All residents in Denmark need to have a Central Personal Register number (CPR number). This is a national identification number that makes up part of your personal information stored in Denmark’s Civil Registration System.
Legally, everyone staying in Denmark for more than 3 months needs to apply for a CPR number.
As well as being a national identification number, your CPR number is an integral part of Danish society and grants you access to a number of services in Denmark. For example, without a CPR number, you cannot open a bank account, get a Danish phone number, use the public healthcare system, pay your taxes, receive your salary and more. In other words, a CPR number is essential if you want to live in Denmark.
The CPR number has 10 digits: the first six digits are the date of your birth, the following four are a unique ID number and the final four numbers indicate your gender.
To get your CPR number, you need to fill in the online application form and attend a registration appointment at the International Citizen Service (ICS). If you have a spouse or children (under 18) accompanying you in Denmark, you need to make a joint application.
To fill in the online form, you need to have:
After your application form has been processed (usually around 2 weeks), you will receive an email asking you to attend an appointment at the ICS. You will need to take the following documents to your appointment:
After your ID has been checked and approved at the appointment, you will receive your CPR number.