Structure and purpose
Confirm the parent, ownership chain, Danish activities, company name, purpose, financial year, registered Danish address and signing model.
Danish subsidiary setup for foreign companies
Open a Danish subsidiary. Keep the parent structure clear.
Create a Danish ApS owned by your foreign parent, with formation, registrations and launch responsibilities coordinated around the real operating plan.
Discuss your subsidiary setup ↗Separate entityA Danish company with its own rights and obligations
Foreign parentOwnership mapped through the group structure
Coordinated launchFormation linked to finance, payroll and compliance
A local company within the group
Danish presence. Parent-level clarity.
A subsidiary is a Danish legal entity owned by a parent company. For most international groups choosing limited liability, the Danish entity is formed as an ApS and receives its own CVR number.
The structure can employ people, enter contracts and maintain Danish accounts in its own name. It also brings recurring company, tax, accounting and employer responsibilities that should be designed before registration—not added as an afterthought.
What the setup needs
Six workstreams for a controlled launch.
Formation documents
Prepare the memorandum of association and articles, together with the corporate and identity documents needed for the foreign founder and management.
Capital and CVR
Document the ApS capital and submit the company registration. The statutory minimum registered capital is DKK 20,000.
Owners and management
Register the legal owners and determine and register the natural persons who are beneficial owners under the current rules. Record management and signing arrangements accurately.
Tax, VAT and payroll
Assess corporate-tax, VAT and employer registrations against the planned activities. Before work begins, arrange mandatory workers’ compensation accident insurance for employees and any working owner, plus applicable AES contributions.
Operating foundation
Set responsibilities for MitID access, Digital Post, bookkeeping, payroll, banking, NemKonto, filing calendars and reporting to headquarters.
From decision to operating company
Build the entity around what happens next.
A clean formation begins with the commercial plan and ends only when the business can meet its recurring Danish responsibilities.
01
Scope the operating modelMap activities, people, contracts, ownership and reporting needs before selecting registrations.
Plan02
Prepare the formation fileCoordinate corporate documents, identity material, translations where needed and capital documentation.
Prepare03
Register the ApSSubmit the formation and record the company, owners, management and applicable tax registrations.
Register04
Activate the operationSet up access, bookkeeping, payroll, banking and the recurring compliance calendar with named owners.
Operate05
Choose the structure that matches the commitment
01
Danish subsidiary
A separate Danish company may fit long-term activity, direct local employment and Danish contracting within a group structure.
Plan Danish payroll02
Danish branch
A branch is an extension of the foreign company rather than a separate legal entity. Registration and tax consequences should be assessed before choosing it.
Compare registration routes03
Foreign company registration
Some activities can be registered without forming a Danish entity, but VAT, employer, RUT or permanent-establishment rules may still apply.
Coordinate Danish accounting06
Subsidiary questions, answered plainly
Can a foreign company own a Danish ApS?
A foreign legal entity can generally be a founder and shareholder, subject to the required corporate documentation, identity checks and Danish owner registration. The exact file depends on the parent and jurisdiction.
How much capital does an ApS require?
The current statutory minimum registered capital is DKK 20,000. Capital must be documented for registration. It belongs to the company and is not the same as a registration or adviser fee.
Is VAT registration automatic?
No. VAT and other tax registrations depend on the activities and transactions. The correct registrations and start dates should be assessed before the subsidiary begins the relevant activity.
Is a subsidiary the same as a branch?
No. A subsidiary is a separate Danish legal entity. A branch is part of the foreign legal entity. Liability, governance, tax, reporting and operational effects differ.
What happens after the CVR number is issued?
The operating setup continues: MitID access, Digital Post rights, relevant tax and employer registrations, bookkeeping, payroll, banking, NemKonto, contracts and reporting responsibilities must be activated and tested.
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Tax registration · MitIDReady when you are
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