Posted drivers in Norway engaged in goods and passenger transport

When you send drivers to perform goods or passenger transport in Norway, these drivers shall normally have the same pay and working conditions as Norwegian drivers. Employers must also submit a posting declaration for posted drivers.

Posted drivers engaged in goods or passenger transport are entitled to most pay and working conditions afforded to Norwegian drivers during the posting period (utsendingsperioden).

In addition, employers must submit a posting declaration (utsendingserklæring) by the beginning of the posting period, at the latest.

For other types of transport beyond those mentioned below, the general rules for posted workers apply. The general rules also apply if you are posted to Norway by a foreign staffing enterprise (bemanningsforetak) to work for a Norwegian transport enterprise.

Special rules for some types of transport

Goods transport

For goods transport, special rules apply if the vehicle has a maximum authorized mass exceeding 3,500 kg.

These rules apply when a foreign enterprise posts a driver to Norway to perform the following types of goods transport:

  • transport where both the loading and unloading of goods takes place in Norway (cabotage) (kabotasje)
  • transport between Norway and another country (third country transport) (tredjelandstransport), if
    • neither country is where the employer is registered
    • the transport is not a so-called “supplementary activity” (tilleggsaktivitet)

the initial or final road transport leg is part of a combined transport, unless the road transport leg in itself constitutes a “bilateral transport”

Minimum pay in goods transport

This applies to all employees carrying out road freight transport with vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes. This also applies to employees in undertakings established outside Norway if transportation is a provision of service as defined in section 1-7 of the Working Environment Act (posted employees).

Minimum hourly wage (from 15 June 2023)

  • All employees carrying out freight transport by road (with vehicles with total weight over 3.5 tonnes): NOK 207.00
    Previously: NOK 196.50 (15.12.2022–14.06.2023)

This does not apply to the transportation of the undertakings's own goods.

If a more favourable overtime premium has not been agreed, an overtime premium of at least 40 % of the hourly rate shall be paid.

See Regulations concerning working time for drivers and others in road transport (lovdata.no)

Passenger transport

For passenger transport, special rules apply if the vehicle is intended for more than 9 persons (including the driver). 

These rules apply when a foreign enterprise posts a driver to Norway to perform the following types of passenger transport:

  • transport where the passengers both embark and disembark in Norway (cabotage) (kabotasje)
  • passenger transport between Norway and another country (third country transport) (tredjelandstransport), but not if passengers embark
    • in the country where the enterprise is registered and disembark in a country that is not Norway
    • and disembark in the country where the enterprise is registered.

The employer is responsible for covering the employee’s travel, accommodation and food costs during the posting period.  

Minimum pay in passenger transport

This applies to all employees of enterprises operating passenger transport by coach or bus when such transport is not subject to competion for licences (in accordance with section 8 the Professional Transport Act).

Minimum hourly wage (from 15 June 2023)

  • Employees of enterprises operating passenger transport by coach or bus: NOK 202.62
    Previously: NOK 194.12 (15.12.2022–14.06.2023)

This also applies to employees of foreign undertakings provided that the transport assignment is organised in a manner involving posting of workers as part of a temporary service provision, as defined in section 1–7 of the Working Environment Act.

This does not apply to apprentices or persons taking part in labour market schemes. 

If a more favourable overtime premium has not been agreed, an overtime premium of at least 40 % of the hourly rate shall be paid.

See Regulations concerning working time for drivers and others in road transport (lovdata.no)

Exception for supplementary activities

Supplementary activities (tilleggsaktiviteter) are exempt from Norwegian pay and working conditions. In order for the exemption for supplementary activities to apply, the vehicle must be equipped with a smart tachograph (smart fartsskriver).

The tachograph must meet the requirements for registration of border crossings and supplementary activities.

More information about smart tachograph requirements (europa.eu, PDF)

More information about supplementary activities (lovdata.no)

Employers must submit a posting declaration

All employers must register their posting of drivers to Norway, even if the enterprise is not registered in an EEA country.

Register the posting by submitting a posting declaration (utsendingserklæring) by the beginning of the posting period, at the latest. 

Both employers registered in the EEA or United Kingdom and employers registered in other countries must submit a posting declaration.

As the employer, you are responsible for making sure the information provided is accurate. If anything changes, e.g. if the posting is completed with a different driver than originally intended, you must make all necessary changes and updates to the registration.

Submission of posting declaration for enterprises registered in the EEA and United Kingdom

If the enterprise is registered in an EEA member state or the United Kingdom, the posting declaration must be submitted via the Internal Market Information System (IMI):

Submit posting declaration (postingdeclaration.eu)

FAQ about submitting posting declarations through IMI (postingdeclaration.eu)

Submission of posting declarations for enterprises outside the EEA and United Kingdom

If your enterprise is registered outside of the EEA or United Kingdom, you must submit your posting declaration directly to the Labour Inspection Authority, either via e-mail or via mail.

  • identification of the enterprise, in the form of the enterprise’s community authorization number, if available
  • contact information for the transport manager or other contact person in the country of registration
  • name, address and driving licence no. of the driver
  • start date for the driver’s contract of employment and choice of law for the employment relationship
  • planned start and end of posting
  • vehicle registration number(s)
  • specification of whether the posting concerns goods, passenger, international or cabotage transport

Submit the posting declaration via e-mail or mail.

E-mail: post@arbeidstilsynet.no 

Mailing address:

Arbeidstilsynet
Postboks 4720 Torgarden
7468 Trondheim

Documentation requirements

The driver must be able to present documentation in Norway

In case of roadside inspection in Norway, the employer must make sure the driver has in-vehicle access to certain documents, to present for inspection.

Read more about which documents that must be available for presentation in Norway (lovdata.no)

The employer is responsible for making sure the driver is able to present documentation. These documents cannot show whether the driver is afforded Norwegian pay and working conditions. The Labour Inspection Authority will therefore, in some cases, request additional documentation afterwards.

The employer must be able to forward additional documentation

The Labour Inspection Authority may request that you forward additional documentation of the employee’s pay and working conditions.

For enterprises registered in the EEA or United Kingdom, the Labour Inspection Authority will send this request through the IMI system.

If the enterprise does not have access to IMI, the documentation must be forwarded to the Labour Inspection Authority via eDialogue or mail.

Read more about which types of additional documentation may be requested (lovdata.no)