Norwegian Ramp Gradients: TEK17 §12-16

The requirement

The maximum ramp gradient in Norway is 1:15. A short ramp can be steeper: 1:12 is allowed when the run is under 3.0 m. That is TEK17 §12-16(2). An approach to the entrance must also be checked under §§8-5 and 8-6. A path that follows the ground is not a ramp under §12-16.

TEK17 §12-16 covers ramps between levels. Its own guidance sends entrance approaches to the outdoor-access rules. Confirm the route before choosing a slope.

Some buildings must meet universal design. For those, §12-16(4) adds one extra thing: a marked strip at the start of the ramp. The strip needs a luminance contrast of at least 0.8. It must be at least 40 mm wide and run the full width of the ramp. The gradient rule does not change.

TEK17 §12-16

Four more figures set out the rest of the ramp:

Landing (hvileplan). A flat landing at least 1.5 m long is needed for every 1.0 m of height the ramp climbs (§12-16(2)).
Handrail. Rails go on both sides (§12-16(3)). Use one rail with its top edge 0.8 m above the ramp surface, or two rails at 0.9 m and 0.7 m. The rail must stand out clearly from the wall or guard behind it. It must also be easy to grip.
Width. At least 0.9 m (§12-16(1)). The code names that as the minimum for a wheelchair. Make it wider for the traffic you expect.
Headroom. TEK17 sets no figure for ramp headroom in §12-16. Stairs get 2.0–2.1 m figures. That does not remove clearance or escape-route duties elsewhere.

Work it out on site

Say your threshold sits 0.45 m above the path. You are setting out the ramp under §12-16.

Try 1:15 first. At 1:15, the run is 0.45 m × 15 = 6.75 m.
Check the steeper option. The 1:12 gradient is only allowed for a run under 3.0 m. At 1:12, this rise needs 0.45 × 12 = 5.4 m of run. That is still over 3.0 m. So 1:12 is out here. Build to 1:15.
Add the landings. A landing at least 1.5 m long goes in each time the ramp climbs a further 1.0 m. The total rise here is only 0.45 m. So you just need a landing at the top and one at the bottom.

So: about 6.75 m of ramp at 1:15, with 1.5 m landings top and bottom. The slope calculator does the rise and run maths and the 3.0 m gradient check for you.

Do it in 5 seconds

Part of the Norwegian Building Regulations hub — the hub, with the TEK17 sections that set the rules.
Building the stairs that ramp might replace? See Norwegian stair & guard rules.

Sources

TEK17 §12-16 (Rampe) — gradient, landings, handrail and width for every ramp. Read it at dibk.no.

Read this first. These figures are from TEK17 §12-16 as currently published. TEK17 is amended section by section — check the “Endringshistorikk” on the dibk.no page for the current wording before you build to it. And don’t reach for a different document for an accessible ramp: §12-16 is the single gradient rule for every ramp on a dwelling.

Frequently asked questions

What's the maximum gradient for a ramp in Norway?

TEK17 §12-16(2) sets a general maximum gradient of 1:15. A short run under 3.0 m can be steeper, at 1:12. The same rule covers every ramp under §12-16. There is no separate figure for an accessible ramp versus an ordinary one.

Do accessible ramps use a different gradient?

No. The 1:15 and 1:12 gradient rule stays the same. For ramps within its scope, §12-16(4) adds a luminance-contrast marking at the start of the ramp. It needs a contrast of at least 0.8 and must be at least 40 mm wide, across the full ramp width.

How long do the landings need to be?

TEK17 §12-16(2) asks for a flat landing, called a hvileplan, at least 1.5 m long for every 1.0 m of height the ramp climbs.

What handrail does a Norwegian ramp need?

Rails go on both sides, under §12-16(3). Use one rail with its top edge 0.8 m above the ramp surface, or two rails at 0.9 m and 0.7 m. The rail must stand out clearly from the wall or guard behind it, and it must be easy to grip.

How wide does a ramp need to be, and is there a headroom rule?

Width must be at least 0.9 m under §12-16(1). The code names that as the wheelchair minimum. Make it wider for the traffic you expect. TEK17 sets no headroom figure for ramps in §12-16. Check clearance and approach-route rules for the project.