Expedition rulesEuropeYourself or an operatorCheck · Sep 2026
Svalbard: field rules and notification
No permit for Longyearbyen, but trips outside the settlements need polar-bear protection, some areas need notification to the Governor, and protected areas have tight limits on landings, drones and distance from wildlife.
The permit
- Who issues it
- Governor of Svalbard (Sysselmesteren)
- How to get it
- Yourself or an operator. Most visitors go outside town with a licensed guide, who carries the firearm and follows the rules; independent trips outside the notification-free zone must be notified and insured for search and rescue.
- Lead time
- On arrival · Guided trips: book days to weeks ahead; independent expeditions notify the Governor well in advance.
- Cost (check)
- No fee for town visits; guided trips extra; independent expeditions must carry search-and-rescue insurance or a guarantee (check).
- Documents
- Passport (flights go via mainland Norway, a Schengen country)
- Notification and insurance for independent trips
- If you skip it
- Disturbing polar bears, breaking landing or drone rules, or travelling without notification brings heavy fines.
- Official site
- Governor of Svalbard
Worth knowing
- Rules tightened from 2025: larger ships are limited in protected areas and visitors must keep a set distance from polar bears and walruses (check).
Check before you pay
Fees, quotas and closed areas change, sometimes with days of notice. These figures were last checked in Sep 2026; confirm on the official site or with a licensed operator before you book flights.