It is necessary to have a Danish bank account when living in Denmark. In most cases, you need it to receive your salary as well as other supplements from the municipality which are paid directly into your bank account, such as child benefit (which is usually paid to the mother) and pensions. Once you have your CPR number, you can go into any bank and open an account. Once you have a bank account, you can arrange to have your bills paid automatically from your account by direct debit (Betalingsservice). This service is free whereas banks usually charge a service fee of at least DKK 20 if you pay your bills in person at the bank.

When you open a bank account, the bank will issue you with a Danish debit card which you can use to withdraw money at your bank, at the bank’s cash point machines/ATMs and at most shops. Your bank might charge a fee for withdrawing money from other banks’ ATMs so ask your bank before doing so. The most common debit card is the “Dankort” which is valid for payments all over Denmark. You can use the card to withdraw money and to pay for goods in most shops as well as for internet shopping. You will be sent a PIN code which you will need in order to use the card at cash point machines and in shops. Some shops require a signature instead of a PIN code.

You can use your debit card to withdraw cash in supermarkets. Typically, before you pay, the cashier will ask you if you want to pay the exact amount by saying “på beløbet.” You can ask for any extra amount, thereby using your debit card to withdraw money. Many banks offer a combined Visa/Dankort card. With a Visa card, you can pay for goods and services and withdraw money in most parts of the world.

“Netbanking” is widely used in Denmark and many banks offer this service in English. Please ask your bank for further details.

Most shops and other service providers have the right to impose a surcharge for transactions made with foreign credit cards. This surcharge varies between 2% and 5% and is determined by the individual store or chain.

Most residents in Denmark occasionally receive payments of some kind from the state. These payments can be tax refunds, child subsidies, pensions, student loans, unemployment benefits, housing support or social welfare payments.

Everybody in Denmark – citizens and companies alike – must have a designated NemKonto Easy Account, which is basically the bank account where you receive your salary. You must choose one account as NemKonto if you have several bank accounts. Read more about NemKonto Easy Account here.

If you are in doubt whether you have a ”NemKonto” or you do not know which one of your accounts it is, then ask your bank and they will let you know.

NemID is the new digital signature that all residents in Denmark have received in 2010. The purpose of NemID is for all residents to have one internet login for all public and private services.

The way you log in will always be the same, whether you are accessing your online banking, e-Boks or the local public authorities’ self-service, or whether you are checking your insurance or retrieving your tax return from the Danish tax authorities, SKAT. Read more about NemID here.

e-Boks is your personal digital mailbox. You can choose to have documents from governmental institutions delivered in your e-Boks such as your pay slip, documents from ATP, SKAT (tax), banks, insurance, labour unions, etc. In addition, you can scan your birth certificate or other personal papers and save them in e-Boks. Unless you erase them yourself, your documents in e-Boks will be kept for an unlimited period whether you move, get another job or change e-mail address. Through the internet, you always have access to your documents, and you do not have to organize and file your documents.

e-Boks is connected to your CPR number, i.e. only you have access to your personal documents. All the information sent to you will be encrypted so that nobody else can see it. Furthermore, e-Boks is using an approved certificate, which is your guarantee that you communicate with the right receiver i.e. e-Boks. All content is placed and stored in one of Denmark’s most secured servers at KMD. To log on to e-Boks, you need to have NemID. Unfortunately, the English guide on how to open an e-Boks has not yet been updated.