What is Selskapsskatt (Corporate Income Tax)?
Norwegian corporate income tax. A flat 22% rate applies to all taxable profits of Norwegian AS (Aksjeselskap) companies. No regional variation. Financial companies (banks, insurance) pay 25%.
Current Rate (Inntektsår 2025)
22% (general); 25% (financial sector)
Example
An AS with NOK 1,000,000 taxable profit pays NOK 220,000 selskapsskatt (22%). A bank with the same profit pays NOK 250,000 (25%). No graduated brackets apply.
How Selskapsskatt (Corporate Income Tax) works in Norway
Selskapsskatt is the Norwegian corporate income tax, levied on the taxable profits (alminnelig inntekt) of Norwegian limited companies (AS) and branches of foreign companies operating in Norway.
**The 22% flat rate**
Since 2019, the standard corporate income tax rate has been 22% — a flat rate with no graduated brackets, no regional variations, and no minimum threshold. Every krone of taxable profit in a Norwegian AS is subject to the same 22% rate regardless of company size, industry, or location (with one exception: the financial sector).
Financial companies — banks, insurance companies, and other regulated financial institutions — pay 25% corporate tax, a 3-percentage-point surcharge introduced to ensure the financial sector contributes appropriately given that most financial services are exempt from MVA (VAT).
**What is taxable income?**
Taxable income (alminnelig inntekt) starts with accounting profit and adjusts for Norwegian tax law differences: - Depreciation: tax depreciation (saldoavskrivning) differs from accounting depreciation. Assets are written down in declining-balance groups (saldogrupper A through J) at prescribed rates. - Dividends received from other Norwegian/EEA AS: 97% exempt under Fritaksmetoden (3% is included in income at 22%, effective tax 0.66%) - Capital gains on shares in AS/EEA companies: similarly 97% exempt - Interest deduction limitations: thin capitalisation rules cap deductions on related-party interest exceeding 25% of EBITDA (rentebegrensningsreglene)
**When is tax paid?**
AS companies pay advance tax (forhåndsskatt) in two instalments — 15 February and 15 April of the year following the income year — based on expected liability. The final tax assessment (skatteoppgjøret) typically arrives in October/November. Any balance owed must be paid when the assessment is issued; overpaid advance tax is refunded with interest.
**Small company simplification**
Norway has no formal small company tax regime separate from the standard 22% rate. However, very small AS with simple affairs can use simplified accounting rules and benefit from the standard deduction system. The SkatteFUNN R&D tax credit (19% of eligible R&D costs, up to NOK 25m for SMEs) reduces the effective tax burden for qualifying companies.
**CFC rules**
Norway has controlled foreign company (NOKUS) rules that tax Norwegian shareholders on their share of income in low-tax foreign companies, preventing profit-shifting to tax havens.
Related terms
Norwegian private limited company. The most common business structure for active trading. Minimum share capital NOK 30,000. Registered with Brønnøysundregistrene (BRREG). Shareholders have limited liability — personal assets are protected.
Norwegian participation exemption. Dividends and capital gains between qualifying Norwegian and EEA companies are 97% exempt from tax (3% included at 22% = effective 0.66% tax). Prevents cascade taxation in corporate groups. Does not apply to non-EEA companies in low-tax jurisdictions.
Norway's national tax authority. Manages all Norwegian taxes including personal income tax, corporate tax, MVA (VAT), wealth tax, and inheritance tax. Digital services via skatteetaten.no. Business filings use Altinn.no portal.
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