Estate planning · Denmark
Your estate planning lawyer in Denmark: wills, forced heirship and probate
Danish succession law reserves part of your estate for your spouse and descendants, so a will that ignores the Arveloven can be challenged. Tell us what you own and who your heirs are, and we will match you with an estate planning lawyer in Denmark who handles wills, forced heirship and probate.
- Wills, forced heirship and cross-border estates
- Probate and disputes between heirs before the district courts
- Matched in 24–48 hours, at no cost to you
Free matching · No obligation · Bar-appointed Danish advokater
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Estate planning in Denmark
What Danish succession law lets you decide — and what it reserves
If you own property, have children or hold savings, your estate will one day pass under Danish succession law — and that law does not give you complete freedom of testation. The Succession Act (Arveloven) reserves part of the estate for your spouse and descendants, so a will that ignores those rules can be challenged. An estate planning lawyer in Denmark maps out what you may decide, what is reserved, and how probate runs through the district courts. Whether you are planning ahead, administering a relative’s estate or facing a dispute between heirs, describing your situation takes two minutes and costs nothing. We match you with a Danish advokat who handles estate planning for families like yours.
Denmark in detail
How estate planning works in Denmark
Danish succession law is statute-based, with the Succession Act (Arveloven) at its centre, and the preparatory works (forarbejder) carry real weight in interpretation. That makes the wording of a will and the choice of governing law unusually important.
Forced heirship: the quarter you cannot give away
Danish law restricts testamentary freedom through tvangsarv. The surviving spouse and the deceased’s descendants (livsarvinger) are forced heirs, and one quarter of the estate is reserved for them and cannot be disposed of by will under the Arveloven. The remaining three quarters, known as friarv, may be bequeathed as you wish.
Choosing the law that governs your estate
If you hold assets in more than one country, the applicable succession law matters. EU Regulation 650/2012 allows a testator to elect their national law to govern the succession, which can reduce the friction between Danish forced heirship and the rules of another state. Cross-border successions are where conflicts most often arise.
Only a beskikket advokat may act as your lawyer
The title ‘advokat’ is protected: only lawyers appointed by the Minister of Justice may use it, and appointment brings automatic membership of the Danish Bar and Law Society (Advokatsamfundet). Admission requires a Danish law degree, at least three years of practical legal work and completion of the mandatory advocate training and examination. It is a criminal offence for anyone else to hold themselves out as an advokat.
Probate sits with the district courts
Denmark has 24 district courts (byretter), which also act as probate, enforcement, land-registration and bankruptcy courts through specialised divisions. Civil matters are conducted digitally through minretssag.dk, and judgments are delivered on the portal. Appeals go to the Eastern or Western High Court, and the Supreme Court (Højesteret) generally hears only cases admitted by the Appeals Permission Board.
Property passes without a notary — but registration matters
Denmark has no notarial system for transferring real property. Rights over immovable property are recorded in the Land Register (Tingbogen) through a fully digital procedure operated by the Land Registration Court (Tinglysningsretten) at tinglysning.dk, using MitID. Registering a deed establishes ownership and gives third-party protection, but the person filing bears legal responsibility for the content.
What proceedings cost
A court fee (retsafgift) is payable when a civil action is brought: 750 DKK for claims up to 100,000 DKK and 1,500 DKK for claims above that, with additional fees for appeals, enforcement and probate proceedings. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed — there are no binding official tariffs, although the Bar publishes guidelines — and the losing party is generally ordered to pay the winner’s costs.
The country information on this page comes from official Danish bodies and EU e-Justice material consulted in 2026.
- e-Justice — National justice systems: Denmark
- Danish Bar and Law Society — Practising in Denmark
- Arveloven (Succession Act) — retsinformation.dk
- Land Registration Court (Tinglysningsretten) — domstol.dk
- minretssag.dk — the Danish courts’ digital case portal
- Civilstyrelsen — Free legal aid (fri proces)
- Forældelsesloven (Limitation Act) — retsinformation.dk
- Appeal time limit (ankefrist) — retsinformation.dk
- Divorce rules — retsinformation.dk
- Complaint options in Denmark — borger.dk
- Salaried Employees Act (notice periods) — retsinformation.dk
- Family Law Agency (Familieretshuset) — Separation and divorce
Common situations
Where Danish estates usually go wrong
These are the points at which families in Denmark most often realise they need advice.
You do not know how much you can actually leave
You have written a will, or are thinking about one, but you are unsure how far Danish forced heirship limits what you may give and to whom. Guessing is not a plan, and the mistake is usually only discovered after death.
The family does not agree
Relationships between a surviving spouse, children from an earlier marriage and other heirs can turn an estate into a conflict. Once positions harden, the matter is dealt with by the district court acting in probate or family matters.
Assets sit in more than one country
A home in Denmark, a bank account abroad or a property elsewhere raise the question of which succession law applies. That answer changes what your will should say and how the estate will be administered.
Why use the matching service
How we connect you with the right Danish lawyer
One short description of your situation is enough to start.
Vetted Danish advokater
Every professional we introduce holds the protected title ‘advokat’, is a member of the Danish Bar and Law Society, and works under professional disciplinary oversight.
Matched to your situation
We ask whether your matter concerns a will, forced heirship, a cross-border estate, probate or a dispute between heirs, then route you to a lawyer who handles that work.
Free and without obligation
Describing your case costs nothing and does not commit you to instructing anyone. You decide whether to proceed once you have spoken to the lawyer.
Clear about costs from the start
Lawyers’ fees in Denmark are freely agreed rather than fixed by tariff, so we make sure the question of fees is on the table before you commit to anything.
Cross-border matters
Is your estate also connected to another European country?
If your estate touches more than one jurisdiction, we can look for lawyers who work with the country involved as well as with Danish law, including questions under EU Regulation 650/2012.
Frequently asked questions
Estate planning in Denmark: your questions answered
What does an estate planning lawyer in Denmark do?
A Danish advokat advises on how your estate will pass under the Succession Act (Arveloven), drafts or reviews your will, identifies what forced heirship reserves for your spouse and descendants, and handles probate. Where immovable property is involved, they also deal with registration in the Land Register (Tingbogen).
How much of my estate can I leave to whom I choose in Denmark?
Less than you might expect. Under the Danish rules on tvangsarv, the surviving spouse and the deceased’s descendants (livsarvinger) are forced heirs, and one quarter of the estate is reserved for them and cannot be disposed of by will. The remaining three quarters, called friarv, may be bequeathed freely.
Can I choose which country’s law governs my estate?
Where your situation is cross-border, yes. EU Regulation 650/2012 allows a testator to elect their national law to govern the succession, which can ease the tension between Danish forced heirship and the rules of another state. Because that election must be made properly, it is worth taking advice before signing anything.
Do I need a notary in Denmark to transfer property?
No. Denmark has no notarial system for transferring real property. Rights over immovable property are recorded in the Land Register (Tingbogen) through a fully digital procedure run by the Land Registration Court (Tinglysningsretten) at tinglysning.dk, using MitID. Registration establishes ownership and third-party protection, but the person filing is legally responsible for the content.
Can I get free legal aid for an estate dispute in Denmark?
Possibly. Free legal aid (fri proces) covers the court fee, your lawyer’s fee and, if you lose, the opponent’s costs. It is granted on application to the Civilstyrelsen where the income basis does not exceed 404,000 DKK for a single person or 513,000 DKK for a couple, plus 70,000 DKK per child under 18. Insurance covering the case normally bars a grant.
How much does it cost to be matched with an estate planning lawyer in Denmark?
Nothing. Describing your situation and receiving an introduction is free and carries no obligation. If you instruct a lawyer, their fees are freely agreed between you and them — there are no binding official tariffs, although the Bar publishes guidelines — and court fees for civil proceedings start at 750 DKK.
Next step
Speak to an estate planning lawyer in Denmark
Tell us in a few lines what you own, who your heirs are and whether anything is already in dispute. We will match you with a Danish advokat who handles estate planning and probate, and you decide whether to take it further. There is no charge for the matching.