How to Exchange a Polish Driving License for a Norwegian One?
Do you have a Polish driving license and live in Norway? Are you wondering whether you need to exchange it for a Norwegian one, what the process looks like, and whether you will have to take any exams?
In this article, we explain the rules for exchanging a Polish driving license for a Norwegian one in 2026. We cover when the exchange is practical, which documents to prepare, how much it costs to get a new license, and what to watch out for with heavier vehicle categories.
Do you have to exchange a Polish driving license in Norway?
A Polish driving license is treated in Norway as a license from an EU/EEA country. You may use a valid Polish driving license in Norway even if you live here permanently, provided that:
- the document is valid,
- the relevant driving category is valid,
- you meet Norwegian age and health requirements for that category,
- the document was issued in accordance with EU/EEA rules.
Exchanging a Polish driving license for a Norwegian one is possible for matching categories without taking any new exams. This applies to the standard situation where the driving entitlement was obtained in Poland or another EU/EEA country.
An exchange is often practical when:
- you live in Norway permanently,
- the expiry date of your license or a specific category is approaching,
- you want to renew the document already in Norway,
- you want to have a Norwegian document for administrative matters,
- the Polish document is damaged, hard to read, or needs updating.
If you drive in Norway with a car on Polish plates, separate rules apply to the vehicle, not the driving license itself. We discuss them in the article Car on Polish plates in Norway - when can you drive it?
Conditions for exchanging a Polish driving license
A Norwegian driving license can generally be issued to a person who has legal residence and fast bopel (place of residence) in Norway. In practice, what matters is whether you are registered as a resident of Norway in the Folkeregisteret (the Norwegian National Population Register).
What does fast bopel mean?
Fast bopel means the place where you normally live for at least 185 days in a calendar year because of personal and professional ties. If you do not have professional ties, personal ties matter most, meaning where the center of your life is actually located.
When assessing this condition, the starting point is your status in the Folkeregisteret. If you only have a D-nummer (temporary Norwegian identification number), that alone is usually not enough to issue a Norwegian driving license. You must show that you actually have a permanent place of residence in Norway.
We explain the differences between the numbers in more detail in the article D-nummer and personnummer in Norway - how are they different and how do you get them?
When can the Polish document cause problems?
The most common problem concerns a driving license that was issued in Poland after a previous exchange of a license from a country outside the EU/EEA. Norway then looks at the country where the driving entitlement was originally obtained.
Example: if someone first obtained a driving license in a country outside the EU/EEA and later exchanged it in Poland for a Polish document, Norwegian rules may treat that document according to the country where the entitlement was originally acquired. In some cases, a direct exchange for a Norwegian driving license will then not be possible.
Exceptions may apply, among others, when:
- the entitlement was upgraded in an EU/EEA country,
- a theoretical and practical exam was passed during the exchange in an EU/EEA country,
- the driver has held valid entitlements in EU/EEA countries continuously for at least 10 years before obtaining fast bopel in Norway.
How do you apply to exchange a driving license?
An application to exchange a driving license from the EU/EEA is submitted on a paper form at Statens vegvesen (the Norwegian Public Roads Administration). In a standard exchange of a Polish EU/EEA driving license, you do not fill in a health declaration in the form.
The full procedure looks like this in short:
You must attach or present the original Polish driving license with the application. After the Norwegian driving license is issued, the Polish document is sent back to Poland.
At the appointment, you must present a valid identity document. Accepted documents include a passport or national ID card from an EU/EEA country. You also need to provide a Norwegian identification number, that is, fødselsnummer or D-nummer.
The application and original driving license can be sent by post, but if you apply by post, you will not receive a temporary driving permit, even if you would normally be entitled to one. That is why, in practice, it is safest to book an appointment at a trafikkstasjon (Statens vegvesen service center).
A temporary permit issued when exchanging an EU/EEA driving license is valid only in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.
You can find the official procedure on the Statens vegvesen page about exchanging an EU/EEA driving license
Costs and validity of a Norwegian driving license in 2026
The Statens vegvesen fees valid from 1 February 2026 are straightforward for a standard exchange of a Polish driving license. You do not pay for exams, because a normal exchange of an EU/EEA driving license is completed without a theoretical or practical test.
| Fee in 2026 | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Issuance or production of a driving license when paying at a trafikkstasjon | 270 NOK | Normally when exchanging a foreign driving license on site |
| Issuance or production of a driving license when paying online | 160 NOK | For selected matters possible online, but when exchanging a foreign document you must appear at a trafikkstasjon |
| New driving license photo | 100 NOK | When an updated photo is needed and taken at a trafikkstasjon |
| Theory test | 480 NOK | Only in unusual cases where an exam is required |
| Practical test for category B when paying at a trafikkstasjon | 1 540 NOK | Only in unusual cases where an exam is required |
| Practical test for category B when paying online | 1 490 NOK | Only in unusual cases where an exam is required |
The validity of the Norwegian driving license after exchange depends on the category.
| Categories | Typical validity after exchange | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Light categories, including AM/M, B, B96, BE, A1, A2, A, S, T | Usually 15 years | For most passenger car drivers, this will be the standard validity period of the document |
| Heavy categories, including C, CE, C1, C1E, D, DE, D1, D1E | Valid as in the exchanged document or up to 5 years from obtaining fast bopel in Norway, if that period is shorter | Professional drivers must pay close attention to category expiry dates |
| Heavy categories with a medical certificate | 5 years from the date of the medical certificate | A medical certificate can extend the validity of heavy categories under Norwegian rules |
If you drive often in Norway, remember the seasonal technical requirements for the vehicle as well. Be sure to read: Winter in Norway - is there a requirement to use winter tires?
Medical examination, lost document, and other special situations
For a standard exchange of a Polish driving license for light categories, you do not need to submit a health declaration in the form. A medical certificate is mainly required for heavy categories, older drivers, and non-standard situations.
When is a medical certificate required?
A medical certificate is required when exchanging heavy categories if:
- the foreign entitlements in those categories have expired,
- you have had fast bopel in Norway for more than 5 years.
The certificate must be original and cannot be older than 3 months when Statens vegvesen receives it.
Drivers who want to keep their driving license after turning 80 must present a medical certificate. After the age of 80, renewal with a certificate is usually valid for up to 3 years.
What if the Polish driving license is lost or stolen?
If you lose your Polish driving license or the document is stolen, you can still handle the matter at Statens vegvesen, but you will need documentation of your entitlement from the authority that issued the driving license in Poland. You bring that documentation to the trafikkstasjon.
You also need to book an appointment in case of a lost document. Without the original license, the authority must confirm which entitlements you actually hold.
Which categories cannot be exchanged?
National categories that do not fit into the international driving license categories are not exchanged. In practice, the Norwegian driving license will cover the corresponding categories recognized in the EU/EEA system.
FAQ - frequently asked questions
Summary
- A Polish driving license is an EU/EEA document, so in a standard situation it can be exchanged for a Norwegian one without exams.
- To exchange it, you usually need fast bopel in Norway, the original Polish driving license, proof of identity, and a Norwegian identification number.
- In 2026, the basic fee for issuing a driving license at a trafikkstasjon is 270 NOK, and a new photo costs 100 NOK.
- For heavy categories, after age 80, or if the document is lost, you need to prepare additional documentation.
If you need help exchanging your Polish driving license for a Norwegian one, call us at +47 21 38 38 21. We will help you organize the formalities before your appointment.
Article author: Marcin - marcin@efirma.no
