Fishing in Norway: do you need a fishing licence, and what are the rules for tourists?

Updated 27.09.2026. Facts checked against the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, the Norwegian Environment Agency and Visit Norway.

Short answer: You can fish in the sea for free and without a licence, but only with handheld tackle such as a rod or a handline. In lakes, rivers and streams you need a fishing licence (fiskekort) from whoever owns the fishing rights. If you fish for salmon, sea trout or Arctic char and are 18 or older, you also pay a state fishing fee. Tourists may take up to 15 kg of fish out of Norway twice per calendar year, but only if they fished through a registered fishing camp. From 1 January 2027 the quota drops to 10 kg.

Key facts

What applies to you?

• You want to fish from the shore or a boat in the sea: it is free – see sea fishing and protected species.
• You want to fish in a mountain lake or a river: buy a fishing licence.
• You want to fish for salmon: licence plus the state fishing fee.
• You want to take fish home: see the export quota.

Sea fishing: do you need a licence to fish in the sea?

No. Fishing permits or other licences are not required for sea fishing, either from the shore or from a boat (Visit Norway). You can fish from the shore in uncultivated land and from a boat all year with a rod or handline (Norwegian Environment Agency).

• As a tourist you may only use handheld tackle. You may not fish species that can only be caught legally with other gear.
• You may not sell your catch.
• Follow the minimum size rules. Release all halibut longer than 2 metres.
• Keep more than 100 metres from the nearest fish farm.
• If you were born in 1980 or later, you need a boating licence to operate a boat of 8–15 metres or with an engine over 25 hp.

Source: Directorate of Fisheries, sea angling regulations for tourists (modified 26.05.2026, checked 27.09.2026).

Protected species and cod in the Oslofjord

Protected all year: spiny dogfish, basking shark, porbeagle, blue ling, lobster, bluefin tuna, eel, wrasse – and cod in the Oslofjord. Protected in certain periods: among others Greenland halibut, halibut, lumpfish, redfish, and cod in some areas from 1 January to 30 April (Directorate of Fisheries, checked 27.09.2026).

Planning a fishing trip on the Oslofjord? You cannot fish cod there, but other species are fine with a rod. Guided trips are listed under tour operators in Oslo in our directory.

Freshwater: where do you buy a fishing licence?

Freshwater fishing is a public right only for children under 16 (Norwegian Environment Agency). Adults need a licence in lakes, rivers and streams – also on a hike. Licences are issued by local landowners and fishing associations. You can buy one online, in selected sports shops and convenience stores and at many campsites (Visit Norway, checked 27.09.2026).

Norwegian lakes hold brown trout, pike, perch, grayling, whitefish and Arctic char, among others (Visit Norway). Always read the rules on your licence: season, gear and bag limits can differ from lake to lake.

Picking mushrooms on the same trip? See also: mushroom picking in Norway.

Can children fish for free?

Yes, with exceptions. Children under 16 can fish for free for inland species in freshwater from 1 January to 20 August. This does not apply in rivers with salmon, sea trout and Arctic char. Children under 18 do not pay the state fishing fee (Norwegian Environment Agency, checked 27.09.2026). Sea fishing is free for everyone.

Salmon fishing: licence and state fishing fee

For salmon, sea trout and Arctic char in rivers you need two things: a fishing licence from the rights holder on the river and the state fishing fee if you are 18 or older. The fee is paid to the Norwegian Environment Agency and goes to the state fishing fund (Norwegian Environment Agency).

The season starts in June in much of the country and a few weeks later in Northern Norway. In July and August salmon are spread throughout the rivers. Licences are sold on inatur.no and elveguiden.no, through Norske Lakseelver or at the river itself. All angling equipment must be disinfected if you come from abroad or move between rivers (Visit Norway, checked 27.09.2026).

How much fish can you take out of Norway?

• Quota: 15 kg of fish or fish products. You may use the quota twice per calendar year.
• Who: only tourists aged 12 or older who fished through a registered fishing camp.
• Documentation: you must show that you fished through the camp – your name, date of birth and address, the camp’s name and organisation number, your period of stay and a signature. Group documentation is not allowed.
• Trophy fish cannot be exported on top of the quota.
• From 1 January 2027 the quota drops to 10 kg, still twice per calendar year.
• The rules do not apply to salmon, trout, char or other freshwater species.

Source: Directorate of Fisheries, export quota (checked 27.09.2026). How to freeze and pack your catch: from the fjord to your suitcase.

When is the best time to fish in Norway?

• Cod: the largest cod are found off the coast of Finnmark and Troms in winter.
• Halibut: the season is at the end of May and in June.
• Coalfish (saithe): May and June.
• Mackerel: most popular in Southern Norway; there is little mackerel in the north.
• Salmon: from June, a few weeks later in the north. July and August are good months.

Source: Visit Norway, practical sea fishing information and salmon fishing (checked 27.09.2026). Remember that cod is protected in some areas from 1 January to 30 April (see above).

Video: sea angling rules for foreign visitors (Directorate of Fisheries, 1:12)

The film is from 2020. The current export quota is in the section above.

Fishing trips, gear and places to stay in your city

Photos: fishing in fjords, mountains and at sea

People also ask

• Do you need a fishing licence in Norway?
• Where can you fish without a licence in Norway?
• Can I fish from a boat without a permit?
• Do I need a boating licence to rent a boat?
• Can you fish cod in the Oslofjord?
• Where can I book a fishing trip on the Oslofjord?
• Which fish are protected in Norway?
• Where do I buy a fishing licence in Norway?
• Do I need a licence to fish in a mountain lake?
• Can children fish for free in Norway?
• Who has to pay the state fishing fee?
• When does the salmon season start in Norway?
• How much fish can I take out of Norway?
• Can I sell the fish I catch?
• When is the best time for sea fishing in Norway?
• When is the best time to fish halibut?

Sources

All links checked 27.09.2026.

• Directorate of Fisheries: sea angling regulations for tourists (modified 26.05.2026)
• Directorate of Fisheries: export quota for tourists
• Norwegian Environment Agency: where can I fish? (in Norwegian)
• Norwegian Environment Agency: paying the state fishing fee (in Norwegian)
• Visit Norway: practical sea fishing information
• Visit Norway: freshwater fishing
• Visit Norway: salmon fishing

Readers’ experiences

Have you fished in Norway – at sea, in a mountain lake or on a salmon river? Where did you catch fish, and what would you have liked to know beforehand? Tell us in the comments at the bottom of the page. We use your experiences when we update this guide.