Registration of a representative office of a foreign company in Norway

When starting a business in Norway, you need to consider many factors. First, you need to decide on the market of goods or services that you want to enter with your product. In addition, there will be costs related to business start-up. These are, for example, registration fees, rental expenses or acquiring the necessary equipment. However, with a good idea and a detailed business plan, you can achieve your triumph.

First, you need to decide on the legal form of the company. This article will touch upon the creation of a representative office of a foreign company in Norway - what a foreign company will need to do in order to start a business in this country.

All legal entities that carry out business activities in Norway or on the Norwegian continental shelf must have a Norwegian identification number and organization tax number.

The same applies to companies that do not operate in Norway but have employees working in this country.

To get access to the services of governmental bodies, you need to receive a Norwegian identification number.

There are two types of identification numbers:

• number D (temporary number)

• Norwegian national identification number.

Norwegian Identification Number

Organizational numbers can be obtained in the Brønnøysund registration center.

All foreign companies that require a Norwegian number must be registered as a foreign company (NUF). A foreign company is a branch of the main company that does not have a separate legal personality and operates in Norway.

NUF should not be regarded as a Norwegian company, which is established by a foreign company and is 100% owned by such a foreign company. In this case, such a Norwegian company will have a separate legal personality and will be liable for its commercial activities to its creditors, while the foreign parent company is responsible for the obligations of NUF.

Contract Registration

Foreign Norwegian companies that conclude contracts in Norway or on the Norwegian continental shelf must provide information about their employees to the Norwegian employment register.

Moreover, NUF must register all agreements and contracts concluded with its Norwegian counterparties. However, this requirement does not apply if such Norwegian counterparty is an individual.

To register a representative office of a foreign company in Norway, it is necessary to prepare the following documents:

• Registration Application

• Constituent documents of a foreign company certified and translated into Norwegian (Charter, extract from the register of legal entities, order to appoint a director, etc.).

• Pay a registration fee of NOK 3,000.

• Have an address in Norway.

• Appoint a representative for bookkeeping.

Law and Trust can assist you in registering a representative office in Norway, provide a registration address and bookkeeping. We have rich experience in registering companies around the world.