Best Bank Accounts in Norway for Expats (2026)

Opening a bank account is the quiet bottleneck of moving to Norway. Almost everything else — getting paid, splitting a restaurant bill, paying rent, logging into a government website, even buying a SIM on contract — runs through two things: a Norwegian bank account and a Norwegian BankID. And both of those depend on an identity number you probably don't have on day one.

This guide is the honest version. I'll compare the real Norwegian banks newcomers actually use, tell you which ones will (and won't) give you a BankID on a D-number, and explain how to bridge the gap with Wise or Revolut so you can spend from the moment you land. No "best bank" hype — the right answer depends on your ID status and where in Norway you live.

First, the two numbers that decide everything

Before any bank, you need to understand the difference between the two Norwegian identity numbers, because every requirement below hinges on it.

• D-number (D-nummer): a temporary identification number for people staying in Norway short-term, or for stays over six months when you don't yet qualify for a full national number. You'll often get it through the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) or via UDI when you arrive. This is the number most newcomers have first.
• Fødselsnummer (national identity number / personnummer): the permanent 11-digit number assigned when you register a stay of more than six months and meet the conditions. This is the "full" Norwegian ID number, and it unlocks the widest banking access.

The account itself is rarely the hard part — many banks will open one on a D-number. The hard part is BankID, the digital identity you use to log into your bank, sign documents, and access public services. Banks set their own rules on whether a D-number is enough for BankID, and those rules differ from bank to bank. That single distinction is what makes one bank "easy" and another "impossible" for you specifically.

One more reality: most Norwegian banks require an in-person ID check at a branch before they open your first account. You usually start the application online, then book an appointment to show your passport. Budget for that.

The banks, compared for newcomers

Here's how the main banks stack up on the things that actually matter when you're new — newcomer access, D-number/BankID policy, English support, and Vipps compatibility.

Bank	Opens for newcomers?	D-number / BankID	English support	Vipps
DNB	Yes — dedicated "new in Norway" process	Account on D-number; BankID generally needs a full national ID number (D-number login option exists)	Strong — English site, app, advisers	Yes, once you have a NO account + BankID
Nordea	Yes	BankID generally not issued on D-number, with exceptions; has the NordeaID app	Good — pan-Nordic bank	Yes, with NO account + BankID
SpareBank 1 (regional)	Yes, varies by region	Most flexible on D-number — see breakdown below	Varies by regional bank	Yes
Handelsbanken	Yes — relationship/branch model	Case-by-case via your adviser	English site and service	Yes
Danske Bank	Limited for retail newcomers	Not well-documented for retail expats	Multilingual	Yes if NO account + BankID
Sbanken	No longer a separate bank — now a brand inside DNB	Follows DNB	English app	Follows DNB

DNB — the default, but slow

DNB is Norway's largest bank and the one most expats end up with. It's the most newcomer-ready: a genuinely English website and app, English-speaking advisers, and a documented "new in Norway" path. You can bring an interpreter if you speak neither Norwegian nor English.

The catch is speed and BankID. DNB itself says it can take up to four to six weeks to become a customer when you're new to Norway and have to verify your ID in person at a branch. And historically DNB has required a full national identity number to issue BankID — though it has offered an option letting D-number holders at least log into its services. If your BankID is the thing you urgently need, DNB may not be the fastest route.

Nordea — solid, pan-Nordic, but cautious on D-numbers

Nordea operates across all the Nordic countries, which is handy if you've moved from Denmark, Sweden or Finland. For BankID, Nordea has generally not issued it to customers with only a D-number, though it has said it's willing to make exceptions and offers the NordeaID app as an alternative login for some D-number customers. Worth a conversation if you're a Nordea customer elsewhere.

SpareBank 1 — often the easiest for a D-number

SpareBank 1 isn't one bank — it's an alliance of independent regional banks, and their D-number/BankID policies differ. This is where newcomers with only a D-number often have the best luck:

• SpareBank 1 Østlandet — issues BankID to customers with a D-number.
• SpareBank 1 Sør-Norge — requires either a national identity number, or a D-number plus a valid biometric passport.
• SpareBank 1 Nord-Norge — allows a D-number plus a valid passport.
• SpareBank 1 SMN — evaluates case by case, partly depending on whether you can attend in person.

If you have a D-number and a biometric passport but no fødselsnummer yet, the regional SpareBank 1 in your area is often the most realistic shot at a working BankID. Which one you can join depends on where you live, since they're regional.

Handelsbanken — relationship banking, English-friendly

Handelsbanken is a Swedish-rooted bank with a presence across Norway and a deliberately old-fashioned model: local branches, a personal adviser, decisions made close to the customer. Its site and service are available in English. It tends to suit people who value a human contact and aren't chasing the cheapest digital-only setup. Newcomer onboarding runs through your adviser, so D-number cases are handled individually rather than by a blanket rule.

Danske Bank — present, but more corporate/private

Danske Bank (headquartered in Copenhagen) operates in Norway and offers multi-currency and international services, but its retail-newcomer onboarding is less clearly documented than DNB's or SpareBank 1's. If you're an ordinary salaried newcomer, it's usually not the first port of call; it leans more toward corporate and private-banking relationships.

Sbanken — gone as a standalone

If you've read older guides recommending Sbanken, that advice is out of date. Sbanken's merger into DNB completed in 2023; it now exists only as a brand/customer concept inside DNB, with DNB as the legal bank behind it. There's no separate Sbanken to "open" anymore — you're really opening DNB.

What about fees?

Honest answer: everyday banking in Norway is mostly inexpensive, and I'm not going to quote precise monthly kroner figures per bank because they change and vary by package. The general picture: a basic current account (brukskonto) and debit card for routine domestic use is typically free or very cheap across the major banks, and domestic transfers and Vipps payments between private users don't cost you. Where fees show up is at the edges — currency conversion, international transfers, certain card types, and premium account bundles. For comparing those edges, the bank's own price list (prisliste) is the source of truth; don't trust a blog's number, including this one.

This is also exactly where Wise and Revolut earn their place — not as your main bank, but as the cheaper rail for anything that crosses a currency boundary.

The interim accounts: Wise and Revolut

Here's the part most "best bank" articles skip. The Norwegian account takes weeks. You need to pay for groceries, transport and a deposit now. The fix is to open a Wise or Revolut account before you even land — both can be set up in minutes from your phone, and neither requires a Norwegian residency or ID number to start (you verify with your passport and an existing address).

What they're genuinely good for as a newcomer:

• Spending from day one — hold and spend NOK with a card, online and in shops, while your Norwegian account is still processing.
• Cheap currency conversion — Wise in particular converts at the mid-market rate with a transparent fee, which is far better than airport bureaux or many home-country cards.
• Moving your money in — bring your savings across at a fair rate rather than via an expensive home-bank international transfer.
• A backup card — useful even after your Norwegian account opens.

Where they stop — and this matters: neither Wise nor Revolut gives you a genuine Norwegian account number or NO-prefix IBAN. Wise provides local receiving details in several currencies, but NOK is not one of them; Revolut typically issues a non-Norwegian (EU) IBAN. In practice that means they are not a reliable substitute for:

• Receiving a Norwegian salary — many employers require a Norwegian account, and payroll systems expect a NO account number.
• BankID — issued by Norwegian banks, not fintechs.
• Vipps — needs a Norwegian bank account and BankID.
• AvtaleGiro / direct debits for rent and utilities.

So the correct mental model is: Wise or Revolut to land and spend; a Norwegian bank to live. Run both in parallel — the fintech account covers the gap, the Norwegian account becomes your base once it's live.

Between the two, Wise leans toward cheap, transparent international transfers and multi-currency holding; Revolut leans toward an app-first everyday card with budgeting features and a free tier. Many expats keep both. Neither replaces the Norwegian account — they buy you time.

What to do first — the realistic sequence

Here's the order that actually works, start to finish.

1. Before you fly: open a Wise and/or Revolut account on your phone and add some money. You now have a working card for arrival day. Don't wait until you're in Norway with no way to pay.
2. Get registered: complete your residence registration and ID-number step — book your appointment with the police/UDI (for the residence side) and the Tax Administration (Skatteetaten) for your D-number or fødselsnummer. This is the gate everything else waits behind.
3. Get a Norwegian phone number on a contract or prepaid SIM. You'll need it for bank verification, BankID and Vipps.
4. Pick your bank by your ID status, not by brand:
   • Have a fødselsnummer? DNB is the easy default — English service, widest network.
   • Have only a D-number (plus a biometric passport)? Check the SpareBank 1 regional bank for your area first — several issue BankID on a D-number — and ask DNB and your adviser at Handelsbanken about their current policy.
5. Apply online, then book the in-person ID check. Bring your passport, your D-number/fødselsnummer, proof of Norwegian address (rental contract or employer letter), and proof of employment or income. Most banks won't finish without the face-to-face ID step.
6. Activate BankID once the bank issues it — this is the real milestone. With BankID you can log into public services, sign things digitally, and finally set up Vipps.
7. Switch your direct debits and salary to the Norwegian account once it's live, and keep Wise/Revolut for travel and transfers.

The bottom line

There is no single "best bank in Norway" — there's the best bank for your ID situation. If you already have a fødselsnummer, DNB is the path of least resistance for an English speaker. If you're new with only a D-number, a regional SpareBank 1 bank is often the most realistic way to a working BankID, with Handelsbanken worth a call for its personal-adviser model. Whatever you choose, the account takes weeks, so open Wise or Revolut first to spend immediately — just don't mistake them for the finish line. The Norwegian account plus BankID is the thing that actually makes life in Norway work, and Vipps, salary and government access all wait on the other side of it.