Notification, application and reporting obligations


Residents taking a trip into the large protected areas must report their trip to the office of the Governor of Svalbard. The Governor sets the requirements for what such a notification must contain. For a group trip, it is sufficient to send a joint notification form. The notification must be sent electronically.

Published 6/20/2019, Updated 12/16/2024

The large protected areas in which you have an obligation to give notification are:

  • Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park
  • Forlandet National Park
  • Sør-Spitsbergen National Park
  • Nordaust-Svalbard Nature Reserve
  • Søraust-Svalbard Nature Reserve

If you are going to drive snow scooters to these areas, you must apply in advance. This specific application also applies as a notification to the Governor of Svalbard, and replace the form for notification of travel plans.

All tenting and camping in the same place for a week or more requires permission from the Governor. You will find a link to the application in the right margin.

The Governor of Svalbard has, on a general basis, made an exception from the demand of search- and rescue insurance for permanent residents of Svalbard for trips to the areas subject to notification.