An electric car registered in Norway in 2026 pays 25% VAT on every krone above NOK 300,000, down from a NOK 500,000 limit in 2025. The limit is set to fall again in January 2027 and reach zero in 2028, so the calendar now moves the landed cost of a US-bought EV more than the freight does.
Our view after loading cars for Oslo in our own warehouses in California, Florida and New Jersey: if you plan to ship an EV from the US to Norway, land and register it in 2026, and choose the lighter car when two models are close.
By the Numbers
- NOK 500,000 to 300,000: the EV VAT limit for 2025 and 2026. The Finance Ministry proposed the cut on October 15 2025 (regjeringen.no), and the Storting adopted the 2026 budget on December 5 2025 with the NOK 300,000 limit (NAF summary of the adopted budget).
- NOK 150,000, then 0: the step-down the Storting asked the government for, from January 1 2027 and January 1 2028.
- Kr 12.71 per kg: the weight component of the one-off registration tax (engangsavgift) on every kg above 500 kg, the only part an electric car pays (Skatteetaten).
- NOK 2,400: the scrapping fee (vrakpantavgift) on a passenger car (Skatteetaten).
- Ocean container to Oslo, WCS calculator rates table (HubDB), October 24 2026: New Jersey $3,150, 21 days · Florida $3,850, 23 days · California $5,200, 29 days.
VAT on EVs: The Limit Drops Every January
Norway charges 25% VAT on cars, and electric passenger cars only pay it on the part of the price above the limit. The exemption covers cars registered as passenger vehicles; vans and trucks pay full VAT.
Here is what that means for an EV valued at NOK 400,000, as an example:
| Year registered | VAT-free limit | VAT due |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NOK 500,000 | NOK 0 |
| 2026 | NOK 300,000 | NOK 25,000 |
| 2027 | NOK 150,000 | NOK 62,500 |
| 2028 | NOK 0 | NOK 100,000 |
Each January adds tens of thousands of kroner to the same car. That is why we tell Norwegian buyers to treat December 2026 as the deadline, not the ship date. The VAT is settled when the car is declared and registered, so check your car's figure in Skatteetaten's calculator before it sails.
Engangsavgift: Weight Is the Only Bill for an EV
Since January 1 2023 every passenger car pays a weight component in the engangsavgift. Electric cars pay only that part: kr 12.71 for each kg above 500 kg, per Skatteetaten. A 2,000 kg EV, as an example, pays (2,000 minus 500) x 12.71 = NOK 19,065.
Our take: battery weight is now a tax line. Between two EVs with similar range, the lighter one costs less to register, and the gap grows with every 100 kg (NOK 1,271).
Petrol and Diesel Cars Pay More Parts
A car with a combustion engine pays the same weight component plus the general engangsavgift based on CO2 and weight. The NOx part was abolished from January 1 2026, and where CO2 data is missing Skatteetaten now models it from the car's weight. Used imports with older NEDC figures get an uplift factor of 1.24 for passenger cars. For a classic V8, run the numbers before you bid.
Shipping an EV From the US to Norway
Most cars for Norway go by container to Oslo: New Jersey $3,150 and 21 days, Florida $3,850 and 23 days, California $5,200 and 29 days on our rates table today. See how we ship a collector car for each step from pickup to sailing. We pick up door to door anywhere in the US and ship by ocean or air; our own team loads every car and handles every document on the US side. Our EV shipping guide covers battery charge and packing rules.
US Customs wants the title plus 2 copies at least 72 hours before export (19 CFR 192.2), and every used vehicle needs an AES filing regardless of value (15 CFR 30.2). If you will not be at the pickup, a power of attorney lets us file for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do electric cars pay VAT in Norway in 2026?
Yes, 25% on the part of the price above NOK 300,000. In 2025 the limit was NOK 500,000.
What happens to the EV VAT exemption in 2027?
The Storting asked the government to lower the limit to NOK 150,000 from January 1 2027 and to zero from January 1 2028, when EVs pay full VAT.
Do electric cars pay engangsavgift in Norway?
Yes, the weight component only. Skatteetaten lists kr 12.71 per kg above 500 kg.
How much does it cost to ship a car from the US to Norway?
On our rates table on October 24 2026, a car by ocean container to Oslo costs $3,150 from New Jersey (21 days), $3,850 from Florida (23 days) and $5,200 from California (29 days).
What does US Customs need before the car leaves?
The original title or a certified copy plus 2 copies, and an AES filing, at least 72 hours before export.
More Norway Guides
- Shipping a car to Norway
- Norway's EV market
- Importing a car from Norway to the US
- EV shipping: methods and safety
- Air freight for cars
- RoRo shipping
Conclusion
For an EV headed to Norway, the tax calendar is the biggest number on the invoice: NOK 300,000 VAT-free in 2026, a planned NOK 150,000 in 2027, zero in 2028. Ship early, pick the lighter car, and have the title ready 72 hours before the sailing. Bought a car in the US, or at an auction or show overseas? Price it in our shipping calculator, and we will ship it door to door by ocean or air.
It's your dream car. Let's bring her home.
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