Your Yellow Health Card in Denmark

What is the yellow health card?

The yellow health card (sundhedskort, literally “health card”) is a physical card that proves you’re enrolled in Denmark’s public healthcare system. It’s issued automatically after you register your CPR number — you don’t need to apply separately.¹

It arrives at your registered Danish address by post, typically 2–4 weeks after CPR registration. The card is yellow (hence the name everyone uses) and credit-card sized.

What’s on the card

Your yellow card displays:

• Your name and address
• Your CPR number
• Your assigned GP’s name, address, and phone number — this is the doctor you should contact first for non-emergency medical issues
• Your health insurance group — either Group 1 or Group 2 (most people are Group 1)

How you get it

There’s nothing to do. The process is:

1. You register for a CPR number at Borgerservice or International House Copenhagen.
2. Your municipality automatically enrols you in the public health system and assigns you a GP near your address.
3. The yellow card is printed and mailed to your registered address, arriving in 2–4 weeks.²

How to use it

With the yellow card, you have access to Denmark’s public healthcare, which covers:

• GP visits — free. Your assigned doctor handles consultations, referrals, prescriptions, and sick notes.
• Specialist visits — free with a referral from your GP.
• Hospital treatment — free, including emergency care, surgery, and inpatient stays.
• Mental health care — partially covered. GP referral needed for psychologist visits; psychiatry is covered.
• Maternity care — fully covered, including prenatal, birth, and postnatal care.
• Prescriptions — subsidised, not free. You pay a co-payment that decreases as your annual spending increases (tilskud system).
• Dental care — partially subsidised for adults. Children’s dental care is free until age 18.

Group 1 vs. Group 2

Most residents are assigned to Group 1 (around 99% of the population). The difference:

• Group 1: You must always go to your assigned GP first. Specialist visits require a GP referral. All GP and referred specialist visits are free.
• Group 2: You can go to any GP or specialist without a referral — but you pay part of the cost yourself. The public system only covers what it would have cost under Group 1.

You’re placed in Group 1 by default. You can switch to Group 2 through borger.dk, but very few people do. If you later want to switch back to Group 1, there’s a 1-year waiting period.³

Lost or damaged card

If you lose your card or it’s damaged, you can order a new one through:

• borger.dk — log in with MitID, navigate to “Sundhedskort” and request a replacement.
• Your local Borgerservice — visit in person with ID.

The replacement is free and arrives by post within 1–2 weeks. In the meantime, your CPR number is enough for most healthcare providers to look you up in the system.

Changing your doctor

You’re automatically assigned a GP near your address, but you can change to a different one if you prefer — for example, one who speaks English, is closer to your workplace, or has better reviews.

Change your GP through sundhed.dk (log in with MitID). You can see which GPs near you are accepting new patients. Changing is free if you’ve had your current GP for at least 6 months; otherwise there’s a small fee (~215 DKK in 2026).⁴

When you change address

If you move to a new address within Denmark, report the change to your municipality (through borger.dk). A new yellow card with your updated address is sent automatically. Your GP may also change if you’ve moved to a different area — check on sundhed.dk.

Common problems

My card hasn’t arrived after 4 weeks

Check that your name is on your mailbox. If it is, contact your local Borgerservice — they can check the status and reissue the card. You can also order a replacement through borger.dk.

I need to see a doctor before my card arrives

You can still visit your assigned GP. Give them your CPR number — they can look you up in the system. For emergencies, go directly to the hospital. You don’t need the card for emergency treatment.⁵

I don’t know which doctor I’ve been assigned

Log in to sundhed.dk with MitID. Your assigned GP is shown under “Min læge” (My doctor). You can also call your municipality.

My card shows the wrong address

Report your correct address to your municipality through borger.dk. A new card will be issued.

Questions and answers

Is the yellow card the same as health insurance?

It’s your proof of public health insurance. By registering your CPR, you’re automatically enrolled in Denmark’s tax-funded healthcare. The card is just the physical evidence of that enrolment.

Do I need private health insurance too?

Not for basic care. The public system covers GP visits, hospitals, specialists (with referral), and maternity. Private insurance is optional and mainly used for faster specialist access, dental work, or physiotherapy.

Does it cover dental?

Partially. Adults get a small subsidy (tilskud) for dental check-ups and basic treatments, but you pay most of the cost yourself. Children’s dental care is free until age 18.

Does it work when travelling in the EU?

No. The yellow card is only valid in Denmark. For EU travel, you need a separate European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which you can order through borger.dk once you have MitID.

What happens when I leave Denmark?

When you deregister your address, your public healthcare enrolment ends. Your yellow card becomes invalid. If you move to another EU country, your healthcare transfers to that country’s system.