Tax & Money

Opening a bank account, what you need first

Updated July 2026Reviewed July 2026
The one-line versionYou generally need a CPR number to open a Danish bank account, and often a tax card too. Once open, register it as your NemKonto so salary and public payments land automatically.

What you need

Opening a Danish account is straightforward once you are in the system, but it has prerequisites:

  • Your CPR number - nearly always required.
  • Photo ID (passport).
  • Often your tax card, employment contract and address.
  • MitID for online banking access.

The order that works

The reliable sequence is: register your address, get your CPR, set up MitID, request your tax card, then open the account. Trying to open one before the CPR is the classic stumbling block. Once open, register it as your NemKonto so salary, tax refunds and public payments arrive automatically.

The chicken-and-egg on arrivalSome banks want a tax card before opening an account, but you need income to be taxed. If you have a work permit but no account yet, you have a legal right to a basic payment account - useful while the rest catches up. Employers on schemes like Pay Limit must pay salary into a Danish account within 180 days.

Traditional banks vs app banks

Options range from full-service Danish banks (Danske Bank, Nordea, Jyske and others) to app-only challengers (like Lunar). Traditional banks offer branches and mortgages; app banks are quick to open and cheaper for everyday use. Many expats keep a main Danish account for salary and NemKonto, plus a low-fee app or transfer service for moving money abroad - see sending money abroad.

Need to move money out of the country? See our guide to sending money abroad.

Common questions

Can I open an account before I have a CPR?
Usually not a standard account. But with a granted work permit you can access a basic payment account while you wait.
Which bank is best for expats?
It depends on whether you value branches and mortgages (traditional banks) or speed and low fees (app banks). Many use both.
Do I need a Danish account for my salary?
Under work-permit rules, yes - salary must be paid into a Danish account in your name, generally within 180 days.

Verified July 2026 against official sources: skat.dk (Skattestyrelsen), borger.dk and pension-provider documentation. Figures are 2026 levels and reset each January. General information, not financial or tax advice - see our editorial policy.

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