HMS card Norway (HMS-kort): D-number, tax card & site rules for work in Norway

Going to work in Norway on a building site? The first thing the gate will ask for is your HMS card Norway (HMS-kort) – the photo ID card that every worker on a Norwegian construction site must wear. Behind that card sit several other steps: a D-number (d-nummer) and identity check, a tax deduction card (skattekort), police registration if you stay longer, an A1 certificate for posted workers and, for welders, the varme arbeider certificate. This guide goes through each one in the order you need them, so you can sort everything out before you travel. For a quick comparison with Finland, Sweden and Denmark, see our Nordic site cards overview.

HMS-kort and other documents for work in Norway: summary

HMS card Norway (HMS-kort): the card you need on site

Under the Norwegian regulation on HMS cards for building and construction sites (forskrift om HMS-kort på bygge- og anleggsplasser), employers and sole traders must make sure that everyone who works on a building or construction site has an HMS card. It applies equally to Norwegian and foreign workers, and to employees of foreign EU/EEA companies. Many workers simply call it the byggekort.

Who orders the HMS-kort (bestille HMS-kort)

You cannot order the card yourself – your employer does. Only the owner or employees of the company the card is linked to may order it. In practice a person with a formal role in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises (Enhetsregisteret), such as the general manager, logs in at hmskort.no with an electronic ID, and can delegate ordering rights to others. Before ordering, the employer must check the worker's identity, and the card issuer checks it again.

Requirements before the card can be issued

• The company must be registered in the relevant Norwegian registers – for a foreign company typically Enhetsregisteret, the VAT register, the Aa-register (employer and employee register) or the reporting duty to the Central Tax Office for Foreign Affairs.
• The worker must be registered too. For a foreign worker this in practice means a D-number from the National Population Register, which requires an in-person ID check – so start early.
• The card stays valid only while both the company and the worker remain registered.

Validity, cost and what is on the card

An HMS card is issued for two years and is valid only as long as the employment lasts – change employer and you need a new card. The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority (Arbeidstilsynet) states that each card costs NOK 139.10 + VAT. After ordering, the person who placed the order receives an email with a QR code, which serves as documentation until the physical card arrives. The card shows the employer, your name, photo and date of birth in Norwegian and English, plus a QR code that shows the registration status when scanned. The card belongs to the employer and must be returned or destroyed when you leave.

On site and recent changes

You must wear the HMS-kort clearly visible at all times and show it on request to Arbeidstilsynet, the tax authorities, the police, the safety representative, the client (byggherre) and the safety coordinator. Invalid cards can be confiscated, and a company whose workers lack valid cards can be ordered to get them, have work stopped or be fined. Recent changes: the regulation was amended with effect from 1 January 2024, and from 1 January 2026 HMS cards are also required in goods transport by van. In 2026 the Storting dealt with an amendment to the Working Environment Act (Prop. 78 L (2025–2026)) that lets the government require lists of who is on site and oblige clients to check that contractors follow the HMS card rules; the date it takes effect will be set later.

D-number (d-nummer) and the ID check

A D-number is the Norwegian identity number for foreigners who do not have a national ID number (fødselsnummer). You cannot apply for a D-number on its own – there is no separate "d nummer søknad". It is assigned when you need it, typically when you or your employer apply for a tax deduction card. If you have no Norwegian number yet, you must attend an ID check in person at a tax office that carries out ID checks or at a Service Centre for Foreign Workers (SUA) in Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim or Kirkenes. You must book an appointment before you go, and bring a valid passport or national ID card. A D-number becomes inactive five years after it was assigned; if you return later, you need a new ID check to reactivate it before you can get a new tax deduction card.

Tax deduction card (skattekort) for foreign workers

Everyone who works in Norway must have a tax deduction card. Your employer collects it directly from the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten). You can apply yourself, or your employer can apply for you with form RF-1355. If an ID check is required, it must be done before the card is issued, and until the card exists the employer has to deduct 50 percent tax from your wages – one more reason to book the ID check early. Most newcomers are placed on the PAYE withholding scheme (kildeskatt på lønn).

Registration with the police (EU/EEA workers)

EU/EEA citizens do not need a residence permit to work in Norway, but if you stay longer than three months you must register with the police and receive a registration certificate (registreringsbevis). It is a registration, not a permit, and is normally done only once; staying longer without registering can lead to a fine. Citizens of Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland are exempt. If you plan to live in Norway for more than six months, you must also report the move to Skatteetaten. Non-EU/EEA workers need a residence permit from UDI before they start work.

A1 certificate for posted workers

If your employer in your home country sends you to Norway temporarily, bring an A1 certificate. It shows that you remain a member of your home country's social security scheme, so no Norwegian social security contribution is due. You get it from the social security authority at home – apply before the posting starts. Posted workers should also bring an S1 certificate for health care.

Reporting assignments and foreign workers to Skatteetaten

When a foreign company takes a job in Norway, the client must report the assignment and the foreign contractor must report its employees (forms RF-1199 and RF-1198, "opplysninger om oppdrag og arbeidstakere"). The duty covers contracts of NOK 20,000 or more and reaches two links down the contract chain. Employees must be reported within 14 days of their first working day, and the last working day within 14 days as well. Reports go to Skatteetaten's Assignment and Employee Register; reporting with the old Altinn roles stops from 17 November 2026, so the company needs the new access packages.

Varme arbeider certificate (hot work)

Welding, cutting, grinding, soldering or torch-on roofing count as hot work (varme arbeider). The insurance industry's safety rules for hot work require both the person doing the work and the fire watch to hold a valid certificate issued by the Norwegian Fire Protection Association (Norsk brannvernforening) or an approved partner organisation in another Nordic country – if you hold a Swedish, Danish or Finnish hot-work certificate, ask the main contractor whether it is accepted. A varme arbeider kurs combines theory, a practical fire-extinguishing exercise and an exam; online versions take about 4–6 hours, and the practical exercise must be completed within three months. The varme arbeider sertifikat is valid for 5 years. Before each job the client, the worker and the fire watch sign a hot-work checklist, which acts as the permit, and the fire watch stays at least one hour after the work ends. Prices vary – check with the course provider.

Site induction (HMS introduction)

No national card replaces the main contractor's own site induction. Expect a safety briefing on your first day covering site rules, emergency routes, the hot-work routine and the required protective equipment. Bring your HMS-kort, certificates and correct PPE to the induction – without them you may not be let through.

Checklist before you travel to Norway

1. Check that your employer's company is registered in the Norwegian registers needed for HMS cards.
2. Book an ID check at a tax office or SUA and bring your passport or national ID card; get your D-number.
3. Apply for a tax deduction card (yourself or via RF-1355) to avoid 50% withholding.
4. Ask your employer to order your HMS-kort and send you the QR receipt before the first day.
5. Posted worker? Get the A1 (and S1) from your home country.
6. Make sure the client and your employer report the assignment and your name to Skatteetaten within 14 days.
7. Welder or fire watch? Complete the varme arbeider course and practical exercise.
8. Staying over three months (non-Nordic EU/EEA)? Register with the police.
9. Pack site-ready PPE and ask the main contractor about the induction.

Protective equipment you'll need on site

Norwegian sites expect at least a helmet, high-visibility clothing (synlighetsklær class 2), S3 safety boots, safety glasses and gloves – details in our guide to PPE on Norwegian construction sites and the Nordic PPE rules compared. Browse hi-vis workwear, safety boots, safety helmets, safety glasses and work gloves. For hot work: welding gloves and flame-resistant workwear. Kitting out a whole crew? Use the workwear kit builder. We deliver to Norway in 8–16 days, so order before you go.

FAQ

Can I order an HMS-kort myself?

No. Only the owner or an employee of the company you work for can order the card at hmskort.no. Sole traders order their own card through their registered business.

How long is the HMS card valid?

Two years, and only while you work for the employer named on the card. A new employer must order a new card.

Do I need a D-number for the HMS card?

In practice yes: the worker must be registered in Norwegian registers, and for foreign workers that means a D-number obtained after an in-person ID check. Book the appointment well before your start date.

Is the varme arbeider certificate mandatory?

It is required by the insurers' safety rules that Norwegian clients and contractors work under, so on almost every site you will not be allowed to do hot work or act as fire watch without a valid certificate.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and prices change – always confirm with the issuing authority or your main contractor before you travel.