Norway charges road tolls and many car ferries automatically through AutoPASS, by reading the number plate.
- The invoice goes to the registered owner of the car, which for a rental car is the rental company, so the costs reach you after the trip through the company.
- Ask at pick-up whether the car has an AutoPASS tag, how tolls and ferries are charged and whether a fee is added.
- Keep your route and ferry times, so you can check the bill when it comes.
Fjords, mountain passes and coastal roads make Norway one of Europe's great road trips. But almost nothing is paid on the spot: there are no toll booths, and many car ferries charge you without a ticket desk. In Norway, tolls and many ferries are billed by number plate to the car's registered owner, so for a rental car the bill reaches you later through the rental company. Here is how that works and what to check.
How tolls work in Norway
Norway's road tolls are collected automatically through the AutoPASS system. Cameras read the number plate as you pass a toll point, and the charge is sent afterwards. There is no barrier and nothing to pay on the road.
For a car registered in Norway, the toll operator invoices the registered owner. For a rental car, that is the rental company. A rental car may also have an AutoPASS tag on the windscreen, linked to the company’s own agreement.
For a car registered abroad, the toll operators have outsourced collection to Euro Parking Collection (EPC), which invoices the vehicle's owner after the trip. EPC notes that processing can take some time, and that passages may be held so that more of them fit on one invoice. That matters if you rent a car in Sweden, Denmark or Finland and drive into Norway: the invoice may reach the rental company weeks later, and the company then passes it on to you.
How ferries are charged
Many Norwegian car ferries use AutoPASS for ferries. The ferry service explains that, without a tag or agreement, the vehicle's number plate is read automatically when it drives onto the ferry, and the fare is invoiced to the person registered as the vehicle's owner. Unpaid journeys carry an invoice fee of 35 Norwegian kroner.
Discounts depend on the agreement linked to the car:
| Payment set-up | Discount on ferry fares |
|---|---|
| Tag with prepayment agreement, private customer | 50% |
| Tag with prepayment agreement, business customer | 40% |
| Tag without prepayment agreement | 10% |
| FerryPay (no tag) | None |
| Manual payment on board by card or cash | None |
A rental car's tag is usually linked to the rental company's own agreement. Whether you benefit from a discount, and at what rate the company passes the fare on, depends on the company's terms. Ask at the desk.
How the rental company bills you
Each company has its own method. Possible set-ups include:
- the company pays the tolls and ferries, then charges them to your card after the rental, with or without a handling fee;
- the company offers a toll package for a daily or fixed price;
- the company passes on each invoice as it arrives, which can take weeks.
One example: the Norwegian rental terms of Hertz (version 2022) make the renter responsible for all tolls and congestion charges during the rental. They list a road charge fee of 32 kroner per day, with a maximum of 160 kroner per rental, on top of the cost of each toll passage. AutoPASS passages are charged at the indicative rate without discount, plus VAT. The card deposit includes an estimate of toll costs, and fines are passed on with an administration fee of 375 kroner.
Your Europe reminds you that rental firms are free to set their own prices and conditions, so check the contract for the method and any fee before you drive off. If the terms do not mention a fee, ask about it and get the answer in writing. Read admin fees for tolls and fines for how to judge a handling fee.
Questions to ask at pick-up
- Does the car have an AutoPASS tag? If so, how are tolls charged to me?
- How are ferries charged? At the company's rate, or at the full fare?
- Is there a handling or admin fee? Per passage, per invoice or per rental?
- When will the charges arrive? Days, or several weeks after the return?
- Can I drive the car into Sweden or Finland? Read driving a rental car to another country.
Checking the bill afterwards
When the toll and ferry charges arrive, compare them with your route and ferry list. Ask the company for a statement that shows each passage with date, time and place. If a passage does not match your route, or the fee seems out of proportion, object in writing and ask for the underlying invoice from the toll operator or ferry company. The amount check helps you compare, and our letter templates help you word the question.
If you cannot solve it with the company
Norway is part of the European Consumer Centres Network. If you live in the EU, Iceland or Norway and the company does not respond, your home European Consumer Centre can help for free. Our overview of tolls and vignettes in Europe covers the systems in other countries on your route.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register for AutoPASS with a Norwegian rental car?
Usually not. Tolls and ferries are charged to the registered owner of the car, which is the rental company. Ask at pick-up how the company passes the costs on and whether it adds a fee.
Why did the ferry cost more than I expected?
AutoPASS for ferries gives discounts to vehicles with a tag and a prepayment agreement. Without that, or when paying on board, there is no discount. Whether a rental car gets a discount depends on the company’s own agreement.
I rented the car in Sweden and drove into Norway. Who bills the tolls?
For foreign-registered vehicles, Norwegian toll operators have outsourced collection to Euro Parking Collection, which invoices the vehicle owner. For a rental car, that is the rental company, which then passes the cost on to you under its terms.