Jegerprøven is the compulsory gateway to hunting in Norway. Everyone born after 1 January 1967 must have passed the test before they can pay the hunting licence fee (jegeravgift) for the first time. In practice, this means jegerprøven is the simple but strict threshold that separates the people who may hunt from those who may not. You cannot hunt without it — not even on a training basis in most situations over the age of 16.

The test consists of 30 hours of instruction spread across 9 compulsory sessions, plus a written exam. It covers everything from laws and regulations, ethical dilemmas, and knowledge of huntable and non-huntable species, to practical skill with firearms and first aid. It is a structured course built to ensure that new hunters have the grounding for safe and ethical hunting — not an obstacle, but a form of quality assurance.

In 2024, 11,225 people sat the jegerprøven exam. Of these, 26.7 per cent were women — a substantial increase on earlier years, and one of the clearest growth patterns in Norwegian hunting.

What jegerprøven covers

Jegerprøven has 9 sessions, each covering specific topics:

Session 1: Introduction and firearms knowledge — an introduction to hunting as an activity, a review of weapon types (rifle, shotgun and their characteristics), and basic safety rules.

Session 2: Ammunition and sighting in — different ammunition types, expanding versus full-metal-jacket bullets, and how rifle and shotgun are sighted in to hit at an established distance.

Session 3: Game and biology — wildlife populations in Norway, huntable species, non-huntable species, how game behaves, movement and habitat.

Session 4: Huntable game and hunting methods — what may be hunted and when, open seasons, quotas, small game versus big game, the various hunting methods.

Session 5: Laws and regulations — viltloven (the Wildlife Act), naturmangfoldloven (the Nature Diversity Act), dyrevelferdsloven (the Animal Welfare Act), friluftsloven (the Outdoor Recreation Act), and where they meet hunting. Allemannsretten (the right to roam) and its limits.

Session 6: Ethics and attitudes — ethical dilemmas in hunting, animal welfare, accuracy, wounding shots and responsibility.

Session 7: Shooting technique and practical shooting — the practical part at the range. Shooting with rifle and shotgun, accuracy, a safe shooting position.

Session 8: First aid and fieldcraft — first aid in the field, treating injuries, and the fieldcraft relevant to hunting.

Session 9: Exam preparation and mock exam — a review of the central topics before the written exam.

Written exam — 50 multiple-choice questions. A pass requires 80 per cent correct (40 out of 50).

For those who pass: registration in Jegerregisteret is the next step. After that, you are ready to pay the hunting licence fee (jegeravgift) (420 kr for small game, 540 kr including elk, deer and wild reindeer, 2025/2026) and buy a hunting permit.

Where you take the test

Jegerprøven is offered through several channels:

NJFF local branches are the most common organisers. Local hunting clubs run courses every autumn and some in winter. The price is typically 2,000–3,500 kr for a complete course.

Private courses are offered by some hunting schools and training companies. The price is sometimes higher than NJFF courses.

Online courses with practical sessions have become more common in recent years. You take the theory part online and turn up for the compulsory practical sessions (shooting, first aid).

Exam fee (360 kr) is administered by the municipality. The exam is usually held at the same place as the course, but is a separate charge.

For those who want to take jegerprøven: sign up for an NJFF course through njff.no/jegerproven. Most courses start in September or January and run over 6–10 weeks.

Age limits and training hunts

16 is the minimum age to sit the jegerprøven exam and be registered in Jegerregisteret.

For young people under 16, there is training hunting with special rules:

From the year you turn 14, you may take part in small-game hunting under the supervision of a hunter who has at least three years of hunting experience and is over 20, together with parental consent. This exempts you from jegerprøven and the hunting licence fee during the training period.

From the year you turn 16, you may take part in big-game hunting under supervision — this requires a passed jegerprøve AND storviltprøve.

For those who are near 16: sign up for jegerprøven the year you turn 16 if you want to start hunting. Many jaktlag (hunting teams) are also happy to bring along young people as guests before they are fully registered, so that they gain experience and can take jegerprøven with some context.

Storviltprøven and skyteprøven

After jegerprøven come two additional tests for specific hunting methods:

Storviltprøven — an additional theory test required to take part in training hunting for big game from your 16th birthday. It covers more detailed wildlife-biology questions about big-game species.

Skyteprøven for big game — an annual practical test. 30 compulsory practice shots (spread over at least two days) plus 5 figure shots at an animal-shaped target where all 5 hit within a marked 30 cm circle. Valid for one hunting year, and must be renewed every year.

For those who want to hunt elk or other big game: skyteprøven is a prerequisite. Local NJFF branches and hunting clubs have ranges with opening hours for training and for taking the test.

Cost

The total cost of becoming a registered hunter:

Jegerprøven course — 2,000–3,500 kr typically
Exam fee — 360 kr
First-time registration and first hunting licence fee — from 420 kr (small game)
Your own rifle or shotgun — from 5,000 kr used; 10,000–25,000 kr new
Ammunition, sight, sling, boots, clothing — 3,000–10,000 kr extra

For those who want to hunt big game:

Storviltprøven — usually included in an extended jegerprøven course, or separately 500–1,000 kr
Annual shooting-test course — 200–400 kr
Hunting permit for the area — from a few hundred kr to 30,000+ kr per year for elk-hunting rights

Total outlay before your first season: 8,000–15,000 kr for small game, 25,000–60,000 kr for big game with your own equipment and hunting rights.

For those who want to start more cheaply: hire equipment and join a jaktlag that has shared access to weapons and gear. Many NJFF branches have loan equipment for beginners.

After passing the exam

After you have passed the jegerprøven exam, the order is:

Registration in Jegerregisteret — administered by Brønnøysundregistrene
Payment of the hunting licence fee — an annual fee, paid to the Treasury
Buying a hunting permit — for the area you want to hunt in. Inatur for Statskog land, the local fjellstyre (mountain board) for state commons, or private rental
Skyteprøven — if you are going to hunt big game
First hunting trip — join an NJFF local branch or an experienced hunter the first time

For those who are new: join an NJFF local branch before your first hunting trip. Local branches run shared hunting weekends, have ranges, and keep up-to-date information about available hunting areas. Membership typically costs 700–1,100 kr per year.

The history of jegerprøven

Jegerprøven became compulsory in 1986, as part of the professionalisation that Norwegian hunting went through in the 1980s. Before that, you could hunt without formal training as long as you had valid weapon papers and paid the hunting licence fee.

The reason for its introduction was deliberate: wounding shots, poor animal welfare, and varying competence among hunters were seen as problems that called for a structural solution. Jegerprøven has kept the same basic structure ever since, with updates to the syllabus and partnership agreements.

Today jegerprøven is regarded as one of Norway’s most thoroughly developed pieces of outdoor-recreation training. Compared with other countries’ hunter training, it is in the upper tier for quality — it is one of the reasons Norwegian hunters are generally respected internationally for their ethics and competence.

Common questions

Do I need a weapon to start the course? No. The course includes practical shooting training with hired equipment.

Can I take the course if I do not want to own a rifle? Yes. Many take jegerprøven in order to take part in a jaktlag as a guest, or to gain a better understanding of hunting and the hunting debate. You do not need your own weapon.

Is there a lot of maths or physics? No. The exam is primarily concrete knowledge about game, laws, and practical hunting. Few heavy academic disciplines.

How long before my first hunt? If you sign up in September, you can be ready for the autumn hunting season (October–December) the following year. If you sign up in January, you are ready for the same autumn.

Can I take the course entirely online? No. The practical sessions (shooting, first aid) are compulsory and must be done in person. The online parts cover theory only.

Next steps

If you are considering jegerprøven: sign up for an NJFF local branch’s next course start. You have plenty of time before practical hunting becomes relevant.

If you have passed jegerprøven and want to go further: register in Jegerregisteret, pay the hunting licence fee, and join a local NJFF branch to find your first hunting trip.

To extend to big game: sign up for a storviltprøven course and the annual shooting-test course. Big-game hunting goes through the competence requirements and practical details.

For a specific species focus: small-game hunting is the usual route after jegerprøven. Ptarmigan hunting and elk hunting are classic specialisations.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).

Jegerprøven and hunter training