Can a foreigner buy property in Denmark?

Purchase by foreigners is closed or allowed only in narrow cases

Denmark requires a person who has not lived in the country to get permission from the Ministry of Justice before buying property. In practice permission to buy a holiday home is hard to obtain.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

A foreigner who has not lived in Denmark must apply for permission to buy land. Permission is given only in limited cases.

Houses and flats

A holiday home needs permission and is rarely granted, with narrow exceptions. A person who has lived in Denmark for a set number of years can buy freely.

Buying through a company

A foreign company is subject to the same permission rule.

Limits and closed zones

EU rules protect EU citizens who live in Denmark, so the position depends on residence.

What to watch for

Do not make a binding offer before you have checked the permission rule with a Danish lawyer.

Understand the legal system first

Denmark belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Denmark legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Denmark with another country →

Official sources

Danish Civil Affairs Agency (Civilstyrelsen)

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.