Accepts driving licenses from countries that have joined the Geneva Convention of 1949
The Governor has decided further exception from the driving license requirement for foreign driving licenses in Svalbard. The exception is extended to cover driving licenses for passenger cars/class B, if the driving license is issued in a country that is a party to the Geneva Convention of 1949 or the Vienna Convention of 1968 on road traffic. The driver's license must be valid in the issuing country. The exception in Svalbard applies from today through 31.12.2023.
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In light of the recent challenges with foreign driving licenses in Svalbard, the Governor of Svalbard has been in close dialogue with the Ministry of Transport and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration on this important matter.
According to the authorization provision in the Regulations on the Road Traffic Act with the validity of regulations in Svalbard, part II, second paragraph, the Governor of Svalbard can make exceptions to the rules in the regulations. The Governor has therefor decided the following exceptions to the driving license requirement for foreign driving licenses in Svalbard:
In addition to a foreign driver's license issued according to the model required by the Vienna Convention of 1968, a driver's license that gives the right to drive a passenger car/class B is also accepted, if the driver's license is issued in a country that is a party to the Geneva Convention of 1949 on road traffic. The driver's license must be valid in the issuing country.
The exception in Svalbard applies from today and through 31.12.2023.
Driving license for class B also gives driving license for class S (snowmobile).
For the Governor, two things are particularly important, and both are a prerequisite for the exception: consideration of traffic safety and the possibility of carrying out effective and correct checks of drivers.
The Ministry of Transport has stated that they will review regulations on the Road Traffic Act with the regulations' validity in Svalbard more thoroughly during 2023.
An overview of countries that have signed the Geneva Convention of 1949 or the Vienna Convention of 1968 on road traffic can be found via the links on the right.