Business set up in Norway

The process of registering a company

• Deciding on the corporate form
• Deciding the company name
• Registration
• Conversion of the corporate form
   

Choice of the corporate form

There are mainly four corporate forms you need to be aware of in Norway. Two with limited liability and two without. Corporate forms with limited liability, limited liability companies:

• Private Limited Companies (AS)
•  Co-operatives (SA)

Corporate forms without limited liability, partnerships:

• Sole proprietorship
• General partnership (ANS/DA)

It is only the Private Limited Companies (AS) with legal capital requirements. All corporate forms besides Sole proprietorship have a lot of formal requirements and for all corporate forms except Sole proprietorship, you may have more than one owner.

If you are in doubt as to which corporate form suits you and your company, NJORD’s lawyers can assist you in deciding on the corporate form that best suits your start-up company.
 

Deciding the company name

Deciding on a good company name is necessary to make you visible in the market. It is hard to find good company names that are not already taken and at the same time fit your business personality. NJORD’s lawyers can give you advice regarding company name(s) and how to protect these.
 

Registration

The registration process depends on the chosen company form. New companies are registered on Altinn.no and will usually require the board to also apply for Norwegian D-number.
 

Conversion of the corporate form

Sometimes, it may subsequently be advantageous to convert the corporate form. Different rules apply, depending on the corporate form in question. Thus, NJORD Law Firm recommends that you seek legal advice if you want to change the corporate form, including company structure. At NJORD Law Firm, you can also receive advice on how to protect your trademarks, company name(s), patents, designs and copyright. We also provide assistance concerning the Norwegian Marketing Practices Act, including trade secrets.