An ApS is Denmark’s private limited-liability company form. For a foreign founder, the important work is to keep the incorporation file, access method, capital trail, CVR registration and banking/KYC workstream aligned. They do not always finish on the same day.
What does an ApS formation involve?
The Danish Business Authority lists an ApS (anpartsselskab) as a private limited-liability company. The authority’s establishment guidance says a company must first be registered with the Danish Business Authority and points founders to the Start Company self-service solution. The ApS is a company-law structure; it does not itself grant Danish residence or work rights.
How much capital should a foreign founder plan for?
For an ApS, plan the statutory share-capital contribution and the cash needed to operate after registration as two separate amounts. The statutory minimum for an ApS is DKK 20,000. Treat that number as a legal entry point rather than a banking budget: include adviser fees, registered-address costs, first invoices, payroll if relevant, VAT cash-flow and a buffer in the operating plan. Keep a clear record of the fund source and payment path because a bank can ask for both.
How do you obtain a CVR number?
The Danish registration route is the source of the CVR number. Virk states that the Start Company service registers a company and provides a CVR number. Its current service page says the solution can be accessed with a foreign eID for a natural person or legal person; first-time foreign-eID users must supply contact information, including email and home-country address data. The broader Business in Denmark guidance also describes CPR/MitID or an eIDAS-approved foreign eID in the access context. Confirm the route that applies to the actual signatory before the file is ready to submit.
What should be ready before registration?
- Proposed company name, activity description and registered address.
- Shareholders, ownership percentages, directors and signing authority.
- Articles and memorandum materials in the required form; Virk says the Danish Business Authority templates for limited companies must be in Danish.
- Capital evidence and a source-of-funds file that matches the ownership structure.
- Contact details and the correct eID/access path for the person filing.
Why can banking take longer than incorporation?
A CVR number is a registration result, not an automatic bank-account approval. A bank or payment institution makes its own customer-due-diligence assessment. Foreign ownership, multiple jurisdictions, regulated activity, cash-intensive trade or unclear funding can lead to additional requests. Prepare a short business narrative, ownership chart, constitutional documents, registration extract, capital trail, expected transaction profile, contracts or pipeline evidence and identification documents. Do not promise a bank outcome to customers or suppliers until the institution confirms the account.
If public payments are relevant, the Business in Denmark guidance notes that a bank can help assign a Danish business account as the company’s NemKonto; it also refers businesses wishing to assign a foreign business account to NemKonto.dk. That is an operating setup question, separate from the corporate registration.
Practical sequence for foreign founders
- Confirm ownership, management, activity, address and the signatory’s digital-access route.
- Prepare Danish-form formation documents and a traceable capital file.
- Submit the company registration and retain the CVR confirmation.
- Open the banking/KYC workstream with a factual operating pack; answer follow-up questions consistently.
- Assess VAT, employer, bookkeeping, sector-licensing and immigration obligations against the actual activity.
Frequently asked questions
Can an ApS be registered by a foreign founder?
Foreign access is addressed by Virk’s foreign-eID guidance, but the correct filing method depends on the filer and company facts. Check the current service requirements before submission.
Does a CVR number guarantee a Danish bank account?
No. Registration and the bank’s customer-acceptance decision are distinct processes.
Does forming an ApS give the founder a residence permit?
No. Company formation and residence/work permission are separate legal analyses.
For a controlled formation and banking-readiness review, contact Corpenza or review our company-formation support. This article is general information, not legal, tax, immigration or banking advice.
Primary sources checked 24 July 2026: Danish Business Authority / Business in Denmark — Establish a business; Danish Business Authority / Virk — Start company.
