🇳🇴 Norway · Business Banking
Opening business and personal bank accounts, remote options, required documents, and fees.
Quick answer
You need a Norwegian national identity number (fødselsnummer, for stays over 6 months) or a D-number (temporary ID), plus a valid passport, a residence permit and proof of a Norwegian address. Applications usually start online but finish with an in-person branch visit for ID verification; for new arrivals it can take several weeks. BankID (the national e-ID) is easiest with a national identity number. Finanstilsynet supervises banks; a company uses its organisation number.
Banks are supervised by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway (Finanstilsynet); deposits are protected by the Norwegian Banks' Guarantee Fund. A company needs its organisation number to open an account.
- Deposits are protected by the Norwegian Banks' Guarantee Fund up to the standard limit.
- Opening a business account generally requires the organisation number and owner ID.
- The currency is the Norwegian krone; Norway is in the EEA but not the euro area.
Step-by-step
- 1
Get a national identity number or D-number
Stays over 6 months get a national identity number (fødselsnummer); shorter or interim stays use a D-number, obtainable via the Tax Administration or NAV.
- 2
Choose a bank
A major bank (DNB, Nordea, SpareBank 1, Danske Bank); check each bank's policy on issuing BankID to D-number holders.
- 3
Gather your documents
A valid passport, your residence permit, your identity/D-number, proof of a Norwegian address, and a local phone number.
- 4
Apply online, then verify in person
Start the application online and complete identity verification at a branch; approval can take several weeks for someone new to Norway.
- 5
Set up BankID and for a company use the organisation number
Activate BankID for online services; a corporate account additionally needs the organisation number and ID for owners and signatories.
Checklist
- National identity number (fødselsnummer) or D-number
- Valid passport
- Residence permit
- Proof of Norwegian address + local phone number
- Organisation number + owner ID — business accounts
Official authorities
- Finanstilsynet (FSA Norway)
Financial supervisory authority.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a Norwegian bank account with a D-number?
Yes, many banks accept a D-number to open a basic account, but issuing BankID to D-number holders varies by bank; the broadest access comes once you have a national identity number.
What is BankID and why does it matter?
BankID is Norway's national electronic ID used to log in to banking and most public and private online services; getting it is a key step to functioning digitally in Norway.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.