Good idea. I am very familiar with duty-free allowances for Norway . Here it is, with my translation to English, straight from the agency in charge:
—————
Alcoholic beverages:

1 liter drink with alcohol strength 22 – 60%

and 1 liter drink with alcohol strength 2,5 -22%, or 2 liter drink with alcohol strength 2,5 – 22%

2 liter beer drink with alcohol strength 2,5 – 4,75%.
This means that a person could for example bring 4 liter beer but no other alcoholic beverages.

Must be 18 years or older. To bring beverages 22% or stronger, must be 20 years or oler. You are responsible to report (yeah, right!).
—————-

Be aware that Norway allow duty-free purchase upon arrival. I don’t really follow vodka prices, but gin is sometimes 59 or 69NOK per liter at the duty-free arrivals shop. Beer is usually 39NOK for 6 × 33cl.

Otherwise, wine and hard drink are only available at state-run Vinmonopol stores, open 10-17 typically M-F, 10-14 on Sat, closed Sun. 1 liter gin will cost 350NOK or more.

Beer is available in supermarkets (which are also closed on Sundays). 6 × 33cl typically 78 NOK or more.

A quick check at www.vinmonopolet.no shows cheapest vodka at 314NOK per liter.

Bringing the max duty-free allowance to Norway is a very good idea!

Thanks for the information. I did check out the vinmonopolet website but most of it is in norwegian and I couldn’t find vodka – so your help is much appreciated. Shocking to find that 1 litre of vodka costs the equivalent of £27.63 which is triple London prices.

There are four of us travelling to Norway, so hopefully we can bring in 4 litres of vodka and be ‘drunk as monkeys’. We will sober up from time to time though, to take in the sights of your beautiful country.

Wow, WTG, Don!!!

Has anyone ever taken homebrew beer through customs anywhere? I’m driving into Norway soon and even half a pint costs an arm and leg. I could quite easily empty my 5 litre beer barrel into bottles, they will keep me happy for a week or two. Customs can’t possibly charge me anything as it’s not for re-sale. Or can they????

Bigwilly, it don’t matter. If it’s alocohol-containing and fit for human consumption, then you’re liable for duty (tax) on it at the border. I’m assuming you’re planning to drive in from Sweden? While there is no formal border between them, police can—and occasionally do—stop cars inbound for spot-checks. They get especially curious of your car is riding low (draggin’ ass) as many people do try to smuggle in booze duty-free.

Now… if you are a home-brewer and want to bring your ingredients, that’s a different matter completely. Home brewing and winemaking is quite popular, evidence by very high raw sugar sales in Norway. You’ll find home-brew equipment at national chain store Europris.

Ok cheers Don, I will be shipping my van in from Denmark into Norway. But then I suppose the same applies.

Yes, same thing. You know you can take the car ferry from Esjberg and Hirtshals? Also could take the Oresund bridge to Sweden then drive up the coast to Norway.

Yes. I’m going from Hirtshals and then returning from Sweden and the toll bridge. I’m hoping to see the northern lights if they are going to come out to play for me.

Mind your driving speed in Norway. Speed cameras are numerous, and fines are quite steep. Speed limits are generally low; expect only 80-90 kph on the straightest and most desolate stretches of E18. Have some 5, 10, and 20 Nkr coins for tolls. Snow tires are required (from early Nov? – late April-ish?).

Load up on beers in Hirtshals. I’ve not come in on that ferry (that I recall?) since duty-free on arrival began in Norway ~ 4-5 years ago, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Danish prices are still going to be cheaper, especially on beer, wine, and spirits.

Don, so do you mean the duty free on arrival system in Norway is now the same as other European countries. Allownces are obviously different
I’m arranging to buy studded tyres at Stavanger, before I travel north—-that will be in January.

No. Duty free on arrival is only allowed in a handful of countries around the world; in Europe, only Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland (I believe). This means that you can buy stuff at their duty-free shops after you arrive but before going through Customs. The prices this way are sometimes good, sometimes not. In your situation, I meant that Danish street prices (shop prices) on beer will likely be cheaper than even Norwegian duty-free prices. But it’s a lot less hassle to just pick something up on arrival. Here’s how wikipaedia describes it: http://en.wikipedia….

Studded tyres are generally discouraged in Norway. Look for the snowflake symbol—that’s the key. At very least “M+S”-rated tyres will generally suffice, but these do not offer the same road grip as “snowflake”-rated tyres on snow and ice. In an accident, the person with the poorest-rated tyres almost always gets the ticket.

Ah ok, I umderstand the duty free on arrival now. No problem.
Studded tyres:- I have been advised to buy studded tyres for my trip up to Tromso in January, and also to carry chains. Do you think I’m going ‘over the top’

Was it a Norwegian (or Swede, or Finn) who does a lot of driving in the mountains or north of Norway in winters? I think studded+chains is a bit over the top, but I only lived in Stavanger for 4 years. Chains are a huge hassle, and don’t necessarily do much if any better than good winter tyres on their own.

Ok Don, thanks for that.
I’m still a bit curious about home brew beer and the duty or tax. How could it be assessed. I don’t know what alcohol content it is, let alone the value.

If you can not certify the alcohol content, then they will likely confiscate it. Beer and wine making is fine, but not stronger drink as there have been deaths from improperly made bootleg hooch. Might you drive off the ferry in Kristiansand and never even get a look? Possibly. Might you get asked to park your caravan and let them poke around inside of it? Possibly. If a container inside smells of alcohol, then you’ll probably get asked. If we’re talking small quantities, then it may well be worth the risk to you.

Normally duty is collected on alcohol-containing beverages above the duty-free limit. Drink up to 4,5% alcohol (for example) might pay 22 NOK per liter; drink from 4,6 to 15,5% alcohol might pay 44 NOK per liter. These are just guesses, since it’s been a while since I read the regulations. The link above might still work(?). You must declare it and pay the (relatively reasonable) rate. Failure to declare—with subsequent discovery—will add a hefty fine to your trip expense.

Ok Don, thanks for all that