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. Where a building must meet universal design, §12-16(4) adds one extra thing: 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. Unlike stairs, there is no fri-høyde number to check.

In this section

Norwegian Ramp Gradients: TEK17 §12-16

TEK17's ramp rule, one section for every ramp: max gradient 1:15 (1:12 for a run under 3.0 m), landings, handrail and width — from §12-16.

TEK17 §12-16 (2017, as amended) Clause NO 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). The same rule covers every ramp on a dwelling. There is no separate figure for an accessible ramp.

Norway sets one rule for ramps, not several. TEK17 §12-16 covers them all. Some countries split “general” ramps from “accessible” ones. Norway does not. Get the gradient right here and it holds for any ramp.

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. Ramps have nothing to check.

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.

More Norway rules

Ramps in other countries

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. Where a building must meet universal design, §12-16(4) adds one extra thing: 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. Unlike stairs, there is no fri-høyde number to check.