Notification of withholding tax on share dividends

Norwegian companies are obliged to report withholding tax on share dividends for their foreign shareholders. Withholding tax helps to ensure that everyone who is liable to pay tax in Norway has the correct amount of tax deducted from their dividends. 

Who must report withholding tax?

You must report withholding tax if you: 

  • are a private limited liability company, public limited company, or similar company
  • deduct withholding tax on share dividends, dividend compensation, and interest on equity certificates for your shareholders

It’s the Norwegian company paying the dividend that must report and pay the withholding tax to the Norwegian Tax Administration. 

The withholding tax reported in the notification constitutes the assessed tax. 

Payment and deadlines

Deadline for submitting a notification of withholding tax 

You must submit a notification of withholding tax on share dividends no later than seven days after the date of payment of dividends. 

Companies with shares registered with the Norwegian Central Securities Depository (VPS/CSD) can submit the notification no later than one month after the date of payment of dividends. 

Deadline for paying deducted withholding tax 

The deadline for paying the withholding tax you’ve deducted is the same day as the deadline for submitting a notification of withholding tax on share dividends. That is, either seven days or one month after the date of payment of dividends. 

The tax deduction must be made when the taxpayer receives, or becomes entitled to receive, dividends or dividend compensation, even if the settlement takes place later. 

You must use a KID number when paying. You’ll receive information about the payment and KID number when the notification of withholding tax has been submitted. 

Liability in the event of incorrect deduction or non-payment

If the correct withholding tax has not been deducted, or if withholding tax has not been paid, you may be held liable. 

Read about liability for tax on share dividends to foreign shareholders in section 16-21 of the Tax Payment Act (in Norwegian only). 

Submit a notification of withholding tax

You must submit a notification of withholding tax on share dividends no later than seven days after the date of payment of dividends. 

Companies with shares registered with the Norwegian Central Securities Depository (VPS/CSD) can submit the notification no later than one month after the date of payment of dividends.

Go to Altinn:

Submit a notification of withholding tax

To submit the notification, you must have an electronic ID to log in. 

How to register an electronic ID 

You can also choose to send the notification on paper. 

You can report withholding tax on share dividends on paper if you cannot do so electronically. Please note that paper submissions have a longer case processing time than electronic submissions. 

Download and complete the notification of withholding tax on share dividends (in Norwegian only)

Send to: 

Skatteetaten 
Postboks 9200 Grønland
0134 Oslo 

What happens after you’ve sent the notification 

After submission, you’ll receive: 

  • a receipt confirming that the notification has been delivered
  • an invoice for payment of withholding tax

You’ll find the invoice in your inbox on My page. 

Errors in reporting or deductions

If you’ve reported or deducted incorrect withholding tax, you must correct the deduction. You do this by submitting a correction within 3 months of the deadline, and no later than 31 December in the income year. 

When you submit a correction, you must specify a new basis for withholding tax and information about the shareholders you’re correcting for. 

Change the notification of withholding tax by: 

You can only change a submitted notification on paper when the original notification was submitted on paper. 

You must enclose an overview of the shareholders for whom the correction applies. The overview must contain the shareholders': 

  • name or organisation name
  • ID type/ D number
  • tax residence country

To report the changes, you can complete a new form and submit it together with an overview of the shareholders. 

Send to: 

Skatteetaten 
Postboks 9200 - Grønland 
0134 OSLO 

Information about treaty withholding tax rates and refunds

The withholding rate for share dividends is generally 25 percent, but foreign shareholders may be entitled to a lower rate due to tax treaties, the tax exemption method, etc. Norway has agreements with several countries on the withholding rates that shareholders must pay. 

If you do not know the foreign shareholder's identity and tax status, you must always deduct 25 percent. Read more in section 5-10a of the Tax Payment Regulations (in Norwegian only). 

Shareholders entitled to reduced withholding tax 

Some shareholders may be entitled to a lower tax rate. Read more about reduced withholding tax on share dividends for foreign shareholders. 

If a foreign shareholder has been deducted too much in withholding tax, they can apply for a refund of the excess amount on their own initiative. 

Legal sources