Before you go to see the car, ask for the registration number
Do not start by asking whether the seller “will lower the price”.
First ask for the registration number.
With it you can check a large part of the car’s history even before viewing.
STEP 1. Check the car in Statens vegvesen
In the official Statens vegvesen database you can check, among other things:
make and model,
technical data,
date of first registration,
fuel and power,
EU inspection expiry date,
vehicle status.
After logging in to Din side you can also see odometer readings reported during subsequent EU inspections. (vegvesen.no)
That is very useful.
If the car shows 145 000 km today, but a few years earlier 210 000 km was recorded during an inspection, you need to find out why. Statens vegvesen notes, however, that not every discrepancy indicates fraud – it may also result from an incorrect entry, an instrument cluster replacement, or a conversion from miles to kilometres. (vegvesen.no)
Check the vehicle data in Statens vegvesen
STEP 2. Check that the car has no debt
This is one of the most important steps.
Before purchase, check encumbrances, that is registered encumbrances on the vehicle, in Brønnøysundregistrene.
If you buy a car that is subject to a lien, the creditor may in certain situations assert their rights to the car as well. Brønnøysundregistrene warns that in the worst case the buyer may lose the vehicle. (brreg.no)
If the register does not show any encumbrances, save or print the confirmation from the day of purchase.
Check encumbrances on the vehicle
STEP 3. Check the EU inspection
Check not only whether the car “has an inspection”.
See until when the EU inspection is valid.
If the due date expires in a month, in theory you are buying a vehicle that is allowed on the road, but you may soon be given a list of costly defects to repair.
If the vehicle does not have an approved EU inspection within the required period, it cannot be used normally. (vegvesen.no)
Therefore, for a car with an expiring inspection it is sensible to ask the seller to have it carried out before purchase or to factor the risk into the price.
STEP 4. Check that the seller is really the owner
It is not enough that a person has the keys.
Statens vegvesen recommends checking the seller's identification document and ensuring that they are the registered owner of the car. (vegvesen.no)
If the car is being sold by someone „for a friend”, „for a brother” or „because the owner is abroad”, clarify this before payment.
STEP 5. Ask about the history before you look under the hood
Ask for:
the service book or service history, workshop invoices, information about previous damage, timing belt replacement if applicable, automatic transmission service, two sets of keys, and information about summer and winter tires.
For an electric car, also check:
battery condition, charging and repair history, AC/DC charging operation, charging cables, and the remaining warranty on the battery.
Do not rely solely on the statement:
„The car is spotless.”
Important information from the seller should later be included in the contract.
STEP 6. Inspect the car while cold
If it's a combustion-engine car, it's best to see it before the first start of the day.
A warm engine can hide starting problems, uneven running, or unusual noises.
Check, among other things:
tires and their wear, brake discs and pads, rust under the car and on the sills, leaks, fluid levels, operation of lights, air conditioning, windows and electronics, and warning lights after startup.
I would no longer base a guide on old simplifications like „diesel always smokes” or that a certain color of smoke clearly indicates a specific fault. Such a diagnosis cannot be reliably made without examining the car.
STEP 7. Take a test drive
Forbrukerrådet strongly recommends inspecting and taking the car for a test drive before purchase. (forbrukerradet.no)
During the drive, check:
whether the car tracks straight, the steering wheel doesn't vibrate, there are no unusual suspension noises, the gearbox shifts smoothly, the clutch doesn't slip, the brakes work evenly, and no warning lights appear on the dashboard.
In an electric car also check the battery behavior, energy consumption, and the operation of regenerative braking.
STEP 8. More expensive car? Go for an independent inspection
This is often the best money spent in the whole process.
Forbrukerrådet and Statens vegvesen recommend checking a tilstandsrapport carried out by NAF, Viking, or an authorized workshop. (forbrukerradet.no) (vegvesen.no)
If the seller firmly refuses an independent inspection of an expensive car, I would treat it as a warning sign.
STEP 9. Always sign a contract
Even if the seller seems honest.
Forbrukerrådet provides a ready-made contract for purchasing a used car. It also recommends keeping the original listing, because its content may matter in a later dispute. (forbrukerradet.no)
In the contract write down, among other things:
the price, mileage, known defects, previous damage, equipment included in the price, number of keys, tires and everything the seller promised before the purchase.
Forbrukerrådet used car purchase contract
STEP 10. Prepare insurance before taking over the car
After accepting the sale notification you become the registered owner.
The car must be insured from the decision date, that is the day when all parties approve the change of owner.
If the vehicle remains without the mandatory insurance, a fee may be charged for each day without a policy. Statens vegvesen states that lack of insurance within three days from the decision date causes such a fee to be charged. (vegvesen.no)
It is safest to arrange insurance before confirming the purchase.
STEP 11. Do the sale notification together
Seller and buyer can carry out the change of owner digitally.
The seller sends the sale notification, and the buyer approves it on Din side.
Statens vegvesen recommends performing this process together. (vegvesen.no)
Do not transfer a large sum solely on the promise that "I'll do the sale notification this evening".
STEP 12. Pay the re-registration fee
After approving the change of owner, the buyer must pay the re-registration fee.
Its amount depends on the type of vehicle, weight and age, and rates may change every year. (vegvesen.no)
We therefore do not give a single amount in the article that would be out of date in a year.
Before the car is allowed to be used, requirements including insurance and EU inspection must be met.
Note: the car may be deregistered despite plates
This is an interesting trap.
The car may have license plates physically mounted, and yet be deregistered.
Therefore check the car's status before driving away.
A car that is deregistered must not be driven normally, and the vehicle is then also uninsured. (vegvesen.no)
Are you buying from a private seller or a dealership? It's a big difference
If you buy a car from a private individual, the kjøpsloven generally applies, and the complaint period is up to 2 years.
If you buy from a professional seller, the forbrukerkjøpsloven applies, and for a car the complaint period can be 5 years. (forbrukerradet.no)
However, this does not mean that the seller is responsible for every wear and tear of an old car.
Factors that matter include, among others, the vehicle's age, mileage, price, information contained in the advertisement and the contract, and what could reasonably be expected of the car.
Did you discover a serious defect after purchase?
Do not begin by carrying out an expensive repair yourself without contacting the seller.
Document it, obtain a diagnosis and submit a written complaint to the seller as soon as possible.
Keep:
the advertisement, the contract, SMS messages, messages, photos, the workshop report and invoices.
This can be crucial in a dispute.
Shortest checklist before payment
Registration number → Statens vegvesen → mileage → EU-kontroll → heftelser → owner → service history → test drive → workshop check → contract → insurance → salgsmelding → omregistrering → only then do you drive away.
A car that costs 150 000 NOK should not be bought after a five-minute look in a parking lot just because the seller says: „there's nothing wrong with it”.
A few checks before purchase can save you tens of thousands of kroner later.
Information checked: 25 September 2026.
