Prøvetrening for security guards
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The security guard exam explained

Before you can work as a security guard on your own in Norway, you have to pass two tests: a written multiple-choice test and an oral case. Here we go through what to expect, in the order it happens. Links to the sources are at the bottom of the page.

From the first day of the course to approved guard

The basic training is 163 hours in total: 112 hours of theory, 45 hours of practical training and 6 hours of exams. The whole programme has a deadline: from the day the course starts, you have six months to complete the exam.

  1. Day 1The course startsThe six-month deadline starts running.
  2. 112 hoursTheoryAt least 37 hours take place in a classroom, and 28 hours are live teaching, either in a classroom or online. The remaining 47 hours are e-learning and self-study.
  3. 45 hoursPractical trainingPractical exercises in the subjects, often at training sites, led by a practical instructor. The exercises can take place during the course. Until you have passed the exam, you may not work security shifts on your own.
  4. 4 hoursThe multiple-choice testThe written part. You must pass it before you can move on.
  5. 2 hoursOral caseThe final part. Together with the multiple-choice test, that makes 6 hours of exams. Once both are passed, you have completed the basic training.
  6. Every 4 yearsRecertificationA new multiple-choice test to keep your approval.

Exam day

How it works

  • You answer on a computer at the training provider’s premises.
  • An examiner is present, along with at least one invigilator.
  • There are at least 80 questions, and you have four hours.
  • The test is marked automatically, so you get your result straight away.

Remember

  • Bring valid ID.
  • Books, notes and other aids are not allowed.
  • One answer is correct for each question; the other three are wrong.
  • Read each question twice. Some ask for the option that is not correct.
16 mistakes

The requirement is 80 per cent correct. On a test with 80 questions, you can therefore have 16 mistakes and still pass. With 17 mistakes, you have not passed.

The exam is held in Norwegian. A question where you have to find the option that is not correct might look like this (translated):

Which of these is NOT a Norwegian emergency number?

  1. 110
  2. 112
  3. 113
  4. 911

The answer is 911, which is used in the USA. In Norway, 110 is the fire service, 112 is the police and 113 is the ambulance and emergency medical help.

The oral case

Once you pass the multiple-choice test, you get a practical case that covers two of the subjects. First you have an hour to prepare. Then you have an hour to present and answer questions. You are assessed by two people, either examiners or instructors.

To pass, you must show that you can apply what the curriculum requires, both knowledge and skills, in a realistic situation. This part is best practised together with your course.

If it does not go well the first time

You can take each of the two parts twice. It is your training provider that must give you the chance to try again.

If the second attempt also fails, taking the test again is not enough. You then have to start from the beginning, with both theory and practical training.

If you believe something went wrong with your result, you can appeal to the National Police Directorate (Politidirektoratet). The appeal must be sent within three weeks.

The 15 theory subjects

The course plan from the National Police Directorate divides the theory into 15 subjects totalling 112 hours. The bars show how many theory hours each subject gets, which gives an idea of how much material there is. The 45 hours of practical training come in addition. The police do not say how many questions each subject gets on the test itself.

The set textbooks are «Grunnbok for vektere» and «Juss for vektere» (in Norwegian).

Recertification

Your approval as a security guard lasts four years at a time. Before the deadline, you must pass a new multiple-choice test. It is the same size as the test in the basic training and covers the whole curriculum, including subjects you may not have used for a long time.

If the deadline passes without you having passed, your approval lapses and you have to take the whole training again. It therefore pays to refresh all the subjects, not just the ones you use every day.

About our practice site

Prøvetrening for vektere is an unofficial practice site. It is made so that you can practise the material, and it is not part of the exam.

Log in and practise

Sources

The information on this page was reviewed on 9 October 2026. The rules are set by the police, and they can change them. Check politiet.no before you take the exam. The sources are in Norwegian.