Overtaking and Lane Changes in Sweden: The Rules

Overtaking is one of the few manoeuvres where a single wrong decision can put you head-on with oncoming traffic. Swedish law therefore lists exactly where overtaking is forbidden, and the theory test likes to check those exceptions. The rules below come from Trafikförordningen (1998:1276), chapter 3, and the Swedish road sign regulation.

The basic rule: overtake on the left, only without danger

You overtake on the left.
You may overtake only if it can be done without danger.
The lane you will use must be free of oncoming traffic and other obstacles for a long enough distance.
You must be able to return to the right-hand part of the road afterwards without endangering anyone.
Keep a safe lateral distance to the vehicle you pass.
After overtaking on the left, move back to the right as soon as it is safe.

You may not overtake if the driver behind you has already started to overtake you, or if the driver ahead has signalled that they are about to overtake or move left.

When you overtake on the right

Overtaking on the right is not a free choice, but there are clear cases where it is allowed or required:

The vehicle ahead is turning left, or clearly preparing to. Then you must pass on the right.
Trams and trains on the road are normally overtaken on the right. The left is allowed where the position of the tracks requires it, or on a one-way carriageway when traffic allows.
On a road with a speed limit of 70 km/h or lower and at least two marked lanes in your direction, you may use the lane that best suits your onward journey, so passing on the right can happen naturally there.

Some situations are not counted as overtaking at all: dense queues in all lanes, lanes marked for different destinations with lane signs, and vehicles placed in different lanes near a junction. Even then, if you pass another vehicle just before a pedestrian crossing, you must go so slowly that you can stop immediately for a pedestrian.

Where overtaking is forbidden

Overtaking is not allowed just before or in a junction, unless:

you overtake on the right,
the junction is controlled by traffic lights or a police officer, or
signs or other circumstances show that drivers on the crossing road must give way or stop.

Overtaking is not allowed just before or on a level crossing, unless the crossing has barriers or is controlled by the same kind of traffic lights used at road junctions.

Where visibility is limited at a hill crest or a bend, you may overtake only if there are at least two lanes in your direction with no oncoming traffic, or if you can overtake without using the lane meant for oncoming vehicles. Two-wheeled vehicles without a sidecar may still be overtaken there.

You may not overtake a vehicle just before or on an unguarded pedestrian crossing, cycle passage or cycle crossing.

Sign C27 (no overtaking) bans overtaking other motor vehicles, except two-wheeled mopeds and motorcycles without a sidecar, until sign C28 ends the ban.

When someone overtakes you

If you notice that someone wants to overtake you on the left, you must keep as far to the right as possible and you must not increase your speed or make the overtaking harder in any other way. If you drive slowly or take up a lot of space on a narrow, winding road, you should slow down and, if needed, pull to the side to let others pass.

Lane changes and lane discipline

On a road you normally drive in the rightmost lane meant for your vehicle.
If lanes are separated by a road marking, keep the whole car inside one lane.
You may not change lanes across a solid line.
When there are dense queues in all lanes, only the driver in the rightmost lane may change lanes, except to stop or park, or to get into the correct lane before a junction.
You may change lanes, pull away from the kerb or move sideways only if it can be done without danger or unnecessary obstruction.

Use your indicator in good time, make the signal clear, and switch it off when the manoeuvre is complete. Signalling does not give you any right: you still have to make sure the manoeuvre is safe. In practice that means mirror, indicator, then a shoulder check of the blind spot before you move.

Merging lanes

When two lanes merge into one, the law says drivers must adjust to each other with mutual consideration. Swedes often call this the zip principle (blixtlåsprincipen), taking turns one by one, but the legal rule is about cooperation, not about who has a fixed right of way. Also remember that a driver who sees someone wanting to move into their lane must adjust their speed to make it easier.

On the driving test, Trafikverket says you may have to change lanes one or more times. The examiner looks at whether you cooperate with others, plan ahead, signal clearly and keep a proper distance to the vehicle in front. Trafikverket also points out that where you choose to overtake matters.

Typical theory test traps

"The car ahead turns left." The correct answer is to pass on the right, not to wait behind or overtake on the left.
Junction exceptions. Overtaking just before a junction is allowed if the crossing road has a give way or stop sign, or the junction has traffic lights. Many learners answer "never".
Level crossing with barriers. Overtaking just before it is allowed. Without barriers or signals it is not.
Speeding up when overtaken. Even a small increase in speed is against the rule.
C27 and motorcycles. The ban does not cover overtaking two-wheeled mopeds and motorcycles without a sidecar.

FAQ

Is undertaking on a motorway allowed in Sweden?

As a rule you overtake on the left. Passing on the right is not counted as overtaking in slow, dense queues in all lanes. Lane choice by best route applies on roads with a limit of 70 km/h or lower, so on a motorway you keep right and overtake on the left.

Is there a minimum distance when passing a cyclist?

The law requires a safe lateral distance but does not set a fixed number of metres. Adjust the gap to your speed, the width of the road and how stable the cyclist looks.

Can I cross a solid line to overtake?

No. Swedish law says no wheel may be driven over a solid line, so you may not change lanes or move into the oncoming lane across it. If overtaking would require crossing it, wait for a broken line and a clear road.

The exceptions above are where most wrong answers come from. Körkort Hero lets you practise overtaking and lane change questions for category B in 16 languages, so you can learn the rule in your own language first and then check it in Swedish.

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