Norwegian Company Register Search: How to Look Up and Verify a Company

A Norwegian company is checked via the free Brønnøysundregistrene search at brreg.no using its 9-digit organisasjonsnummer — the entry shows whether the company is registered and active, and carries its core registration details.

The manual process today

Done by hand, verifying one company means working through several Brønnøysund surfaces and then repeating the whole thing on a schedule, because the registry sends no change alerts.

Step 1 — Search brreg.no by name or organisasjonsnummer

Open brreg.no and search by the company name or its 9-digit organisasjonsnummer.

Step 2 — Confirm the entry is registered and active

Open the entry in Enhetsregisteret and confirm the entity is registered and currently active rather than under deletion.

Step 3 — Scan for bankruptcy or dissolution flags

Read the same entry for a bankruptcy (konkurs) or dissolution (oppløsning) flag — a struck-off entity should fail an onboarding check.

Step 4 — Check whether annual accounts are filed

Look the company up in Regnskapsregisteret to see whether its annual accounts (årsregnskap) have been filed.

Step 5 — Check VAT (MVA) registration

Check whether the company is registered in the VAT register (Merverdiavgiftsregisteret).

Step 6 — Repeat the check periodically

Re-run the whole check on a schedule — Brønnøysund sends no change alerts, so you catch a status change only by looking again.

How the check resolves to a verdict

The verdict itself answers two questions — is the company actively registered, and is a signing authority visible? A bankrupt or dissolving company already reports a non-active status, so distress folds into the first question. Everything else (accounts filed, VAT registration, the individual distress flags) is surfaced alongside the verdict as transparency signals; those signals never change it.

org number -> [registered & active?]
        --no (known inactive: bankrupt, dissolving, struck)--> fail
        --status missing from the register-----------------> unknown
                     | yes
                     v
   [signing authority visible? signaturrett / prokura / innehaver]
        --yes--> pass
        --no---> unknown   (not visible in the register is never
                            reported as "has no signing authority")

alongside the verdict, transparency-only signals (never change it):
   bankruptcy / dissolution flags, filed accounts, VAT registration

Frequently asked questions

How to check company registration in Norway?

Use the free search at brreg.no by name or 9-digit organisasjonsnummer; the entry shows registration status and core details. (brreg.no)

What is a company tax number in Norway?

The 9-digit organisasjonsnummer; if VAT-registered, "MVA" is appended (e.g. 123 456 789 MVA). (skatteetaten.no)

What is brreg?

Brønnøysundregistrene, the Brønnøysund Register Centre — the state agency running Norway's central registers. (brreg.no)

Is Brreg a government agency?

Yes, a Norwegian government agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. (brreg.no)

What is the Brreg register search?

A free public lookup on brreg.no showing official registration status and core details for any registered Norwegian entity. (brreg.no)

What is Foretaksregisteret?

The Register of Business Enterprises; commercial businesses must register there for legal corporate status and name protection. (brreg.no)

Is there an equivalent to Companies House in Norway?

Yes — Brønnøysundregistrene (Foretaksregisteret) is the closest equivalent. (brreg.no)

What is an organization number in Norway?

A unique 9-digit ID assigned to every registered entity at registration. (brreg.no)

What is a Norway ID number?

For individuals an 11-digit fødselsnummer, or a temporary D-number for foreign workers; for businesses the 9-digit org number. (skatteetaten.no)

What is a Norway identification number?

Another name for the personal identification number used by individuals with public services, banks and tax. (skatteetaten.no)

What does a Norway ID look like?

Personal numbers are 11 digits (6-digit DDMMYY birthdate + 5-digit personal code); org numbers are 9 digits. (skatteetaten.no / brreg.no)

How to register a company in Norway?

Submit a "Samordnet registermelding" (Coordinated register notification) via Altinn (altinn.no). (brreg.no)

What is the format of tax ID in Norway?

Individuals: 11-digit personal number; businesses: 9-digit org number, plus "MVA" if VAT-registered. (skatteetaten.no)

What is NIN in Norway?

National Identity Number = fødselsnummer, an 11-digit personal number from the Tax Administration. (skatteetaten.no)

How much does it cost to register a company in Norway?

Registering a private limited company (AS) in the Register of Business Enterprises costs NOK 6,825 when filed digitally (NOK 7,912 on paper). A sole proprietorship (ENK) registered only in the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities costs NOK 2,181 digitally (NOK 2,746 on paper). (brreg.no)

Let Apier run the check

Skip the six manual checks. Apier Verify runs them in one API call: a single pass / fail / unknown verdict on active status + visible signing authority, with bankruptcy, dissolution, filed accounts and VAT surfaced alongside as transparency signals — and null always means unknown, never a silent no.

Try Verify · Start free