All new companies in Norway need to be registered at The Bronnoysund Register Center (Brønnøysundregisteret), using a form called Coordinated Register Notification. The “Part 1 – Guide” section is available in English, but you may need assistance filling out the complete form which is in Norwegian.

Foreign companies are required to register at the Register of Business Enterprises, which is responsible for registering Norwegian and foreign enterprises operating commercially in Norway.

If you plan to operate a company in Norway, you will most likely have to pay Value added tax (VAT), which is a tax that companies collect from their customers on behalf of the government. The rate is 25% for most goods and services, 15% for food and drinks and 12% for transport, cinema tickets, and room rental. If you are self-employed, you need to pay VAT on all your purchases, but these expenses will often be deducted from your tax refund, so make sure to include them in your tax filing.

There are many benefit schemes in Norway, but it is still advisable to set up separate insurance agreements for businesses. The type of insurance you will need depends on what type of business you run. If you are an employer, for instance, you are obliged to set up occupational injury insurance for all your employees. Common Norwegian insurance companies are Gjensidige, If, Tryg and Fremtind.

To learn more about setting up a company, visit Innovation Norway. Several banks and accounting firms also offer assistance, for example: DNB and Tripletex (you can request assistance in English).