Strictly prohibited (never)
These items cannot be received at our warehouse or shipped to Norway under any circumstances:
- Firearms, ammunition, replicas, and firearm parts (receivers, silencers, magazines)
- Explosives, fireworks, and pyrotechnics
- Live animals, animal parts, ivory, or products containing endangered species
- Illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia
- Counterfeit goods or items with forged trademarks
- Currency, negotiable bonds, and precious metals in bullion form
- Human or animal remains
- Tobacco products and e-cigarettes (Norwegian import restrictions)
Cannot ship by air (sea-only)
Air freight is regulated by IATA dangerous-goods rules. The following items can only travel by sea:
- Lithium-ion batteries above 100 Wh (most laptop and power-tool batteries)
- Loose lithium batteries shipped separately from the device they power
- Perfumes, colognes, and alcohol-based aerosols
- Aerosol cans (deodorant, hairspray, paint, cleaning sprays)
- Magnetic items above 0.002 gauss at 15 ft (most consumer items are fine)
- Items containing mercury (some old thermometers and barometers)
Needs a permit or special documentation
- Prescription medication — requires a Norwegian doctor's prescription and Helsedirektoratet approval. We do not handle these.
- Food products — restricted to small personal quantities; meat, dairy, and fresh produce from outside the EEA are generally forbidden.
- Alcohol — Vinmonopolet has a near-monopoly on import; we generally do not ship.
- Cosmetics and skincare — must comply with EU/EEA cosmetic regulations; some US products contain ingredients banned in Europe.
- Children's toys — must meet EN 71 safety standards. We can ship but may be held in customs for testing.
- Drones — must be registered with Luftfartstilsynet before flight; we can ship the hardware.
- Knives and edged tools — legal to import for personal use; switchblades and certain combat knives are prohibited.
High-value items
Items above USD $5,000 declared value require additional insurance and may need formal customs entry instead of simplified clearance. We'll let you know when this kicks in — typically adds 1–2 days to clearance.
Norwegian customs basics
For every shipment we file a tolldeklarasjon with Tolletaten using your declared values. Norway charges:
- 25% MVA on goods + shipping (15% on food)
- Duty on textiles, clothing, and some food (most consumer electronics are duty-free)
- Excise on alcohol, tobacco, sugar, and a few other categories (we don't ship these)
When in doubt, ask. Restrictions change. Before placing an order for anything on the borderline, email
hello@norship.example with a link to the product — we'll tell you yes or no within a business day.