# Denmark How To
> Free English-language news and step-by-step guides for foreigners living in Denmark: CPR, MitID, housing, insurance, schools, jobs and more.

Free, English-language news and practical how-to guides for foreigners living in or moving to Denmark. News is summarised in our own words from DR (Denmark's public broadcaster), The Copenhagen Post and Uniavisen, with a link to every original. Guides answer one question each, cite the Danish authority that sets the rule, and are updated in place.

Contact: hello@howtodenmark.com
Language: English (en-GB)
Content policy: we never republish other outlets' articles or images. See /sources/.

## Start here
- [What to do first when you move to Denmark: the arrival order](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/arrival-order/): The order that works when you move to Denmark: CPR, MitID, bank account, tax card, doctor, housing, insurance, school or daycare, and work.
  Quick answer: Do these nine things in this order: CPR → MitID → bank account → tax card → doctor → housing → insurance → school or daycare → work. Each step unlocks the next, because you cannot get a CPR number without a Danish address and cannot open a bank account without a CPR number and MitID. CPR registration is the bottleneck at two to three weeks.

## Guides (evergreen, free)

- [How to get a CPR number in Denmark](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/cpr-number-denmark/): How to register for a CPR number in Denmark: when you must register, how to apply online, what to bring, and how long the card takes.
  Quick answer: If you plan to stay in Denmark for more than three consecutive months, you must register with the Civil Registration Office and get a CPR number. You apply online, then attend an in-person appointment at your local Borgerservice or an International Citizen Service centre with your passport, proof of your Danish address, and your residence permit or EU residence document.

- [How to get MitID in Denmark](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/mitid-denmark/): How to get MitID in Denmark: create it with your passport in the app, get it at Borgerservice, what it costs, and what to do if you lose it.
  Quick answer: MitID is Denmark's national digital ID. You get it in one of two ways: with the MitID app by scanning your passport or national ID card and your face, or in person at Borgerservice with valid ID and a booked appointment. You need a chip passport and a phone that can read it for the app route; otherwise use Borgerservice.

- [How to open a Danish bank account as a foreigner](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/bank-account-denmark/): How to open a Danish bank account as a foreigner: what you need, which banks to try, why banks refuse, and your right to a basic payment account.
  Quick answer: You need a CPR number and usually MitID before a Danish bank will open a normal account. Banks must follow anti-money-laundering rules, so they ask for ID, address and often proof of work. If you are lawfully resident in the EU/EEA you have a legal right to a basic payment account, and the bank must decide within 10 working days.

- [How to get a tax card and understand Danish tax](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/tax-card-skatt/): How to get a Danish tax card (skattekort): apply in E-tax, understand your tax rate, claim deductions, and use the researcher tax scheme.
  Quick answer: You need a digital tax card (skattekort) before your employer pays you, or you will be taxed at 55%. Get it by logging in to skat.dk/tastselv, opening your forskudsopgørelse and entering your expected salary and first working day, or by calling Skattestyrelsen on (+45) 72 22 27 80 after you register your address.

- [How to rent an apartment in Copenhagen as a foreigner](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/rent-apartment-copenhagen/): How to rent in Copenhagen as a foreigner: deposit and prepaid rent costs, landlord screening, CPR and MitID, waiting lists, scams and tenant rights.
  Quick answer: Renting in Copenhagen means competing for a private home through portals and agents, paying a deposit of up to three months' rent plus up to three months' rent in advance, and proving you can pay. You need a CPR number and MitID before you can sign digitally, open a bank account or claim housing benefit.

- [Insurance in Denmark: what is mandatory, what is critical, what you can skip](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/insurance-denmark/): Insurance in Denmark: the three mandatory policies, the contents cover almost everyone needs, typical 2026 prices in DKK, and how to compare and switch.
  Quick answer: Three things are mandatory in Denmark: employers must carry work-injury insurance (arbejdsskadeforsikring), vehicles on public roads need liability insurance, and some residence permits require specific cover. For daily life, the one policy almost everyone needs is indboforsikring, which bundles contents, personal liability and legal-expenses cover.

- [How to insure your bike in Denmark and how bike theft works in Copenhagen](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/bike-insurance-denmark/): How bike insurance works in Denmark: coverage and excess, stelnummer and lock rules, reporting a theft to the police, and buying a used bike safely.
  Quick answer: Your bike is normally covered by your indboforsikring (contents insurance), typically up to around 6,000 to 19,000 kr per bike unless you raise the limit. To claim, the bike must have been locked with a Dansk Varefakta Nævn-approved lock, and you must report the theft to the police with the stelnummer (frame number).

- [How to get a doctor in Denmark and how the healthcare system works for newcomers](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/doctor-and-healthcare-denmark/): Get a doctor (egen læge) in Denmark: group 1 vs group 2, the yellow health card, what is free and what you pay, 1813, dentist costs and EHIC.
  Quick answer: Register with a GP (egen læge) on borger.dk once you have your CPR number and yellow health card. Choose group 1 for free care through your named doctor, or group 2 to see any doctor and pay part yourself. GP visits, hospital treatment and emergency care are free; dentistry, medicine and most specialists cost you a share.

- [How to get your children into school and daycare in Denmark](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/children-school-daycare-denmark/): Vuggestue, børnehave, SFO, folkeskole and international schools: how to apply, what daycare costs in Copenhagen, and what to bring. As of 2026.
  Quick answer: In Denmark your child can start in a vuggestue (day nursery) or with a dagplejer (registered childminder) from around 6 months, move to a børnehave (kindergarten) at about 2 years and 10 months, and start school at 6. Municipal daycare and the folkeskole are subsidised. Apply through your kommune's pladsanvisning (placement system) as soon as you have a CPR number.

- [How to find a job in Denmark when you don't speak Danish](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/jobs-without-danish/): English-friendly sectors, where to search (Jobindex, Jobnet, Workindenmark, EURES), the Danish CV, a-kasse and unions, salary checks and work permits.
  Quick answer: You can find work in Denmark without Danish. IT, engineering, pharma and life science, academia, shipping and parts of hospitality and logistics hire in English, and many job ads say so. Search on jobindex.dk, Jobnet, LinkedIn and Workindenmark. Join an a-kasse and a union from day one. For non-EU applicants, the Pay Limit Scheme and Positive List are common routes.

- [How to join clubs, play sport and make friends in Denmark](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/join-clubs-denmark/): Foreninger, sports clubs, volunteering and the social norms that surprise newcomers, plus cheap Danish courses and where internationals meet people.
  Quick answer: The fastest way to build a life in Denmark is to join a forening (association). Sports clubs, volunteering and language cafés are cheap, structured and full of locals. Learn Danish, even a little: it is the single biggest lever for friendships. And when a Dane invites you home for aftensmad (dinner), say yes.

- [How to rent a car in Denmark: licences, insurance, tolls and parking](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/rent-a-car-denmark/): Age limits, driving on a foreign licence, licence exchange, excess (selvrisiko), Brobizz, bridge tolls, Copenhagen parking zones and what a fine costs.
  Quick answer: You can rent a car in Denmark from about 19, depending on the company, and drive on an EU/EEA licence without limits. Non-EU visitors may need a translation or tourist licence, and residents must exchange a non-EU licence within 180 days. Rentals include insurance with a high excess (selvrisiko) you can usually buy down.

- [Public transport in Denmark: Rejsekort, Rejseplanen and DOT explained](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/public-transport-denmark/): How public transport in Denmark works: the zone system, Rejsekort and Basiskort, the Rejsebillet app, Rejseplanen, commuter cards and fines.
  Quick answer: Buses, trains, Metro and light rail in Denmark share one zone-based ticket system. You pay for the zones you cross, check in and out with the Rejsekort app or a Basiskort, and plan journeys with Rejseplanen. Two zones cost DKK 24, airport to central Copenhagen DKK 30, and skipping a ticket means a fine from DKK 750.

- [Cycling in Denmark: the rules, and how to buy a used bike without getting scammed](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/bike-rules-buying-used-bike-denmark/): Danish cycling rules, the kit your bike must legally have, the fines, and how to check a used bike's frame number against the police register before you pay.
  Quick answer: In Denmark a bike is a vehicle, so it must have at least two working brakes, a bell, a white front light and reflector, a red rear light and reflector, and yellow reflectors. Fines run from DKK 700 to DKK 1,000. Helmets are not compulsory for adults. Before buying second-hand, always check the frame number against the police bike register.

- [Exchanging a foreign driving licence for a Danish one](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/driving-licence-exchange-denmark/): How to swap a foreign driving licence for a Danish one: the 180-day rule, which countries skip the test, the medical certificate, fees and documents.
  Quick answer: If your licence is from the EU, EEA, Faroe Islands, Greenland or Switzerland you can drive on it in Denmark and exchange it without a test. Other licences are valid for 180 days after you take up residence here, then you must exchange it and pass a controlling theory and practical test. Exchanging costs DKK 520 as of 2026.

- [Apartment deposit and moving out in Denmark: how to get your money back](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/apartment-deposit-moving-out-denmark/): How Danish rental deposits work: the legal cap, the indflytningsrapport, the move-out inspection, what a landlord can charge for and how to dispute it.
  Quick answer: A Danish landlord may charge a deposit of at most three months' rent, plus up to three months' rent in advance, so you can pay up to nine months' rent to move in. The move-in report (indflytningsrapport) is the document that decides whether you get the deposit back, so insist on it, photograph everything, and dispute unfair deductions through your municipal rent tribunal.

- [Bringing your family to Denmark: family reunification and accompanying family](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/bring-family-to-denmark/): Three routes for bringing family to Denmark: EU free movement, an accompanying-family permit with a work or study permit, and Danish family reunification.
  Quick answer: EU citizens' family members get a free EU residence card and Danish reunification rules do not apply. With a Danish work or study permit, your spouse and children under 18 can apply as accompanying family for DKK 3,080. Family reunification with someone settled in Denmark is the hardest route: DKK 8,490 and up to 10 months.

- [Surviving your first Danish winter: light, warmth and the practical kit](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/winter-in-denmark/): How to handle your first Danish winter: daylight hours, vitamin D, warm clothing, cycling on ice, heating a flat and the snow rules that apply.
  Quick answer: The Danish winter problem is darkness, not cold. Copenhagen gets about seven hours of daylight around the winter solstice, against roughly seventeen and a half in June. Buy proper layers and waterproof shoes, take 5-10 µg of vitamin D daily from October to April, get outside in the middle of the day, and plan social things in advance.

- [Weekends in Denmark: what Danes actually do, and where to start](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/weekend-culture-denmark/): The Danish weekend explained: Friday social nights, quiet Sundays, fællesspisning, clubs, free culture, opening hours and a first-weekend plan.
  Quick answer: Friday is the social night, often at a fredagsbar or with colleagues; Saturday belongs to family, errands and sport; Sunday is quiet, with shops open but life indoors. The fastest way in is a forening (club or association), cheap communal dinners called fællesspisning, and free culture such as libraries and parks.

- [What it actually costs to live in Copenhagen in 2026](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/cost-of-living-copenhagen-denmark/): Copenhagen living costs in 2026: rent by area, deposits, monthly budgets for a single person, a couple and a family, plus food and heating.
  Quick answer: Plan on roughly DKK 9,000-13,000 a month in rent for a one-bedroom flat in Copenhagen, or DKK 13,000-18,000 for a family flat, plus DKK 4,000-6,000 for everything else. A single newcomer usually needs DKK 15,000-20,000 net a month; a family with one child in daycare needs closer to DKK 30,000.

- [Do you need a visa or residence permit for Denmark? EU vs non-EU explained](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/visa-residence-permit-denmark/): Do you need a Danish visa or residence permit? EU free movement and the SIRI residence document versus non-EU work, study and family routes.
  Quick answer: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a permit to live or work in Denmark, but you must register for a free EU residence document with SIRI. Non-EU citizens need a residence permit before arrival, applied for through New to Denmark, with fees from DKK 3,060 to DKK 8,490 as of 2026.

- [Holiday pay (feriepenge) in Denmark: how to find and use the money you earned](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/feriepenge-holiday-pay-denmark/): How Danish holiday pay works: the 12.5% rate, the holiday year, ordering feriepenge on borger.dk, tax on the payout and what to do if it is missing.
  Quick answer: Feriepenge are holiday pay: 12.5% of your gross pay, set aside by your employer and paid out when you take holiday. You earn 2.08 days a month in the holiday year from 1 September to 31 August, and you order the money yourself on borger.dk with MitID, paid into your NemKonto.

- [Your first 90 days in Denmark: the arrival checklist](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/guides/arrival-checklist-denmark/): A week-by-week arrival checklist for Denmark: CPR, MitID, bank account, NemKonto, tax card, doctor, transport and housing, with costs and waiting times.
  Quick answer: Sort your CPR number first, because it unlocks everything else: MitID, a bank account, NemKonto and your tax card. Register at your local borgerservice or an International Citizen Service centre in week one, then work through bank, doctor, transport and housing in weeks two to four, and languages, a-kasse and insurance in months two and three.


## News
- [Daily English digest of Danish news](https://newcomer-dk.pages.dev/news/): 24 current stories, updated 2026-10-16T10:07:26+00:00. Sources: DR, The Copenhagen Post, Uniavisen.

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