As the competent authority points out, to apply for a boating licence, you'll also need to prepare a confirmation - no more than three years old - stating that you've successfully passed the boating exam, a copy of a valid qualification document, a copy of an expired qualification document, or a copy of a diploma for a completed course as a basis for the issue of the qualification document.
Furthermore, you'll need a passport photo that is not more than one year old, a copy of approved identification with name and personal identification number, and a copy of the receipt for the paid fee.
High-speed licences and international certificates
If you want to operate a recreational craft that can reach speeds of 50 knots or more, you'll need to meet additional requirements on top of the aforementioned basic ones.
High-speed licences can be obtained by people who have turned 18 years, who meet the requirement to operate a recreational craft for which a boating licence is required, and who have completed theoretical and practical high-speed training in accordance with the regulations.
The high-speed licence is issued for the operation of either boats or personal watercraft. The training for high-speed licences includes a theoretical part, as well as a practical part.
You can also apply for an International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft.
To be eligible for this certificate, you'll need to be at least 16 years old, a Norwegian national, a resident of Norway, a North American national, or a national of any country that is not a member of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and you must qualify for a Norwegian boating licence or hold a valid qualification document.
You'll also need to demonstrate your abilities by passing a practical test that proves your competence in operating a craft and your nautical and technical knowledge for safe navigation in coastal waters.
Additionally, you must be physically and mentally fit to operate a recreational craft with adequate vision and hearing.
Courses and fees
There is no obligation that states that you must go through a course to take a test. However, some people opt for a course to ensure they're as ready as possible before they take the exam.
Such courses are normally carried out in Norwegian, but some providers offer courses in English as well, so make sure to check beforehand.
Courses that prepare you for the theoretical exam tend to cover navigation, seamanship, technical aspects of operating a boat, rules and regulations at sea, safety rules, and other elements. They usually last between 12 and 20 hours.
Expect to pay a fee for the theoretical boating exam and the issue of the boating licence, high-speed licence, or International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft.
At the Oslo Sailing School, the exam fee will cost you 837 kroner for your first attempt, while the entire course will set you back 4,100 kroner.
Are foreign boating licences recognised?
If you hold a boating licence or qualification document from another European Economic Area (EEA) country, it may be valid in Norway, provided it meets specific criteria.
For your foreign boating licence to be recognised in Norway, it must align with the requirements of a Norwegian boating licence in all essential aspects.
Additionally, the document must be issued in either a Scandinavian language or English, making it easily understandable to Norwegian authorities.
The great news is that as a holder of an acknowledged foreign boating licence or qualification document, you can even apply for a Norwegian boating licence. However, there are some conditions to meet.
The foreign licence must have been issued while you were a resident in the respective country, and your residency there should have lasted for more than one year.
Comments
See Also
Norway offers a plethora of opportunities for boating enthusiasts to indulge in their favourite water activities, and the country's stunning coastline and fjords are especially popular among both local and international boat lovers.
While boating is deeply ingrained in Norwegian culture, it is also strictly regulated – and the subject of heated and recurring social debates, which tend to take place during the summer season, when dozens of boat drivers are regularly caught operating vessels with high blood alcohol levels.
So, what are the rules you should know about when it comes to boating in Norway, and what does the process of getting your licence look like?
Key rules
To start off, the current regulations note that people born before 1980 don't need a licence to operate a boat longer than 8 metres or with a motor with more than 25 horse powers.
However, if you were born in 1980 or later, you'll need a license to operate such a boat. You'll also need to be at least 16 years of age to get the licence.
In Norway, you can navigate leisure crafts measuring up to a maximum of 15 meters with a boating license.
You can find more information about the requirements for the boating licence (including age limits, qualifications, and others) on the webpage of the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
Note that operating a boat without the appropriate licence can result in fines.
The Norwegian Boating License exam
To get your licence, you'll need to pass the boating exam at an approved test centre, which consists of a theoretical test prepared under guidelines issued by the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
You can find an approved test centre on the webpage of the Boating Licence Holder Registry (Båtførerregisteret).
In order to take the exam, you'll need to be over the age of 14. However, you need to be 16 to get a licence issued. The exam lasts one hour, and you can usually choose between the English or Norwegian exam.
You'll have to answer at least 40 questions correctly (out of 50) to pass the exam. In addition, there are several particularly important topics where you can only have two wrong answers (out of 12 such questions) to pass.
Once you complete it, you'll receive the result in writing immediately. If you fail the test, you can retake it after 14 days.
As the competent authority points out, to apply for a boating licence, you'll also need to prepare a confirmation - no more than three years old - stating that you've successfully passed the boating exam, a copy of a valid qualification document, a copy of an expired qualification document, or a copy of a diploma for a completed course as a basis for the issue of the qualification document.
Furthermore, you'll need a passport photo that is not more than one year old, a copy of approved identification with name and personal identification number, and a copy of the receipt for the paid fee.
High-speed licences and international certificates
If you want to operate a recreational craft that can reach speeds of 50 knots or more, you'll need to meet additional requirements on top of the aforementioned basic ones.
High-speed licences can be obtained by people who have turned 18 years, who meet the requirement to operate a recreational craft for which a boating licence is required, and who have completed theoretical and practical high-speed training in accordance with the regulations.
The high-speed licence is issued for the operation of either boats or personal watercraft. The training for high-speed licences includes a theoretical part, as well as a practical part.
You can also apply for an International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft.
To be eligible for this certificate, you'll need to be at least 16 years old, a Norwegian national, a resident of Norway, a North American national, or a national of any country that is not a member of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and you must qualify for a Norwegian boating licence or hold a valid qualification document.
You'll also need to demonstrate your abilities by passing a practical test that proves your competence in operating a craft and your nautical and technical knowledge for safe navigation in coastal waters.
Additionally, you must be physically and mentally fit to operate a recreational craft with adequate vision and hearing.
Courses and fees
There is no obligation that states that you must go through a course to take a test. However, some people opt for a course to ensure they're as ready as possible before they take the exam.
Such courses are normally carried out in Norwegian, but some providers offer courses in English as well, so make sure to check beforehand.
Courses that prepare you for the theoretical exam tend to cover navigation, seamanship, technical aspects of operating a boat, rules and regulations at sea, safety rules, and other elements. They usually last between 12 and 20 hours.
Expect to pay a fee for the theoretical boating exam and the issue of the boating licence, high-speed licence, or International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft.
At the Oslo Sailing School, the exam fee will cost you 837 kroner for your first attempt, while the entire course will set you back 4,100 kroner.
Are foreign boating licences recognised?
If you hold a boating licence or qualification document from another European Economic Area (EEA) country, it may be valid in Norway, provided it meets specific criteria.
For your foreign boating licence to be recognised in Norway, it must align with the requirements of a Norwegian boating licence in all essential aspects.
Additionally, the document must be issued in either a Scandinavian language or English, making it easily understandable to Norwegian authorities.
The great news is that as a holder of an acknowledged foreign boating licence or qualification document, you can even apply for a Norwegian boating licence. However, there are some conditions to meet.
The foreign licence must have been issued while you were a resident in the respective country, and your residency there should have lasted for more than one year.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.