9 things that’ll get you arrested in Norway

Here’s what to avoid if you don’t want to get arrested in Norway.

Every country has at least a few laws that are archaic, forgotten – or just downright strange. Norway is no exception.

Owning a TV without paying the tax

Up until January of 2020, everyone who owned a TV in Norway had to cover a television license fee. Now, the license has been replaced with a tax.

The type of TV you own and the channels you watch don’t make any difference – you’ve still got to pay up.

For 2019, the annual TV license fee was just over NOK 3,000, but the swap for a tax aimed to reduce that number.

Finding a 100-year-old ship without reporting it to the police

If you find a ship a century or more old, call the police immediately.

It doesn’t matter if it’s intact or if you just find a part, you can’t keep it for yourself.

As for how to determine how old the ship or ship parts may be… Just use your best judgement.

Going on a polar bear safari

Per Norwegian law, “It is prohibited to lure, pursue or otherwise seek out polar bears.”

The animals are respected in Norway for what they are – wild predators. Instead of seeking them out in the wild, watch them from the safest possible distance for both humans and polar bears – on TV.

Just don’t forget to pay your TV tax first.

Buying alcohol on a Sunday

Buying, and selling for that matter, of alcohol is not permitted on Sundays. Don’t think about sneaking it past the self-checkout line in the grocery store, either. You’ll get rejected.

Luckily, you have six other days in the week to stock up.

Picking another person’s cloudberries

A law known as “Everyman’s right” gives Norwegians the right to freely gather berries across the countryside.

Cloudberries are on another level, however. If you pick cloudberries from someone’s private property in Northern Norway, expect a fine, maybe some jail time, or even getting chased away at gunpoint (it’s happened!)

Careful with the cloudberries.

Dressing up as a police officer on Halloween

The law states that “unauthorized use of a uniform” likely to “weaken confidence in public authority” is illegal.

So, if you do dress up as a police officer, go easy on the beer that night…

… Or face up to six months in jail.

Starting an earldom

Norway explicitly banned the creation of earldoms in its 1814 Constitution.

So don’t even try it.

Reading your boyfriend or girlfriend’s text messages

In Norway, breaking into your partner’s phone is not only frowned upon – it’s illegal.

This is considered a “Violation of the right to private communication” and can land you up to two years in jail.

We recommend looking over their shoulder instead.

Kidding.

Driving a snowmobile on a snow-covered road

“Roads that are constructed for motor cars but that are not cleared of snow in winter” are off-limits to all types of motor vehicles.

The law explicitly (oddly) includes snowmobiles, too.

To end with, there’s a commonly asked question about another law in Norway – is it really illegal to die in Longyearbyen, Svalbard? We’ve got the answer to that for you here.

Source: Norway Today