Your credit score in Norway can decide whether you get a loan, a phone contract or the flat you want. Many people who move here have never seen theirs. Checking it is free, and it only takes a few minutes once you have BankID or Vipps.
This article is the reading companion to the free Mondosol lesson Money Matters: Credit Scores & Trust. Read it, watch the videos, or press play and listen. Then test yourself in the lesson.
This article is educational, not financial advice. Rules and services change, so check the official sources before you make a decision.
In this article
What a credit score is
A credit score (kredittscore) is a number that estimates how likely you are to pay your bills and debts on time. Banks use it before a loan. Landlords, mobile operators and electricity companies may also run a credit check (kredittsjekk).
A higher score usually means lower risk in the eyes of the lender. It can mean a quicker “yes” and sometimes a better interest rate.
Who calculates it
There is no single national score in Norway. Licensed credit bureaus (kredittopplysningsbyråer) collect data and calculate their own scores. Examples are Dun & Bradstreet (formerly Bisnode), Experian and Creditsafe.
Each bureau uses its own model, so your score can differ between them. Many show it on a scale from 1 to 100, where higher is better.
Good to know: when a company checks your credit, you normally get a copy letter (gjenpartsbrev), often digitally. It tells you who checked you. If you don’t recognise the company, contact the bureau.
How to check your score for free
- At the bureaus: you have the right to see what a credit bureau holds about you. Most bureaus let you log in with BankID on their website.
- uScore (uscore.no): a free app and website. You log in with Vipps or BankID. It shows a score from 1 to 100 and a summary of your unsecured debt.
- Uno Score (unoscore.no): a free service with Vipps login. It names Experian as the source of the score.
uScore and Uno Score are private companies, not public bodies. They make money from offers, for example refinancing or credit cards. You don’t have to accept any offer to see your score. Mondosol has no partnership with them.
Checking your own score does not lower it.
The debt registers (gjeldsregistre)
Since 2019, licensed debt information companies record unsecured debt in Norway. Banks must check them before they give you a consumer loan or a credit card.
- Registered: consumer loans, credit cards and billing cards, including the full limit of your cards, even if you never use them.
- Not registered: mortgages, secured car loans and student loans from Lånekassen.
You can see your own data for free by logging in with BankID or ID-porten, for example at Gjeldsregisteret. Check it before you apply for a loan.
What affects your score
Each bureau has its own model, but these factors usually matter:
- Payment remarks (betalingsanmerkninger): unpaid debt that went to debt collection can pull your score down a lot.
- Income and tax data from your tax return (skattemelding).
- Your debt and credit limits, as registered in the debt registers.
- Stable personal data, such as how long you have been registered at the same address.
New in Norway? What to expect
- You need a Norwegian ID number (fødselsnummer or D-number) before the bureaus can find you. Read our guide to the Norwegian ID number.
- Your credit history from your home country usually does not follow you. You start with a thin file.
- Your file grows as you file Norwegian tax returns and pay bills on time. Be patient: it takes time.
How to improve your score
- Pay every bill on time. Set up AvtaleGiro or eFaktura in your bank so you don’t forget.
- Never ignore a reminder (purring). Contact the company early if you cannot pay; a debt collection case is much worse.
- Close credit cards you don’t use, so your registered limits go down.
- File your tax return correctly each spring.
- Worried about ID theft? You can ask for a free credit block (kredittsperre). Remember to lift it before you apply for credit yourself.
Credit checks when you rent
Many landlords run a credit check before they sign a lease. A payment remark can lead to a “no”, even with a good salary. With a thin file, it helps to show your work contract and pay slips.
For residential leases, the deposit (depositum) can be at most six months’ rent under the Tenancy Act, and it is placed in a separate deposit account in your name. Some landlords accept a deposit guarantee instead. More tips: how to find a long-term rental in Norway.
Watch: credit and debt registers
Video: “Slik fungerer Gjeldsregistrene” by Bisnode Norge (in Norwegian), on YouTube.
Video: “What is a Credit Score and How is it Calculated?” by Equifax (general explainer, not Norway-specific), on YouTube.
FAQ
Can EU and EEA citizens check their Norwegian credit score?
Yes. Once you have a Norwegian ID number and BankID or Vipps, you can check your score and your debt register data like anyone else living in Norway.
Does my credit history from home transfer to Norway?
Usually not. Norwegian bureaus use Norwegian data, so most newcomers start with little or no history.
Will checking my own score lower it?
No. Looking at your own score has no effect on it.
What is a good credit score in Norway?
It depends on the bureau and its scale. On a 1–100 scale, higher is better, but every lender sets its own limits.
Why does an unused credit card hurt me?
The debt registers show the full limit of your cards. Lenders treat that limit as money you could owe tomorrow.
Keep learning
- Practise it: the free lesson Money Matters: Credit Scores & Trust.
- Avoid the traps: Make Money: Avoiding Debt Traps.
- Banking basics: Make Money: Banks and Accounts.
- Moving here: Moving to Norway as an EU citizen: the checklist.
Educational content, not financial advice. Information checked in October 2026. Services, scales and rules can change, so always check with the bureau, the debt register or your bank.
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