How to Relocate Your Household & Pets to Norway

How to Ship Household Items and Belongings

You can move your household items and belongings either by sea, road, or air. No matter which route you choose though, you will want to have a few things prepared for customs in order to import your belongings easily and with little hassle.

First, pack everything into appropriately sized boxes and mark/label them. Numbering your boxes is a good idea and you will want to keep an inventory list of what is in each box. Customs will ask for a detailed description of each item, so be as thorough as possible.

You will need to fill in a declaration form claiming the household goods you are bringing into the country. This form is presented to customs upon your arrival in Norway. This form needs to be filled correctly or your goods will not be processed, otherwise.

What to Pack When Moving to Norway

You can bring household items duty and tax-free into Norway so long as you have owned the items for at least a year and they are for personal use only. For any new items, you will be expected to pay duty fees. Household goods can include:

• processed agricultural products;
• building materials;
• books;
• gifts;
• chemicals;
• cosmetics;
• buying white goods and electric products outside of Norway;
• agricultural machinery and tools;
• laser pointers;
• toys;
• furniture;
• timber, lumber, and wood packaging;
• goods for the representative missions of foreign powers and international organizations;
• damaged goods;
• electric and electronic products.

Permit Requirements

Keep in mind that certain things require special permits and have particular importation rules. Some of these are:

• vehicles;
  • You will have to pay taxes and duty if importing a car. There is a handy calculator you can use to help you figure out what you will need to pay to bring your vehicle into Norway.
• recreational boats;
  • To import personal boats, you cannot have lived in Norway for five continuous years.
  • The boat cannot be larger than 15 meters in length.
  • If the boat is arriving after you, it must be brought into the country within a year of your arrival into Norway.
  • Once the boat has cleared customs, you must intend to own the boat for at least two years before transferring or selling the boat.
• occupational equipment.
  • You will also need to pay duties and taxes on this equipment and items must be declared upon arrival into the Nordic country.

Custom Regulations for Norway

Norway’s customs allowances and rules are as follows:

• The total value of typical personal items and goods (clothes, camera, etc.) do not need to be declared so long as the total value does not exceed 6,000 NOK (655 USD).
• You can bring currency up to 25,000 NOK (2,725 USD) (this includes any gift cards). Anything over this will need to be declared.
• To bring tobacco you must be 18 years or older. You can bring 200 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco for personal use only.
• To import alcohol, you will need to be 18 years or older to bring beverages with less than 22% alcohol. Anything more than this and you need to be at least 20 years old. You are allowed a maximum liter of 22–60% alcohol plus 1.5 liters with 2.5–22% alcohol content (or three liters with 2.5–22% alcohol).
• Up to 10 kg of vegetables, fruits, or meats from within the EU/EEA is allowed.
• If you are coming from within the EU/EEA, you can bring in personal prescribed medication (equivalent of one year’s supply).
• If you have a television and video with tuner, you will need to pay for a license.

Norway’s Prohibited and Restricted Items

Weapons require a weapons and import permit from the police in order to be brought into the country. There are also restrictions on plants and animals coming into Norway.

Some prohibited items in Norway include:

• illegal drugs;
• prescription medication not intended for personal use or in large quantities;
• alcoholic beverages of over 60% alcohol;
• fireworks;
• potatoes;
• meat and milk products from outside of the EU/EEA.

Some goods with restrictions are:

• waste;
• weapons and ammunition;
• endangered animal and plant species (CITES goods);
• explosives and hazardous substances;
• cultural monuments and antiques.

Home Goods Storage

If you are looking for long and short-term storage solutions in Norway, the Norwegian Self Storage Association is a great place to start. This resource offers excellent information on what to consider when selecting a storage provider. Things you will want to watch out for and ask about include:

• a space with proper ventilation;
• security;
• a detailed contract;
• insurance information;
• accessibility;
• size of your unit;
• pricing options;
• length of your lease;
• on-site management and staff.

Vaccinations and Health Requirements for Norway

While there are no vaccinations required for Norway, there are some that are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). There are also no immigration vaccination requirements for Norway, apart from the suggested shots by the CDC and WHO, outlined below. The only health requirement for Norway immigration is private health and medical insurance (for students, for example).

What Vaccinations Do I Need for Norway?

The CDC and WHO suggest the following vaccines for most people relocating to Norway:

• Hepatitis A—You can get this via contaminated food or water in Norway.
• Hepatitis B—This vaccine is advised if you expect to have sex with a new partner, or get a tattoo or piercing.
• Rabies—Bats in Norway have rabies so this shot is urged if you expect to be working in the outdoors or remote areas, or working with and around bats.

The following are routine vaccinations that people should also have before their move:

• Meningitis—This vaccine is recommended especially for students.
• Polio—This disease can spread through food and water.
• Measles, mumps, and rubella—For this, a one-time adult booster is advised.
• Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis—Also for this, you should get just one adult booster.
• Chickenpox—This is only suggested for people who have not had chickenpox and have not been vaccinated.
• Shingles—Even if you have had shingles before, you may still need this shot.
• Pneumonia—You should receive two vaccines given separately.
• Influenza—This is your yearly flu shot.

If you plan on getting any of the shots mentioned above, it is best to schedule a visit to your doctor at least a month before you plan on going to Norway.

Moving with Pets

Can you bring pets into Norway? Moving to Norway with pets is possible so long as you meet all of the necessary requirements for importation. Pet relocation to Norway requires microchipping your animals, health certificates, and proper vaccines.

How to Bring Your Pets to Norway

The animal’s microchip must comply with ISO standard 11784 or Annex A to ISO standard 11785. This must be implanted before your pet receives the rabies vaccination.

Rabies Vaccination

The rabies vaccine must be given to your pet at least 21 days before departure. The animals must be accompanied by a Rabies Certificate that states their microchip number and the date the shot was administered. Pets can travel to Norway with a current one-year vaccine or a three-year vaccine if it was given less than a year before the travel date. Tapeworm treatment is also required at least one to five days before your arrival into Norway.

Veterinarian Health Certification

Animals will also require a commercial EU health certificate which is signed by an accredited veterinarian. This certificate is valid for ten days from the moment of signature until your animal’s arrival into Norway. If moving within the EU after your arrival into Norway, the certificate is valid for four months or until the date of expiration of the rabies shot—whichever comes first. This certificate should also note that the animal has been treated for tapeworm.

Within ten days before your travel date, your veterinarian will also issue an International Health Certificate, which is required by every airline. This certificate states that your pet is healthy and fit to fly.

A clinical exam by an accredited veterinarian is also mandatory 24 hours before departure.

When Should My Pet Arrive in Norway?

If the animal is not arriving on the same date as you, you must adhere to the Five Day Rule, which means you must arrive within five days of your pet’s arrival. Otherwise, your pet’s importation will be considered a commercial move and increased costs and requirements may apply.

You may not travel with more than five animals at a time. Otherwise, the move will be considered commercial.

Taking your Dog to Norway

Dogs must be microchipped or have a clearly readable tattoo. All dogs and puppies also require anti-echinococcus treatment which is administered by a veterinarian. The treatment should be done 24–120 hours before entry into Norway. If the dog is coming from the UK, Finland, Ireland, or Malta then they are exempt from this treatment.

Dogs Coming from Within the EU

If your dog is coming from within the EU, they will require an EU pet passport which is issued by an authorized veterinarian. The dog must be declared at customs upon arrival into Norway. If you are coming from Sweden though, your dog is exempt from all requirements.

Dogs Coming from Outside the EU

If you are coming from outside the EU with your animal, you must notify the Norwegian District Office of the time and date of your arrival at least 48 hours before unless you are coming from Andorra, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Monaco, Liechtenstein, San Marino, and Vatican City. Dogs coming from these areas can also be brought into Norway through any border crossing. If coming from anywhere else, they must come through Oslo Airport or Storskog. Dogs from Svalbard may also enter via Tromsø Airport, Port of Tromsø, or Port of Bodø.

Keep in mind that certain dog breeds are banned in Norway and will require permission from the police before importation.

Other Animals

The rules and regulations for taking your cat to Norway, or even a ferret, are generally the same as those for dogs. An exception is that cats and ferrets do not require anti-echinococcus treatment.

To import a horse into Norway, you will need to contact the Norwegian Food Safety Authority for a permit. You will present this permit to customs upon arrival with your animal.

How Much Does it Cost?

You can import pets VAT and duty-free so long as you have lived outside of the country for at least a year and have owned the pet throughout this period. However, vaccinations and all the necessary paperwork and documentation for your animal will be at your expense.