All businesses that operated in Norway in 2022 should file the corporate tax return by 31 May 2023. Exemption or extended deadline may be granted upon application.

Obligation to file a corporate tax return

The corporate tax return for 2022 is now available online at www.altinn.no for all businesses that are registered in Norway.

The deadline for filing the 2022 corporate tax return is 31 May 2023. Upon application, an extension may be granted until 30 June 2023.

The basic rule is that all Norwegian companies and foreign enterprises conducting business activities in Norway are subject to Norwegian corporate tax according to domestic Norwegian tax law. Thus, they are obliged to file a corporate tax return.

This applies even in the case a foreign entity should be exempted from Norwegian tax liability according to a relevant tax treaty. However, in such a case it is possible to apply for an exemption from this filing duty. Such exemption is valid only for one year.

Note that the duty to file a tax return also includes the obligation to provide mandatory attachments to the tax return.

The corporate tax return can only be filed electronically via www.altinn.no. This applies to the attachments as well. Paper filing is not accepted.

Non-Norwegian enterprises

According to domestic Norwegian tax law, A non-Norwegian enterprise will, become subject to Norwegian corporate tax if it conducts business activities within Norway – including at the continental shelf - or if it hires out employees to work in Norway.

A foreign company that is subject to corporate tax according to domestic Norwegian tax law, is obliged to file the corporate tax return. This applies even though the company may be exempted from corporate tax liability pursuant to provisions of a tax treaty. The reason for this is that compliance obligations are not covered by the tax treaties.

Non-Norwegian companies operating via a branch in Norway are obliged to submit the form “Extract of accounts” as an attachment to the tax return. All income and costs related to the activity in Norway must be included in the form. Enterprises obliged to keep accounts are however required to submit the same forms as resident corporations in addition to the “Extract of accounts” form.

Also read: Remember to file the extracts of accounts

Penalties for late and non-filing of the corporate tax return

If the tax return is not delivered by the deadline, the tax office will issue one reminder with a short additional deadline.

Thereafter, a penalty fine will be imposed for each day the tax return is not delivered. The same applies when there are obvious errors in the information provided in the tax return.

The maximum penalty fine is NOK 62,150 (for 2023). Criminal charges may be raised against companies or members of the board of directors etc. that willfully does not deliver the tax return.

It is further important to note that that in case of non-compliance, the tax office will normally discretionarily assess a taxable income.

Also read: Business in Norway - Avoid sanctions and penalty charges

Application for extended filing deadline

It would normally be possible to obtain an extended filing deadline to the end of June 2022. An application for extended filing deadline should be reasoned.

However, you may also discuss this issue with your advisor at Magnus Legal since we have a right to request extended deadline for a certain number of our clients.

Also read: Do the right things when doing business in Norway

Taxation Period

For companies with the ordinary financial year following the calendar year, the tax return delivered in 2022 should include income and deductions related to the calendar year 2021.

However, in certain cases, the company may utilize a financial year that deviates from the calendar year. A deviating financial year is practical for Norwegian subsidiaries or branches of foreign groups that apply a deviating financial year elsewhere.

In such case the tax return should reflect the same period as the financial accounts, and the 2022 tax return now due, should cover the financial year ending in 2022.

Also, note that a Norwegian tax year can never exceed 12 months.

Also read: VAT for foreign businesses operating in Norway: 7 frequently asked questions

Other obligations

Please keep in mind that there are various other compliance obligations in Norway that must be adhered to. Important is that the 2022 financial accounts must be filed to the Registry of Accounts within end of July 2023.

Find out more about Magnus Legal’s tax services on our webpage: Corporate tax in Norway

Article first published 16 April 2020, latest update 20 April 2023.