Is BRREG available in English?

No. BRREG is kept in Norwegian. The data is public, but to understand it correctly you need to know the Norwegian terms. A NordScan report presents the same data in your language.

What is the difference between Enhetsregisteret and Foretaksregisteret?

Enhetsregisteret (the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities) covers every entity and assigns the organisation number. Foretaksregisteret (the Register of Business Enterprises) covers entities that carry on a business, including AS and ASA companies. A trading company is usually in both.

Does being in BRREG mean the company is VAT-registered (MVA)?

No. Being in the register and VAT (MVA) registration are two different things — MVA is handled by the tax administration (Skatteetaten). You will find the organisation number in BRREG, but you confirm the VAT status separately. A Norwegian VAT number is also not in the EU's VIES (Norway is outside the EU).

What does the status konkurs or under avvikling mean?

Konkurs means bankruptcy, under avvikling means a company being wound up, and tvangsavvikling means compulsory dissolution. These are significant warning signs that are easy to confuse when reading Norwegian, so it is worth checking the exact wording of the status.

Is the data in BRREG current and reliable?

BRREG is the official state register, and in case of discrepancies its entry prevails. Bear in mind, however, that accounts describe a closed financial year and some statuses change with a delay — always check the date.

Brønnøysundregistrene (BRREG) — the Norwegian company register explained

Published: 2026-07-23

Brønnøysundregistrene (BRREG) is the Norwegian government agency that runs the country's central business registers. This is where every company receives its organisation number (organisasjonsnummer) and where its legal form, officers, status and — for entities required to file — annual accounts are recorded. The data is public, but kept in Norwegian and spread across several registers, so it is easy to misread a status or miss the right field. Below we explain what BRREG is and what the individual terms mean. If you are looking for the step-by-step process, see our guide on checking a Norwegian company.

What is BRREG and which registers does it run?

BRREG (Brønnøysundregistrene) is an agency under the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. It runs a dozen or so registers, but for getting to know a company three matter most.

Enhetsregisteret (the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities) covers every entity in Norway and is where the organisation number is assigned. Foretaksregisteret (the Register of Business Enterprises) covers entities that carry on a business, including AS and ASA companies. Regnskapsregisteret (the Register of Company Accounts) is where entities required to do so file their annual accounts.

In practice, different data about the same company sits in different registers: the basics in Enhetsregisteret, the financials in Regnskapsregisteret, and the tax status outside BRREG altogether — at the tax administration (Skatteetaten).

What does the organisation number (organisasjonsnummer) mean?

The organisation number (organisasjonsnummer) is a unique 9-digit identifier of a Norwegian entity — roughly the equivalent of a national company registration number. Every entity entered in Enhetsregisteret receives one, including a sole proprietorship (enkeltpersonforetak, ENK for short).

A Norwegian VAT number is that same organisation number with an MVA suffix. Note: being in the register does not by itself mean the company is VAT-registered — MVA registration is a separate matter handled by Skatteetaten. In addition, because Norway is outside the European Union, you cannot check a Norwegian VAT number in the EU's VIES system; it is confirmed through Norwegian sources.

What do the most common BRREG terms and statuses mean?

The register uses Norwegian terms that are easy to confuse when skimming. Below are the most common terms and statuses worth knowing.

The most common terms and statuses in the BRREG register
Term (Norwegian)	What it means	Watch out for
organisasjonsnummer	9-digit company number	the same number + MVA = VAT number; a sole proprietorship (ENK) also has one
Enhetsregisteret	Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities	covers every entity; the organisation number is assigned here
Foretaksregisteret	Register of Business Enterprises	entities carrying on a business (incl. AS/ASA)
Regnskapsregisteret	Register of Company Accounts	annual accounts sit here; only entities required to file
AS / ASA	private / public limited company	AS is the standard form; ASA is for listed companies
konkurs / under avvikling	bankruptcy / being wound up	significant warning signs; easy to confuse in Norwegian

BRREG vs a NordScan report — what's the difference?

BRREG is public, but kept in Norwegian and spread across several registers. To build a full picture of a company you need to read Norwegian, know which register to look in, and correctly interpret the statuses and financial figures. For one company that is a fair amount of time; across many counterparties it becomes a real risk of error.

A NordScan report pulls this data into one readable whole in your language: registry data, legal form, officers, status and financials — in a single PDF, without needing Norwegian. We are not a public authority or a state register; the fee covers preparing and delivering the report in your language, based on publicly available registry data.

Frequently asked questions

Is BRREG available in English?: No. BRREG is kept in Norwegian. The data is public, but to understand it correctly you need to know the Norwegian terms. A NordScan report presents the same data in your language.
What is the difference between Enhetsregisteret and Foretaksregisteret?: Enhetsregisteret (the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities) covers every entity and assigns the organisation number. Foretaksregisteret (the Register of Business Enterprises) covers entities that carry on a business, including AS and ASA companies. A trading company is usually in both.
Does being in BRREG mean the company is VAT-registered (MVA)?: No. Being in the register and VAT (MVA) registration are two different things — MVA is handled by the tax administration (Skatteetaten). You will find the organisation number in BRREG, but you confirm the VAT status separately. A Norwegian VAT number is also not in the EU's VIES (Norway is outside the EU).
What does the status konkurs or under avvikling mean?: Konkurs means bankruptcy, under avvikling means a company being wound up, and tvangsavvikling means compulsory dissolution. These are significant warning signs that are easy to confuse when reading Norwegian, so it is worth checking the exact wording of the status.
Is the data in BRREG current and reliable?: BRREG is the official state register, and in case of discrepancies its entry prevails. Bear in mind, however, that accounts describe a closed financial year and some statuses change with a delay — always check the date.

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This guide is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Laws and registry rules may change — the information held in the relevant country's official registers is always decisive.