Economy Regnskap AS – logo
Tax reform

Tax reform: gain or loss for Norwegian business?

Economy Regnskap AS4 September 20265 min read

The Tax Commission presented its report this summer, NOU 2026:9 “The path towards a better and more predictable tax system.” The mandate was ambitious: a comprehensive tax reform that both strengthens the competitiveness of Norwegian business and commands support across the Storting. Several professional bodies believe the result falls short – and ask whether the commission missed a rare opportunity to clean up owner taxation.

What does the commission propose?

W
Wealth tax
The discounts on shares, operating assets and housing are proposed to be removed, in favour of a new flat rate of 0.25–0.75% and a higher basic allowance.
C
Corporate tax
The rate of 22% is continued unchanged – five commission members wanted a lower rate for the sake of competitiveness.
I
Income tax
National insurance contributions down 0.5 percentage points, the personal allowance up NOK 10,000, tightening of the pension tax deduction.
V
VAT
The low rate is proposed raised from 12% to 15%, and more services could become liable for VAT.
E
Emigration and options
The exit tax is eased somewhat, while the threshold for favourable option taxation in growth companies is raised to NOK 280 million in operating revenue.

Why is it being called a “missed opportunity”?

The criticism comes, among others, from tax expert Thor Leegaard of KPMG, who at the Norwegian Institute of Public Accountants’ annual conference on 2 September 2026 pointed out that the real tax cost of ownership has risen from 0.8% in 2021 to 1.82% in 2023. According to Leegaard, even the commission’s lowest proposed wealth tax rate will barely bring the burden back to the 2021 level.

He described the end result as “a somewhat poor budget negotiation in the Storting” – rather than a reform that provides a stable and competitive tax level for business over time. The commission itself has pointed out that the mandate in practice contained two goals that are difficult to reconcile: a comprehensive reform and broad political support across the political blocs.

What does this mean for your business?

It is important to stress: NOU 2026:9 is a public inquiry report, not adopted legislation. The proposals must now go through consultation and political consideration in the Storting, and may be changed or rejected along the way. For most Norwegian SMEs and sole proprietorships, it is therefore too early to change ownership structure or investment plans based on the proposals alone – but there is good reason to follow developments closely.

Checklist

What you should keep an eye on

  • Follow the consultation round for NOU 2026:9 and any changes in the Storting’s further deliberations.
  • Review your ownership structure in good time if you own unlisted shares or a holiday home – valuation questions remain unresolved.
  • Consider whether a higher low VAT rate (proposed to rise from 12% to 15%) affects your industry, for example travel or culture.
  • Check whether option schemes in your business could fall within the extended threshold of NOK 280 million in operating revenue.

We follow the tax reform for you

Whether you keep your accounts in Tripletex, Conta, PowerOffice Go, Fiken or eAccounting, we keep track of how the Tax Commission’s proposals develop – and what they could mean for your business if they are adopted.

Book a call

Sources: NOU 2026:9 – The path towards a better and more predictable tax system (regjeringen.no) · Økonomi24, “The Tax Commission – a missed opportunity for Norwegian business?”, 2 September 2026.