Living in Norway: the practical essentials

The three emergency numbers

113 for a medical emergency (life at risk, serious accident), 112 for the police, 110 for the fire service. Free from any phone, 24 hours a day.

Tel. 113 · Tel. 112 · Tel. 110

Out-of-hours doctor (legevakt)

When your GP is closed and it cannot wait, call 116 117: you are put through to your municipality's out-of-hours service. Call before you go.

Tel. 116 117

Poisons Information Centre

If you suspect poisoning (medicine, household product, plant, mushroom), specialists answer day and night on +47 22 59 13 00. If someone is seriously unwell, call 113 first.

Tel. +47 22 59 13 00

EU/EEA nationals: registering with the police

You can work from the day you arrive, but if you stay longer than three months you must register with the police within three months of arrival. Book the appointment online (UDI); registration is free and gives you a registration certificate.

udi.no

Reporting your move (stays over six months)

If you are coming for more than six months, you must report your move to the Tax Administration (Skatteetaten), which keeps the population register, and appear in person at a tax office for an ID check.

skatteetaten.no

Identity number and tax deduction card

To work you need a Norwegian number and a tax deduction card (skattekort). For a stay of under six months you get a temporary D number; beyond that, if you are registered as resident, a permanent national identity number (fødselsnummer). Both arrive by post after the ID check.

skatteetaten.no

Your regular GP (fastlege)

Everyone registered in the population register with an address in Norway is entitled to a regular GP. You choose and change it yourself on helsenorge.no, up to twice a year; the change takes effect on the first day of the following month.

helsenorge.no

What care costs: the annual cap

At the doctor's you pay a user fee (egenandel). When your fees reach the annual cap — NOK 3,278 in 2026 — you automatically get an exemption card (frikort) and pay nothing more until the end of the year, without applying.

helsenorge.no

BankID, the key to everything

This electronic ID opens online banking, public services, helsenorge.no and most formalities. You need a Norwegian number (fødselsnummer or D number), an account with a Norwegian bank and valid ID, usually a passport; ask your bank.

bankid.no

Entur: buses, trains and boats in one app

The national journey planner covers every bus, train, tram, metro and boat in the country, door to door; the app also sells train and regional transport tickets, even for trips across county lines.

entur.no

Road tolls (bompenger)

Tolls are automatic: no barrier, a camera reads the plate or tag. For regular use, an AutoPASS agreement gives discounts; for a foreign car passing through, registering with Epass24 avoids being invoiced at the highest rate.

autopass.no

Buying alcohol

In supermarkets, only drinks up to 4.7% (beer, cider), at the latest until 8 pm on weekdays and 6 pm on Saturdays — many municipalities stop earlier — and never on Sundays. Above 4.7%, wine and spirits are sold only at Vinmonopolet, the state monopoly.

vinmonopolet.no

On Sundays, shops close

The law requires shops to close on Sundays and public holidays. Small grocery shops (no more than 100 m² of sales floor), petrol stations (no more than 150 m²) and garden centres may stay open.

Bottle and can deposit (pant)

Plastic bottles and cans with the deposit logo go back to the machines in supermarkets: NOK 2 up to 0.5 l, NOK 3 above. Don't crush them: the machine has to read the barcode.

infinitum.no