Business Permits and Licenses in Denmark

Updated on Tuesday 21st April 2020

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Business-permits-and-licenses-in-Denmark Foreign citizens coming to Denmark for business reasons must comply with various requirements when opening companies here. Apart from the legal requirements related to starting a business, there are also certain licenses and permits which will allow them to start operating. However, an advantage Denmark offers to investors who want to open companies here is that the business registration procedure is quite fast and simple.

Some examples of business sectors that are subject to additional licensing and authorizations include the following: transport, trade, energy and gas, education, construction, food and beverage, healthcare, sport and leisure, agriculture, animal care, law, and accounting. Several corresponding authorities for each of these sectors and foreign investors can reach out to the experts at our law firm in Demark for complete details about the regulations in particular business fields as well as the authorities that they need to address in order to obtain their permits, licenses or authorizations.

Our lawyers in Denmark can explain what the requirements for opening a company here are. They can also guide you on the business licensing requirements.

Business licenses and permits issued by the Danish municipalities

Denmark is one of the most developed countries in Europe which is why investors can set up companies in some of the most innovative industries. These types of businesses will also include obtaining licenses and permits granted by certain ministries or by specialized authorities. In most cases, the city municipality is the authority issuing business licenses for Danish companies.

Among the special permits issued by the City of Copenhagen we mention the following:

- business permits for street vendors: these are for mobile street vending, for permanent market stalls as well as for bike taxi services.
- café and restaurant business licenses: for outside seating for cafes and restaurants in front of the establishment as well as for product displays and advertising boards.
- event licenses, filming permits: for organizing various events, for filming and for street performance in the parks, roads, and squares of the city.
- parking licenses and commercial driver’s licenses: commercial parking licenses for businesses as well as for those who provide taxi or bus services (commercial driver).
- waste management license: for businesses, having the purpose of ensuring that the waste of sorted and disposed of according to the current regulations.

Applications take several days to be processed. Entrepreneurs can contact our attorneys in Denmark to discuss the need for a special permit, like the ones described above.

Also, companies that are engaged in recyclable and residual waste management must observe the conditions set forth for these activities. The Soil and Waste department can provide further information.

Our law firm in Denmark can offer information on how to obtain these licenses.

Danish special business permits and licenses for companies

As mentioned above, there are also certain activities undertaken by Danish companies which must be obtained from the central authorities. The following categories of activities or professions need special licenses:

- those offering advisory services;
- advertising agencies;
- ambulance staff;
- doctors and nurses;
- Danish lawyers;
- agricultural companies;
- construction companies;
- rental companies;
- companies offering various environmental services;
- aviation companies.

Applying for permits and licenses with the help of our lawyers in Denmark

Investors who wish to provide services in Denmark will need to identify the authority to which they need to apply for the permit and handle the process as per the regulations set forth by that particular institution. For example, the Danish Medicines Authority is in charge of issuing the authorizations for pharmacists and pharmaconomists (in Denmark, these are experts in pharmaceuticals who have followed a three-year tertiary degree).

Below, our attorneys in Denmark list some of the authorities responsible for business licensing and the types of particular licenses they issue:

Veterinary and Food Administration: food business operators, authorized veterinary nurse, technicians or surgeons, pet shops and others.
Financial Supervision Authority: issues the permits required by insurance intermediaries as well as responsible actuaries (different from actuaries).
Agency for Science and Higher Education: licenses for pedagogues for Danish Primary Schools, teachers of upper secondary schools, teachers of the Danish primary and lower secondary schools.
The Agricultural Agency: is the one that issues the authorization for the cultivation of genetically modified crops.
Maritime Authority: permits for chief engineers of fishing vessels, for fishermen, master, and mate of a fishing vessel maritime pilots, commercial divers, and others.
Energy Agency: permits for structural engineers, for energy consultancy companies or for trusted renewable energy installers.

Investors who wish to open a restaurant, for example, will need to obtain a food business operator license from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. The requirements for non-EU citizens are the same as for EU nationals and refer to filling in a special form and sending it to the Administration. Once the confirmation is received, the company can start its business activities. The Administration is also notified in those cases in which an investor wishes to take over an existing, active food business as well as when the company changes its activities or when it engages in food trade with the other Member States or third countries. entrepreneurs who open food stands at festivals or other temporary establishments must register as an importer. Companies that are already registered as an approved food operator in another EU country will not need a Danish approval for a temporary or movable food business.

Please keep in mind that these are only examples and the list of authorities granting permits, licenses, and authorizations is not exhaustive. These are just a few of the special licenses and permits required to start a business in Denmark. For information on other special licenses, please contact our law firm in Denmark.

According to Statistics Denmark, the following information is available in the business sector in general:

- in 2016, the total number of registered companies was 308.157.
- in the trade and transport sector, there were 66,816 companies.
- the business services sector had a number of 53,054 companies.
- the construction sector had a number of 31,973 companies.

We advise foreign investors from other EU countries and from outside the EU/EEA on the relevant requirements for doing business in Denmark as well as the regulations for licensing and authorizations. Our attorneys in Denmark can also help you register a company in this country.