How do you get a D-number or national ID number in Norway in 2026?

A fødselsnummer is the long-stay identifier. Skatteetaten’s guidance is that people who will live in Norway for at least six months, or on a more permanent basis, and who are registered as resident in Folkeregisteret (the National Population Register), receive a fødselsnummer. Both Norwegian and foreign citizens can hold one. The first six digits reflect the birth date.

A D-nummer is also eleven digits, but it is for people who need a Norwegian ID without (yet) meeting the fødselsnummer conditions. Typical triggers include paying tax in Norway, holding a residence permit while the population case is unfinished, opening a bank account, receiving benefits, or owning property. Only foreign citizens receive a D-nummer. If you later report a move to Norway and the registration is approved, the fødselsnummer replaces the D-nummer.

You cannot apply for either number as a free-standing hobby form. An enterprise or authority that needs the number requests it. Skatteetaten may order a D-nummer when you need a skattekort (tax deduction card). A bank may request one so it can open an account. UDI (the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) or the police may trigger identity work during residence registration. After the request, you usually supply a certified passport copy and, when asked, attend an ID check at a tax office.

If you are coming to stay more than six months, Skatteetaten says you must notify the move to Norway (with Nordic exceptions described on the same pages). Non-EU movers normally need a valid residence basis from UDI first. EU/EEA movers who registered with the police still complete population steps through Skatteetaten when the stay crosses the residence threshold.

Book the ID-check appointment when Skatteetaten or the requesting agency tells you to. Bring original identity documents. After the visit, wait for the decision letter or in-person confirmation. Your fødselsnummer appears when Folkeregisteret lists you as resident, not when you only upload a form. Keep your Norwegian address updated so post and register entries do not stall.

Non-EU applicants should finish the UDI permit path far enough to show lawful stay. EU/EEA movers should bring registration proofs and employment or study papers that match why they are here. Employers often start the tax-card process early because payroll cannot run cleanly without a Norwegian ID.

Once you have a number, banks, BankID, and healthcare listing become realistic. City life in Bergen or elsewhere does not change the Skatteetaten sequence; see Living in Bergen only after the number exists.