Are you ready for the digital mail transition?

The Danish public sector goes digital on November 1

Oct 28, 2014

From November 1, any mail or information from the council, hospital or tax authorities SKAT will arrive in digital format and not in your physical mail box.

The transition to digital communication in the public sector will save you from having to show up in person at the council – and it is expected to save the state billions of kroner – but it may sound complicated to those uninitiated or technically disinclined, so here is an overview.

Where do I sign up?
There are two inbox options – Borger.dk or e-Boks.dk – to sign up/log in to using the NemID log-in service in order to receive digital mail from the public authorities. Only one of the above is needed as Borger.dk and e-boks.dk are actually two separate entrances to the same inbox.

It is possible to ask to receive a text message and an email when new mail arrives to your digital inbox, and citizens who need it can also get assistance at their local citizen service or library. Here is a step by step guide in English explaining how to set up your digital mail box on Borger.dk.

Who needs a digital mailbox?
All residents who are over the age of 15 and have a CPR number must sign up to receive digital mail from the public sector. Those who are unable to receive digital mail can be exempt if they:

– Don’t have access to a computer with adequate internet access in their place of residence
– Have a physical or cognitive disorder that prevents them from receiving digital mail
– Are registered as living outside Denmark
– Are homeless
– Have language difficulties
– Have practical difficulties in obtaining the log-in service NemID

To be exempt from receiving digital mail, the person must go to their local citizen services and sign that they live up to one of the exemption clauses above, although they do not have to specify which.

And if I haven’t signed up by November 1?
If you haven’t signed up to receive digital mail by November 1 and are not exempt, then you will automatically be signed up and will receive digital mail from then on, so it is important to sign up yourself.

But don’t expect mail straight away. It all depends on when the public sector sends you mail and that could be months away. If you haven’t been logged on to your digital mail since 1 August 2014, then you will receive a physical letter in the post alerting you that you’ve received digital mail.