Motorcycle – A
See the steps you need to go through to obtain a driving licence for category A. You can see your progress in your driver training on Your page.
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When you have completed the Basic Traffic Course, you will be issued a learner’s permit (provisional driving licence) which gives you the right to practise
You must take the Basic Traffic Course before you can take driving lessons with a driving school or practise driving with a lay instructor.
The Basic Traffic Course is mandatory and consists of 17 hours of instruction. This will give you a basic understanding of what it means to be a driver. You must be at least 15 years old in order to take the Basic Traffic Course at a driving school.
You may also take the course in Year 10 in secondary school.
What do you learn in the Basic Traffic Course?
- About driver training and traffic awareness
- About traffic and the driver’s role
- About interaction and human factors in traffic
- About driver training, practice driving and driving experience
- About traffic accidents: your responsibilities and first aid
- About traffic accidents: what to do?
- About night driving (course)
About night driving
If your practical driving test takes place between 16 March and 31 October you can take the night driving course after you have passed the practical driving test.
Learner’s permit
When you have completed the Basic Traffic Course, you will be issued a learner’s permit (provisional driving licence) which gives you the right to practise driving. You must show your learner’s permit and valid proof of identity with a photograph if you are stopped for inspection. This applies both when you are taking driving lessons with a driving school and when you are practice driving with a lay instructor.
Where will you find the permit?
You can log in to Your page and show your learner’s permit from the website. You may also present the original paper version of your learner's permit, issued by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.
A printout or picture of the permit from Your page is insufficient if you are stopped for inspection.
Is your learner’s permit valid?
Once you have completed the Basic Traffic Course, including night driving course, your learner’s permit is valid until you receive your driving licence. If you take the Basic Traffic Course in the time period from 16 March to 31 October, you will not be able to take the night driving course. In this case, your learner's permit will be valid until 1 November the same year. After this, you must complete the nightdriving course before you can practise driving again.
You can see how long your permit is valid on the permit itself. The online version of your permit at Your page will tell you whether you have completed your night driving course and whether your learner’s permit is valid.
Have you lost your learner’s permit?
You can always find your learner’s permit at Your page. You may also contact a driver and vehicle licensing office (trafikkstasjon) and ask for a new learner’s permit to be sent to you by post.
Are you more than 25 years old?
If so, you are exempt from parts of the Basic Traffic Course, and may practice drive without a learner’s permit. Remember to always carry valid proof of identity.
First aid and night driving are mandatory components for everyone. You may complete the night driving course after the practical driving test if you take the test between 16 March and 31 October.
Do you already have a driving licence?
If so, you are not required to take the Basic Traffic Course and may proceed to the next step.
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At this step you learn about the motorcycle and motorcycle riding, and learn basic riding skills.
How many lessons you need depends on your individual requirements and how much you practise with a lay instructor. It is important that you reach the goals for this step. Through riding practice, either with a lay instructor or at a driving school, at this step you will learn
- how to prepare yourself and the motorcycle for riding
- how to start and stop the motorcycle
- how to change gears and how to ride at a very slow speed – at a crawl
- how to steer, accelerate and brake
- how to carry out a safety check
Mandatory basic theory course
Before you start your practical training, you need 3 hours of theory at a driving school. Here you will learn
- what riding a motorcycle involves
- safety on a motorcycle
- about mandatory safety equipment and motorcycle clothing
The basic theory course is the same for categories A1, A2 and A, and you only need to complete the course once. This means that if you for example hold a driving entitlement in category A1 and then start training for category A2, you will not need to take this course again.
Mandatory end-of-step assessment
At the end of the step there is a mandatory end-of-step assessment. Here you will be asked to assess your own performance, and whether you have achieved the goals for the step. You will also need to consider whether you have a sufficient basis for further training.
Your driving instructor will also give you feedback and a recommendation as to whether you have the necessary competence to benefit from the next step of training. Or whether you need to continue training at the same step to get to the right level.
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At this step you will learn to ride independently and safely in varied traffic.
How many lessons you need depends on your individual requirements and how much you practise with a lay instructor. It is important that you reach the goals for this step. Among other things, you will learn about
- the handling properties of the motorcycle
- riding techniques and skills
- riding safely in different traffic environments
- assessing your own skills as a motorcyclist
Mandatory safety course in precise riding skills
Towards the end of your training at this step you are to complete a 4-hour safety course. Among other things, you are to
- learn how you can take cognitive and physical limitations into account
- become conscious of your need to practise in order to avoid mistakes
- become conscious of the relationship between riding skills and the joy of riding
Mandatory end-of-step assessment
At the end of the step there is a mandatory end-of-step assessment. Here you will be asked to assess your own performance, and whether you have achieved the goals for the step. You will also need to consider whether you have a sufficient basis for further training.
Your driving instructor will also give you feedback and a recommendation as to whether you have the necessary competence to benefit from the next step of training. Or whether you need to continue training at the same step to get to the right level.
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You are about to complete your training. Before you can take the theory test you must have applied for a driving licence. Consider applying now.
At this step you will develop your skills to a level where you can ride responsibly and interact well with other road users. The number of lessons you need at this step will depend on your level of skills, but in order for you to reach the goals for this step it is important that you get a lot of riding practice (with a lay instructor or at a driving school).
Safety course on the road
At this step you are to complete an 8-hour safety course. Among other things, you will
- plan a long motorcycle ride
- practise driving independently, safely and efficiently in varied road and traffic environments.
- be conscious of how you can improve as a motorcyclist also after receiving your driving licence.
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You take the theory test at a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office. You must book an appointment for this. You need to apply for a driving licence first.
You can also fill in an application form on paper, and send it to us by mail.
You need to book the theory test in advance. When you present yourself for the theory test, you will have to show valid proof of identity and pay the fee for the theory test. You take the theory test on a computer in our test room, and you will be given your result immediately after completing the test.
When you have passed the theory test, you can take the practical driving test if you have completed all mandatory training and it has been registered in our system. You can track the progress of your training under Your applications on Your Page.
You must pass the practical driving test within 3 years of having passed the theory test. For licence categories where the theory test is the final test (Snowmobile S, Moped AM146 and AM147), the theory test is valid for 5 years.
Age
You can take the theory test at the earliest 6 months before you reach the age requirement for the driving licence in question. Exceptions are moped and snowmobile. For these categories the age requirement must be met since the theory test is the final test.
Assisted theory test
You may apply for an assisted theory test if you have difficulties reading and understanding the questions. Such tests are carried out with an examiner present in order to help you understand what is written in the questions.
Did you fail the theory test?
If you do not pass the theory test, you need to wait 2 weeks before you can take a new test. You can find out which topics you answered incorrectly, but not the exact questions. When you present yourself for a new test, you once again need to show valid proof of identity and pay for the theory test.
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The practical driving test (riding test) takes 65 minutes and consists of two parts, one skills test and one proficiency test in traffic (traffic test).
You will not be able to authorise the driving school to book a test session until you are ready to take the traffic test. You take both parts of the practical driving test in a single session on the same day.
You are the driver, and you are responsible for what is done during the test. You need to solve the tasks independently, both when it comes to riding and the other tasks you are given. The manner in which you solve the tasks will, to the extent that this is possible, be assessed as a whole for each of the two parts.
When you arrive for the test, you will have to present valid proof of identity. You can pay for the test in advance on Your Page, or over the counter before the test. Paying online is cheaper.
The motorcycle you ride during the test must be approved as a test vehicle by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. You must provide a motorcycle for the test yourself. Most candidates rent a motorcycle from a driving school.
Part 1: Skills test
The test consists of a safety check test and a check of the motorcycle before you proceed to the skills test on a test range.
You begin with the safety check where you are given one practical task and one theory-based question. You may be asked, for example, to check the lights, brakes or warning lamps. In addition you will be asked to explain what the cause or consequence might be if something is wrong with the motorcycle.
The skills test consists of five tasks to be solved on the test range:
- Balancing and slow-speed riding
- Turning skills
- Effective braking
- Avoidance manoeuvres
- Braking in a turn
Part 2: Traffic test – test of proficiency in traffic
During the traffic test you follow a pre-planned route with varied road and traffic conditions. Your examiner will provide you with directions as you go.
After the test
As soon as the test is over, you will be told whether you passed or not. You will be given a written statement to keep, explaining the decision made. The driving examiner will assess
- whether you have reached the goals to the extent that you can now practise on your own
- whether you have adequate vehicle control and are able to avoid unnecessary wear and tear on your vehicle
- whether you are observant of the road and traffic situation around you
- whether you drive in a manner that is predictable, safe and promotes efficient traffic flow
- whether you plan ahead as you drive, take the needs of others into consideration and seek efficient interaction with other road users.