Compare campervans, motorhomes and RVs to hire in Norway, listed by private owners and local hire businesses. See prices, photos and reviews for campervan hire in Europe, then book online with insurance included.
Campervan hire in Norway gives you fjords, mountain roads and long summer evenings, at the price of a country that is expensive to travel in. Budget around €55–€180 a night (about €400–€1,250 a week), with fuel, ferries and food on top. Late May to early September is the usual window, because several famous mountain roads are shut for winter. The right to roam works differently for tents and for vans, and that difference is the part most visitors get wrong.
Norway quick facts
| Typical hire price | About €55–€180 a night, €400–€1,250 a week; Norway is usually towards the upper end in July |
|---|---|
| Best months | Late May to early September; mountain passes open in stages from April to June |
| Drive on the | Right |
| Licence | UK photocard licence valid for up to 90 days; no IDP needed with a photocard |
| Tolls and vignettes | No vignette. Automated AutoPASS tolls on roads, tunnels, bridges and city rings; many ferries |
| Low-emission zones | No low-emission zone or sticker scheme for visitors; Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim charge a fee for driving on studded tyres in winter |
| Overnight rules | Right to roam covers tents on uncultivated land; vans may park only where motor-vehicle rules allow, at least 150 m from houses |
Where you can stay overnight
Norway has about 1,000 campgrounds for tents, caravans and motorhomes, according to Visit Norway, and most hire trips mix campsites with the odd roadside night. The free option is real but narrower than people expect.
Allemannsretten: tents and vans are treated differently
The Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet) explains that allemannsretten applies to uncultivated land (utmark) and does not include travelling by motor vehicle there. Its camping rules say you may pitch a tent at least 150 metres from the nearest inhabited house or cabin, for up to two nights in one place, unless you are high in the mountains or far from buildings. Beyond that you need the landowner's permission, and you need it from the start on cultivated land.
That right belongs to people with tents, not to vehicles. Visit Norway's guidance sets out what it means for a motorhome or campervan:
- You may park on the roadside shoulder of public roads beside uncultivated land, unless a sign prohibits parking.
- You may not drive or park on uncultivated land itself.
- Keep at least 150 metres from houses and cabins, and do not stay more than two nights in one place without the landowner's permission.
- The Norwegian camping code asks you not to use passing places, to stay four metres from other vehicles, and to obey any sign banning overnight stays.
- Some areas of Lofoten and Western Norway now restrict free camping, mainly in summer. Look for signs, and expect a campsite, not a lay-by, at the popular spots.
So a van on a quiet, signed-clear lay-by far from houses is generally fine for a night; a van pulled onto a meadow, a beach track or a forest road is not. Toilets and waste are your responsibility, and use proper waste emptying stations, as several scenic-route rest areas say their toilets must not be used to empty motorhome toilets.
Driving it in a campervan
Tolls, AutoPASS and ferries
Every vehicle pays Norwegian road tolls, and all toll stations are automated, so there are no booths and no cash. Rates depend on the vehicle's emissions class, and a foreign-registered vehicle that has not registered pays the highest rate, according to the toll body Vegfinans. Most hire vans in Norway carry Norwegian plates, so the toll bills normally go to the hire company, which then passes the cost on to you, sometimes with an admin fee. Ask at pick-up how it works for your van: a tag in the windscreen, a deposit, or an invoice after you return. If the van has foreign plates, register on the AutoPASS site or with the billing provider it points you to.
Many ferries use the same AutoPASS system. Without a tag, foreign vehicles can use FerryPay, which charges a full-price ticket to a card you register, and the operators advise setting it up the day before. Ferry fares rise with vehicle length, so a 6 m campervan costs less than a long motorhome.
Mountain passes that close in winter
Several of the best roads close from autumn to spring. The National Tourist Routes site gives these typical dates, and says roads can close at night and in bad weather even after opening:
- Trollstigen: previous closures fell between 5 October and 7 December, with reopening between 29 April and 12 June. The Langvatnet–Geiranger stretch has closed between mid-November and early January and reopened between late April and mid-June.
- Gamle Strynefjellsvegen: previous closures fell between 15 September and 11 October, with reopening between mid-May and late June.
- Aurlandsfjellet: previous closures fell between 7 October and 6 November, with reopening between 7 May and 3 June; the stretch from Aurland to the Stegastein viewpoint stays open all year. Note that the E16 Lærdal Tunnel below it closes to traffic from 18:00 to 06:00 every night except Saturday night for about two years from 16 November 2026, so plan Aurland–Lærdal crossings in the daytime.
- Sognefjellet: previous closures began between 17 November and 17 December, with reopening between 12 April and 1 May.
The tourist-route pages show current conditions. From mid-September these roads can close at short notice, so an autumn trip needs a plan B along the coast.
Length limits on tourist routes
Hire campervans are well under most limits, but some scenic roads restrict length. Gamle Strynefjellsvegen bars vehicles over 8 metres between Grotli and the Vestland county boundary. Trollstigen and Aurlandsfjellet also limit long vehicles; their official pages quote bus lengths of 13.3 m and 12.4 m. A large six-berth motorhome should check the route before booking.
Other rules
Dipped headlights are compulsory at all times, and Visit Norway lists a hi-vis vest and warning triangle as required kit. Vehicles over 3,500 kg and anything towing a caravan or trailer are limited to 80 km/h, but motorhomes registered as passenger vehicles (class M1) up to 7,500 kg and not towing are exempt. Most Norwegian roads are 80 km/h or lower anyway, so allow more time than the map suggests. The drink-drive limit is 0.02%. Winter tyres are needed for roads covered in snow or ice, with at least 3 mm of tread, according to the UK government. For general driving tips read how to drive a campervan for the first time.
What being outside the EU changes
- Licence. Norway is in the Schengen area but not the EU. The UK government says a UK photocard licence is valid for up to 90 days and no IDP is needed with it. A paper licence needs an IDP or an upgrade.
- Insurance. No green card is needed in Norway, but you must still have valid vehicle insurance. A hire booking includes it; read the insurance guide and check the excess. Travel insurance and a GHIC card (valid in Norway) are still advised.
- Entry. A British passport needs to be less than 10 years old and valid for 3 months after you leave, with stays of up to 90 days in 180 across the Schengen area.
- Customs. Norwegian customs rules differ from the EU. From outside the EEA, including the UK, you cannot bring meat or dairy without a permit from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, so shop for the fridge in Norway.
Route ideas
- Oslo to Bergen via the fjords, 7–10 days. Hardangerfjord, Voss and Flåm, then the Sognefjord. Best from June, once the high passes open.
- Atlantic Road and Trollstigen, 7–10 days. From Ålesund or Molde along the coast, the Atlantic Road and, in season, Trollstigen and Geiranger.
- Lofoten, 7–10 days. Reach the islands via Bodø or Narvik and use campsites because of the local bans. Longer trips can carry on into Finland.
- South coast and Telemark, 5–7 days. A gentler trip that avoids high passes and works in spring or early autumn.
When to go and booking tips
Book early for July, when rates and campsite demand peak. June and early September are quieter, and the high passes start closing from mid-September. Midsummer has near-continuous daylight in the north. Ask what the quote includes: mileage, tolls and ferry handling, a second driver and the excess. Our cost guide covers the extras.
Where to pick up
Pick-ups are usually around Oslo, Bergen and the other main cities. Search by your dates to see what is listed. Check the documents guide before you fly, and the Europe hub for other countries.
Norway campervan FAQs
Can I wild camp in a campervan in Norway?
Partly. Allemannsretten covers tents. For a van you may park beside the road in places where parking is not prohibited, keep 150 m from houses and move on after two nights, but you may not drive or park on uncultivated ground.
How do I pay tolls in a hire van?
Tolls are automatic. The hire company usually settles them and bills you, but confirm the method, and any fee, at pick-up.
Which roads are closed in winter?
Trollstigen, Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, Aurlandsfjellet and Sognefjellet close for winter and reopen between April and June. Check the tourist-route pages for live dates.
Do I need an International Driving Permit?
Not with a UK photocard licence, which the UK government says is valid for up to 90 days.
Is a campervan cheaper than hotels in Norway?
It can be, for two or more people, because food and lodging are costly. Ferries, tolls and fuel add up, so budget them before booking.
Find a campervan or motorhome in Norway: search vans near you.
Planning a road trip? See our Norway fjords campervan road trip guide, with a day-by-day route, where to stay and driving tips, or browse more road trips.