Norway
Find guidance on reporting requirements and safety regulations
Important
The information below is intended to provide answers to questions that come up regularly. It is not intended as a comprehensive guide and it has limited applicability. Please read the countries introduction to ensure that it is appropriate to you. The standard documentation a UK flagged pleasure vessel operating outside UK Territorial Waters should carry is detailed on the paperwork page.
Please note: Applicable rules may differ significantly if you choose to base your boat in Norway, own both property and a boat in Norway, become resident in Norway, cruise a company‑owned yacht, or use your vessel commercially (including offering it for charter).
Paperwork
You can find general guidance on the paperwork required when boating abroad on our Paperwork page.
Svalbard
Svalbard has a different legal framework and governance from mainland Norway.
If you are planning a trip to Svalbard, you should check the Governor of Svalbard requirements.
You must submit a travel plan to the Governor before arriving in Svalbard and are likely to need approved Search and Rescue (SAR) insurance (required for most yacht cruising outside core areas).
Evidence of competence
Norway requires boats registered under a foreign flag to follow that flag state’s evidence of competence requirements. This means that if your boat’s flag state does not require evidence of competence – as is the case for UK registered pleasure vessels - the same will apply in Norwegian waters.
However, it is worth noting that the ICC is widely accepted in Norway as evidence of competence for foreign-flagged vessels. For a Norwegian flagged vessel, the ICC is only acceptable for vessels up to 15m in length.
Entry and exit formalities
Immigration
Although not a member of the EU, Norway is a member of the Schengen Area. See Entry and exit formalities for information on standard Schengen Area immigration procedures.
Customs and clearance
Tourists visiting Norway, and those in Norway temporarily for other reasons, may enter with a foreign recreational boat temporarily without paying taxes. The boat must be for personal use, and it may not be used by persons with permanent residence in Norway. If you meet these requirements, you do not need to report to Norwegian Customs on arrival. Find more information at Norwegian Customs.
Foreign boat owners may leave their boat in Norway for up to 6 weeks. To leave a boat for longer than 6 weeks (up to 2 years), you must apply to Norwegian Customs. Find out more about storing a foreign recreational boat in Norway.
Pleasure Vessels 15m length (LOA) and over, or over 50GT
All foreign vessels 15m in length and over, or 50 GT and over, must comply with the Regulations on Foreign Vessels Entry into and Navigation in Norwegian Territorial Waters. This includes obtaining entry clearance in advance from Norwegian authorities and maintaining an up-to-date sailing plan.
Norwegian equipment and safety regulations
The Norwegian Coastal Administration provides a useful safety overview, including alcohol limits and local speed regulations for recreational craft. It recommends the BåtFart app for keeping track of applicable speed limits.
Alcohol regulations
The maximum blood alcohol limit for operating a recreational craft less than 15m length is 0.8 ‰ (0.08% BAC). For larger vessels (≥15 m), the limit is 0.2 ‰ (0.02%). Penalties for exceeding these limits include fines, loss of the right to operate a boat, and imprisonment, depending on the severity.
Personal floatation devices
Norwegian law requires that there is personal floatation device for every person on board. It is compulsory to wear a personal floatation device on boats under 8 metres in length when underway (unless in a fully enclosed cabin).
Waste water discharge and holding tanks in Norway
Norway relies on a combination of MARPOL standards for waste water discharge and stricter local zero-discharge zones. One such area is the Oslofjord.
Marked diesel in Norway
Marked (typically green), tax-free diesel is the standard marine fuel available in Norway. Taxation is based on road versus non-road use.