He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Sør-Trøndelag in 1954, and was re-elected on two occasions. Outside politics he worked as a police sergeant (1930–1941, 1945–1975) and a lawyer (1941–1945, 1975–1983), having graduated as candidate.jur. in 1941. He also had a military career.
On the local level Hoel was a member of Opdal municipal council from 1945 to 1959.