Short answer: Anyone carrying goods for hire or reward with vehicles above 3.5 tonnes must hold a goods transport licence (Community licence). From 1 January 2026, the licence requirement also applies to national carriage of goods with vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes. The licence is issued by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) and requires four things: genuine establishment in Norway, good repute, sufficient financial standing (bank guarantee) and professional competence on the part of the transport manager.
1. Do you drive for payment? The licence requirement applies to transport for hire or reward - that is, where the transport is the service you sell. If you only carry your company's own goods (own-account transport), you do not need a licence. The tradesperson driving their own tools and materials is also exempt.
2. How heavy is the vehicle? Above 3.5 tonnes permissible total weight: licence required, and that has been the case for a long time. Between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes: licence required in international transport since the EU Mobility Package - and from 1 January 2026 also in national transport in Norway. In other words, the van is no longer a way around the rules.
3. Where do you drive? The Community licence is valid both in Norway and in the EEA. For purely domestic van operations, there is a separate national licence.
If the answer is "for payment" and the vehicle is above 2.5 tonnes, the main rule from 2026 is simple: you need a licence.
Establishment. The company must be registered in the Brønnøysund Register Centre (Norway's central business register) and have a genuine and permanent establishment in Norway - a PO box address is not accepted.
Good repute. A police certificate of conduct (no more than three months old) for the transport manager, general manager and chair of the board. Good repute is re-checked every three years.
Financial standing. A guarantee declaration from a bank or insurance company. For vehicles above 3.5 tonnes: an amount equivalent to EUR 9,000 for the first licence and EUR 5,000 per additional licence. For vans of 2.5-3.5 tonnes: equivalent to EUR 1,800 for the first and EUR 900 for each additional one. In addition: no overdue tax or duty debts.
Professional competence. The transport manager must have passed the licence examination at Statens vegvesen - or be able to document long, continuous management experience from a licensed business under separate transitional rules.
Note that it is one licence per vehicle: if you want to grow from two to five vehicles, you need three new licences - and the guarantee increases accordingly.
Processing times vary, but most rejections and delays are caused by gaps in the documentation - an outdated police certificate, a guarantee for the wrong amount or unclear establishment. A complete application first time round is the fastest route.
The requirements do not only apply on the day you apply. Good repute is checked every three years, the financial requirement must be met continuously, and serious breaches of the rules - for example repeated driving and rest time violations - can cost the company its licence. Orderly operations and documentation are, in other words, not just good business; they are the very insurance for your right to operate.
It is also worth saying to everyone who finds the paperwork annoying: the licence requirements are a competitor filter. Every requirement screens out operators who would otherwise undercut you with undocumented operations. From 2026 that also applies to the van market - good news for everyone running a serious business there.
A fee per licence is paid to Statens vegvesen. On top of that comes the real cost: the bank guarantee (equivalent to EUR 9,000 for the first heavy vehicle licence, EUR 1,800 for the first van licence) and possibly the licence examination. Check the current fee rates at Statens vegvesen.
Yes. From 1 January 2026, a licence is required for national carriage of goods for hire or reward with vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes. For international transport with the same vehicles, the requirement has applied since the EU Mobility Package.
No, not for carrying their own tools, materials and equipment to their own jobs. The licence requirement applies to transport for hire or reward - where the driving is the service you charge for.
The transport manager - the person who actually manages the transport business. Competence is documented by passing the licence examination at Statens vegvesen or under transitional rules for long management experience.
The Community licence is renewed periodically, and the requirements are checked along the way - including good repute every three years. Check the current validity rules at Statens vegvesen.
Yes. Loss of good repute (for example through serious or repeated offences), failing finances or loss of professional competence can lead to the licence being withdrawn.
The licence comes from Statens vegvesen - the operations that protect it, you build yourself. FleetX keeps track of trips, driving time and documentation in one system. See how.
Sources: Statens vegvesen: conditions for a Community licence, Statens vegvesen: national licence for light goods vehicles, Statens vegvesen: fees and guarantees
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