Starting a Business · Norway
Starting a Business - Norway
Norway places no restrictions on foreign ownership — a foreigner may own 100% of a Norwegian private limited company (AS), and formation is fast and largely digital with a low NOK 30,000 minimum share capital. The main frictions for non-EU/EEA founders are a residence permit to actually work in the business and a rule that at least half the board and any general manager must reside in the EEA, the UK, or Switzerland. EU/EEA nationals face an easy, near-frictionless process; non-EEA nationals face additional immigration steps, making the overall picture moderate.
Foreigners can register and fully own a Norwegian company (AS); there are no general foreign-ownership limits beyond board/management residency rules.
An AS requires at least NOK 30,000 in share capital, which must be deposited and confirmed by a bank (or auditor) before registration is completed.
At least 50% of board members, and the general manager if one is appointed, must reside in an EEA state, the UK/Northern Ireland, or Switzerland. The prior nationality requirement was repealed.
Found the company (sign memorandum/articles of association) → obtain a Norwegian D-number/ID for foreign founders → deposit share capital and get bank confirmation → register in the Register of Business Enterprises via Altinn within 3 months of founding; a Norwegian business address is required.
Online registration through Altinn costs NOK 6,825; digital registration is processed quickly (typically days to a couple of weeks), and notification must reach the register within three months of founding.
Non-EU/EEA founders may register a company but cannot actively work in it without a residence permit allowing self-employment (UDI), which generally requires skilled-worker qualifications and takes roughly 1–4 months to process.
Machine-assisted translation · verified 5/23/2026 · orientation, not legal advice. English version →