Banking and paying in Denmark: your NemKonto may be your Dutch account
Every resident of Denmark should have a NemKonto, the account into which the government pays. It is not a separate account, and it does not have to be Danish: your Dutch IBAN may be it too. What you need, a CPR number and MitID for the self-service, why you arrange it before the first payment, and what a Danish bank may not refuse you.
Yes, in Denmark you open an ordinary bank account, but the most important number is not the bank's. Every resident should have a NemKonto: the account into which the Danish government pays everything, from tax refunds to child benefit. The finding at Life in Denmark: a NemKonto is not a separate account, but an account you already have, and it may be foreign. Your Dutch IBAN can therefore become your NemKonto, free of charge. The trap is in the route: without a Danish bank it does not go through the self-service but via a paper form that you sign in the presence of two witnesses or a notary.
What is a NemKonto, and what comes into it?
A NemKonto is an ordinary bank account that you assign as the account for public payments. Life in Denmark names, among other things, tax refunds, child subsidies, student loans, unemployment benefits and holiday allowances. The government can only pay money into it; it cannot take anything out and cannot see your balance or your transactions.
NemKonto itself adds: if you expect money from a Danish authority, assign a NemKonto if possible before the first payment. For a newcomer that is not a formality. The refund of the emergency rate your employer withheld while your tax card was not there, and the housing benefit that comes backdated, both go to that account.
How do I assign an account?
| Route | What you need | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service on nemkonto.dk | CPR number and MitID | free |
| Via your Danish bank | CPR number and an account at that bank | free |
| Foreign account, by form | CPR number, Danish home address, bank details, a copy of your passport or driving licence, signature before 2 witnesses or a notary or lawyer | free |
For all three you need a CPR number; without it you cannot register a NemKonto. If you assign an account via the self-service, you receive an activation letter by post at your address in the CPR register; by email is not possible.
Watch the dates on the form. Whoever assigns their Dutch account as NemKonto signs the English-language form from nemkonto.dk in the presence of two witnesses, or of a notary or lawyer. Life in Denmark expressly adds that the form is rejected if the dates of you and your witnesses do not match. Have everyone sign on the same day, and send a copy of your passport with it.
How do I open a Danish account?
At a bank of your choice. According to Life in Denmark, Danish banks must offer a basic payment account to every consumer legally resident in the EU; a bank may refuse if you already have such an account at another Danish bank. Your Europe says the same from the EU rules: a bank may not refuse you merely because you do not live in that country, but may if you do not meet the rules against money laundering. An annual fee for such an account is allowed, if it is reasonable.
Which papers you bring differs per bank. According to Life in Denmark, most ask for:
- proof of identity, such as passport, driving licence or health card;
- your employment contract or a letter of invitation;
- your tax card, although it is not compulsory.
Where does MitID fit in?
MitID is the Danish digital key, and you need it for the NemKonto self-service. Just arrived, you get it in two ways: in the MitID app by scanning the chip of your passport and then your face, or by appointment at the municipality's Borgerservice. If you do not yet have a CPR number, you use an eight-digit P code in the app instead. How CPR, MitID and Digital Post follow each other is in CPR, MitID and Digital Post.
What do I do with my Dutch account?
Keep it, and for the first months simply use it as your NemKonto if your Danish account is not there yet. As soon as you have a Danish account, you can switch it in the self-service. Why you should not close the Dutch account afterwards either is in keeping your bank account and DigiD. And if you ever move away again: NemKonto advises keeping the account, because refunds and holiday pay still come after leaving. The order of the rest is in the step-by-step plan for Denmark.
In Vertrekklaar this is phase 5 of 5 of the journey, step 5.2: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Denmark or go straight to step 5.2 in the open plan.
What this rests on
The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change — when in doubt the source is leading, not this article.
- Life in Denmark — NemKonto, your account for public payments, and assigning a foreign account — lifeindenmark.borger.dk
- NemKonto — foreign nationals and the NemKonto, before the first payment — nemkonto.dk
- Life in Denmark — MitID, via the app with your passport or at Borgerservice — lifeindenmark.borger.dk
- Your Europe — the right to a basic payment account within the EU — europa.eu
Read on
- DenmarkArrival4 min
Driving licence in Denmark: nothing is required, and the 180 days don't apply to you
With a Dutch driving licence you drive in Denmark until its expiry date, without exchanging it. The 180-day deadline you read everywhere applies to licences from outside the EU. Whoever wants to exchange anyway does so at Borgerservice, without a driving test, for 520 kroner. When a doctor's certificate is needed, what to bring, and what to do when your Dutch licence expires.
Updated 26 September 2026
- DenmarkArrival4 min
Tax in Denmark: high, but predictable
The Danish system is higher than the Dutch one, but has few surprises for whoever sets the advance correctly: 8 per cent labour market contribution on your salary, then state and municipal tax. The Netherlands meanwhile keeps taxing your AOW and pension: the 1996 treaty was tilted towards source-state taxation by the 2018 protocol, and old guides still tell the old story.
Updated 26 September 2026
- DenmarkArrival5 min
Buying a house in Denmark: there is a cooling-off period — but it costs 1 per cent
Denmark arranges house buying with a handful of peculiarities you need to know: as an EU citizen you may buy a year-round home without permission once you actually live there (a holiday home, no), a house you own may not stand empty, you get six working days to change your mind after the contract but withdrawing costs 1% of the price, and the lender goes to eighty per cent at most while you bring five per cent yourself. After that the tax office collects the two property taxes automatically with your monthly tax.
Updated 26 September 2026