Moving to Denmark from Germany, the German route
Zusammenfassung auf Deutsch
Willkommen! Dies ist der Leitfaden für Deutsche, die nach Dänemark ziehen. Der vollständige, ausführliche Leitfaden folgt unten auf Englisch, hier das Wichtigste zum Start.
- Als EU-Bürger genießen Sie Freizügigkeit, keine Arbeitserlaubnis nötig, nur eine EU-Aufenthaltsbescheinigung.
- Besorgen Sie sich nach der Ankunft Ihre CPR-Nummer und MitID, sie sind der Schlüssel zu allem.
- Die Steuern sind hoch, aber die Leistungen umfassend; nutzen Sie unseren Netto-Gehaltsrechner.
Der vollständige Leitfaden mit allen Details und Zahlen folgt unten auf Englisch.
Your route in
The good news first: as an EU/EEA citizen, Danish immigration is barely an obstacle. None You do not apply for a work permit and you do not need a job lined up before you arrive.
What you do need is an EU residence document (registreringsbevis) if you stay beyond three months, which you request from SIRI (the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration) once you are here and can show you are working, studying, or self-sufficient. It is a registration, not an approval - the right to be here comes from your EU citizenship, not from a Danish decision.
See our EU residence document guide for exactly what to bring and how to apply.
Your first steps after arrival
Once you are in Denmark, the sequence is the same for everyone, and each step unlocks the next:
- Register your address and get a CPR number - the ten-digit key to everything. See the CPR number guide.
- Set up MitID, the digital ID you need for banking, tax and public services - the MitID guide walks you through it.
- Open a bank account and NemKonto so your salary and any refunds can be paid - see opening a bank account.
- Get your tax card (skattekort) so you are not taxed at the emergency 55% rate - the tax card guide explains it.
- Register with a doctor using your yellow health card, which arrives after your CPR.
Our first 30 days checklist puts all of this in order with timings.
Tax and your money
Germany and Denmark have a double-taxation treaty; cross-border commuters (Flensburg area) have specific rules. Denmark taxes residents on worldwide income once you have been here beyond six months, but the rate you actually pay is lower than the headline figures suggest once deductions apply.
Work out your real take-home before you accept an offer with the net salary calculator, and if you are a researcher or highly paid specialist, check whether you qualify for the 27% expat tax scheme - from 2026 the salary threshold dropped, so more people qualify than before.
Your driving licence
A German (EU) licence is valid in Denmark and does not need exchanging while it remains valid.
Full details, including the test and the 90-day window, are in the driving licence exchange guide.
Settling in
Very large German community; strong cross-border ties in Southern Jutland.
The two things that surprise newcomers most are the cost of getting into a rental (often several months of deposit plus prepaid rent) and how much daily life runs through digital ID. Read up on deposit rules and the cost of living before you commit to anything.
And learning even basic Danish goes a long way socially, even though almost everyone speaks excellent English - see learning Danish.
Common questions
Do I need a visa or work permit?
No. As an EU/EEA citizen you have freedom of movement. You only register once you are here.
How long can I stay while I look for work?
EU/EEA citizens can stay up to six months while genuinely job-seeking before needing to show grounds for an EU residence document.
Can my family come with me?
Yes - EU rules make family reunification straightforward for spouses and children.