Norway is a safe and easy country for business, but before you establish a business in Norway there are a number of considerations you should take into account. Business activities may be organised in various ways. Each enterprise must consider which entity is best suitable to its particular purpose, considering commercial issues, tax and VAT issues, compliance and administrative costs, limitation of liability, etc.
If your company plans to conduct activity in Norway for a long period, you should consider setting up a separate Norwegian company. If you will be present in Norway only for a short period, it might not be necessary or advisable to establish a Norwegian company.
The type of corporation you choose is of great importance in relation to liability, risk, tax, rights and duties. You should hold the risks and income opportunities related to the different types of entities against each other.
The lawyers at Magnus Legal have extensive experience in guiding foreigners that consider doing business in Norway. We specialize in corporate law with a focus on tax, VAT, labour law and legal services for expats and multinational companies.
The way we work is characterized by personal attention and close customer relationships. We customize our services to your needs.
The most common alternatives for foreign enterprises doing business in Norway are:
Find out which considerations you should take before deciding on the form of business entity: How to choose the right corporate structure in Norway
Everybody that conducts business activities within Norway must register with the centralised Registry at Brønnøysund. The Registry provides the enterprise with a nine-digit Norwegian ID number, called “organisation number”. This ID number is required when entering into contracts, invoicing, reporting and communicating with public authorities in Norway.
Find out more about the enterprise registration obligations in Norway here: Register a company in Norway
David Lumsden, Oceanographic Technical Services Ltd
Foreign companies starting up business in Norway will soon enough encounter Norwegian compliance, formalities and reporting responsibilities. If you plan ahead, it’s quite manageable to manoeuvre the Norwegian compliance and reporting responsibilities without unnecessary tax burdens, penalty charges or compulsory fines.
Here are 9 key steps you should consider
Do you need help to establish your business in Norway? Contact Magnus Legal for advice on how to optimize the registration and organization of your company.