Page 1

Promulgation of the law on public authorities
register
The Act on Public Authorities' Registers is hereby promulgated, cf. Statutory Order no. 621
of 2 October 1987, with the amendments that follow from § 11 of Act No. 192 of 29 March 1989 and
Act No. 346 of 6 June 1991.

Chapter 1
Area of ​law
§ 1. The Act applies to computer registers kept for the public administration and which
contains personal information.
PCS. 2. Computer registers are defined as registers or other systematized registers where:
electronic data processing is used.
PCS. 3. Personal data means information which can be attributed to specific persons,
even if it requires knowledge of social security number, registration number or the like
special identifications.
PCS. 4. The Act does not cover computer registers that only contain source material
(legal information systems) which are part of the State legal information system and which are
publicly available.
PCS. 5. The Minister of Justice may, after obtaining an opinion from the Danish Register Authority, allow others
legal information systems are wholly or partly exempted from the provisions of the law when this
is considered unthinkable. The Minister of Justice may lay down conditions for the permit to
protection of the privacy of data subjects.
§ 2. The relevant minister may, after negotiation with the Minister of Justice, stipulate that the law
shall apply in whole or in part to registers kept for specified companies,
institutions, associations, etc., which cannot be attributed to the public administration. That
however, applies only if the costs of their business are predominantly covered by state or
municipal funds, or to the extent that they know or have been empowered by law
to make decisions on behalf of the state or a municipality. Minister concerned
lays down regulations for the register in accordance with the rules in §§ 4 and 5.

Page 2

§ 3. The relevant minister may, after obtaining an opinion from the Danish Register Authority, decide that
other registers with personal data kept for those in § 1, para. 1, and § 2 mentioned
authorities and companies, etc., are covered by the law.
PCS. 2. The Minister concerned may, after obtaining an opinion from the Danish Register Authority, decide that
that the Act shall apply in whole or in part similarly to computer registers kept for those in
§ 1 piece. 1, and § 2 mentioned authorities and companies, etc., and which contain information
about business enterprises, etc.

Chapter 2
Creating registers
§ 4. Registers kept for a state authority may only be established in accordance with approval
by the relevant Minister after negotiation with the Minister of Finance.
PCS. 2. Before a register is put into use, the Minister concerned or the person he must
authorize to do so, lay down rules on the structure and operation of the register in question,
meeting the relevant provisions of Chapters 3-6.
PCS. 3. The provisions of para. 1 and 2 apply correspondingly to the interconnection of registers that are
worked up for the purpose of carrying out various tasks. However, this does not apply
interconnection carried out solely for the purpose of extraction in statistical or
for scientific purposes.
§ 5. Before approval or regulations are issued as mentioned in § 4, must
an opinion is obtained from the Danish Register Authority.
PCS. (2) In cases where the competence to lay down regulations as mentioned in section 4, subsection 2, is
assigned to a subordinate authority and the Register Authority has not been able to accede to one
submitted draft such regulations, the matter shall be referred to the relevant Minister, who
make the final administrative decision.
§ 6. Registers kept for a municipal authority may only be established in accordance with
decision made in a meeting of the relevant municipal council.
PCS. 2. Before a register is used, it must be by the municipal council or by
the relevant municipal authority, regulations have been laid down on the person in question
the structure and operation of registers which comply with the relevant provisions of Chapters 3-6.

Page 3

PCS. 3. Before a decision is made or regulations as mentioned in subsection 1 and 2,
an opinion must be obtained from the Danish Register Authority. Can the Register Authority not accede to one
submitted proposal, the matter is submitted to the Minister of Finance, who will make the final
administrative decision.
PCS. 4. The provisions of para. 1-3 apply correspondingly when merging registers that are
worked up for the purpose of carrying out various tasks. However, this does not apply
interconnection carried out solely for the purpose of extraction in statistical or
for scientific purposes.
§ 7. Connection to a register or a system of registers arranged for the purpose of
could be conducted for municipal authorities from several municipalities, may only take place when
the register or register system is approved by the Minister of Finance and this or after his
provision another minister has laid down regulations on the register in question or
the structure and operation of the register system which complies with the relevant provisions of Chapters 3-6.
PCS. 2. Before approval or regulations are issued as mentioned in para. 1,
an opinion must be obtained from the Danish Register Authority.
PCS. 3. The provisions of para. 1 and 2 apply correspondingly to the interconnection of registers that are
created for the purpose of carrying out various tasks. However, this does not apply
interconnection carried out solely for the purpose of extraction in statistical or
for scientific purposes.
PCS. 4. The municipal council or the person authorized by the municipal council may
determine that the municipality joins a register or a system of registers of the in paragraph. 1
mentioned character. The decision must be notified to the Danish Register Authority within 4 weeks
information on any special conditions for connection.
§ 8. Regulations as mentioned in § 4, para. 2, § 6, para. 2, and § 7, para. 1, as well as amendments thereto shall
immediately after preparation is forwarded to the Danish Register Authority.
PCS. 2. The requirements laid down for a register or system of registers shall be:
available to the public by contacting both the controller or controllers
authorities as to the Register Authority. However, this does not apply to the extent that the consideration
implementation of the prescribed control and security measures or crucial
considerations of other public interests make secrecy necessary.
Chapter 2 a
Exemption of certain register types from the regulatory requirement, etc.

Page 4

§ 8 a. Registers kept for a state authority and which do not contain information of
confidential nature, is exempt from the provisions of § 4, para. 2 and 3, cf. § 5.
PCS. 2. In the in paragraph. The registers referred to in paragraph 1 may also be amended without stipulating regulations
identification information, including social security number, and information on
payment to and from a public authority.
PCS. 3. A state authority that establishes a register without register regulations, cf. 1, shall
within 4 weeks after the establishment, notify the register to the Danish Register Authority, stating
purpose, register of persons, data content and size of the register.
PCS. 4. The Register Inspectorate may decide that, taking into account the purpose of the register,
group of persons, data content, size and scope of application must be laid down regulations for
the register.
§ 8 b. Registers kept for a municipal authority and which do not contain information
of a confidential nature, is exempt from the provisions of § 6, para. 2-4, and § 7, para. 1-3.
PCS. 2. In the in paragraph. The registers referred to in paragraph 1 may also be amended without stipulating regulations
identification information, including social security number, and information on
payment to and from a public authority.
PCS. 3. The relevant municipal council may, notwithstanding the provision in section 6, subsection 1,
provide that the 1, cf. 2, the registers mentioned, may be established by decision in
municipal committees or in the municipal administration.
PCS. 4. Before a single municipal register, which is covered by para. 1, cf. 2, taken in
use, the person creating the register must prepare a description of the purpose of the register,
group of persons, data content and size that can form the basis for the preparation of it in
PCS. 5 mentioned overview.
PCS. 5. The municipal council shall each quarter prepare an overview of the new registers,
established in the municipality without regulations. The overview must contain a description of
the purpose, personal circle, data content and size of the individual register. The overview is reported
within 4 weeks after the end of the quarter to the Danish Register Authority.
PCS. 6. The Minister of Finance must approve the establishment of a joint municipal register, which is
covered by para. 1, cf. 2, and must notify the register to within 4 weeks after approval
The Register Authority with an indication of the register's purpose, group of people, data content and size.

Page 5

PCS. 7. The Register Registry may decide that, taking into account the purpose of a register,
regulations, data content, size and scope must be issued regulations for
the register.
§ 8 c. The Register Inspectorate may decide that notifications and reports pursuant to § 8 a, subsection 3, and
§ 8 b, para. 5-6, must be done in a specified manner, including by using forms,
which is prepared by the Danish Register Authority.
§ 8 d. Merging of registers containing confidential information, cf. § 8 a, subsection 2, and § 8 b,
PCS. 2, may not take place without regulations. However, this does not apply to interconnection, which
made solely for the purpose of extraction for statistical or scientific purposes; or
for the purpose of updating identification and payment information.
§ 8 e. The Minister of Justice may, after obtaining an opinion from the Danish Register Authority, lay down rules
that certain types of registers are exempted from the provisions of section 4, subsection 2 and 3, cf. § 5, § 6
and § 7, para. 1-3. However, this does not apply to registers that contain information on purely private individuals
circumstances, cf. section 9, subsection 2.

Chapter 3
Registration and storage of information
§ 9. Only information that is clearly of importance for the handling of may be registered
tasks of the competent authority. Information that is clear must also be registered
of importance for the performance of the tasks of another authority, provided that the register is set up
so that the information can only be used by the other authority.
PCS. 2. Information on non-public policy matters shall not be recorded
available. Other information about individuals' purely private matters, including
information about race, religion and skin color, about association, sexual and criminal
conditions as well as information on health conditions, significant social problems and abuse of
consumables and the like, may not be registered unless this is necessary for handling
of the tasks of the register.
PCS. 3. Registered information because of their age or for other reasons
lost their significance for the performance of the tasks of the register must be deleted. Registers there
used on an ongoing basis must be arranged in such a way that the necessary updating of
the information.
PCS. 4. The Minister of Justice may, after obtaining an opinion from the Danish Register Authority, allow that
register copies are transferred for storage in the archive on specified terms.

Page 6

§ 10. It may be stipulated in the regulations for a register that a registered person must be given
notification of entry in the register.
PCS. 2. The Minister of Justice may, with regard to registers which contain information such as
mentioned in § 9, para. 2, after obtaining an opinion from the Danish Register Authority, lay down rules that the
authority responsible for the registration must, within 4 weeks of the registration, notify the
which is entered in the register for the first time.
PCS. 3. Notifications pursuant to para. 1 and 2 must contain information about the data subject's access
to obtain information from the register in accordance with the provisions of §§ 13-15.
§ 11. Necessary checks must be carried out to ensure that no incorrect or
misleading information. Information that proves to be incorrect or misleading must be provided as soon as possible
possible deleted or corrected.
§ 12. The necessary security measures must be taken against the information
abused or comes to the knowledge of unauthorized persons.
PCS. The security measures shall include, as appropriate, copies and transcripts of
the register, including copies and transcripts passed on to other authorities.
PCS. 3. For registers containing information of particular interest to foreign powers,
measures must be taken to enable disposal or destruction in the event of
war or similar conditions.

Chapter 4
Registered persons' access to information about themselves
§ 13. If a registered person submits a request to this effect, the data controller must
authority shall, as soon as possible, notify the data subject of the information available
registered about him.
PCS. (2) If a person about whom information has been registered as mentioned in section 9, subsection 2,
makes such a request, the person concerned shall, at intervals specified in
regulations, have a printout of the information recorded about him. This is true, however
only if the data subject is not otherwise made aware of the data subjects
information. Rules may be laid down for payment for notifications as mentioned in the first sentence.
PCS. 3. The regulations for the register may stipulate that the data subject, in more detail
fixed intervals must have a printout of the information recorded about him, or

Page 7

that the data subject must be able to make a request to this effect. Rules can be set for
payment for this.
PCS. 4. The provisions of para. 1 and 2 do not apply if the data subject's interest in obtaining
knowledge of the information is found to should give way to crucial considerations of public or
private interests, including the interests of the person concerned. Do such considerations only
applicable to some of the information, the data subject must be made aware of the others
information.
PCS. 5. The provisions of para. 1-3 do not apply to registers that are exclusively
compiled for the purpose of making statistical extracts. For other registers there may
derogations from the right to information pursuant to para. 1-2, so far
the provisions of paragraph 4 must be presumed to entail that such requests in general must
rejected.
PCS. 6. A registered person who has been notified in accordance with paragraph. 1 and 3, are not entitled to a new one
notice before 6 months after the last notice, unless he can prove a special
interest in this.
§ 14. Notifications in accordance with § 13, para. 1, cf. 4, must be given in writing on request. IN
However, in cases where consideration is given to the data subject, the notifications may be given in the form
of an oral notification of the content of the information.
§ 15. Doubts about the right to be informed pursuant to § 13, para. 1, 2, 4 and 6, §
14 and in accordance with regulations laid down in accordance with section 13, subsection 2, 3 and 5, may be brought before
The Norwegian Registry Authority. The Authority's decision cannot be appealed to another administrative body
authority.

Chapter 5
Disclosure of information to private individuals
§ 16. Information as mentioned in § 9, para. 2, which can be attributed to specific persons, may not
passed on to private individuals and companies, etc.
PCS. 2. Transmission of the in paragraph. However, the information mentioned in 1 may occur when
● 1) the person to whom the information relates has given consent,
● 2) it follows from law or regulations laid down by law that the information must
passed on,

Page 8

● 3) the transfer is made for the protection of private or public interests that clearly
exceeds the interests of the interests justifying secrecy, including
consideration of the person to whom the information relates,
● 4) the disclosure is necessary for the performance of a person or company
tasks for the public or
● 5) the disclosure is necessary for the performance of scientific or statistical
studies of significant societal significance.
PCS. 3. Consent as mentioned in para. 2, no. 1, must be notified in writing and must contain
information about,
● 1) what types of information may be passed on,
● 2) to whom the information may be passed on, and
● 3) how the information may be used by the specified recipient.
PCS. 4. Consent lapses no later than after 1 year.
PCS. 5. Information provided for statistical or research purposes,
may not be further disclosed.
§ 16 a. With oral or written consent from the patient, from hospital registers and
other patient or disease registers, information about the patient is passed on to the general public
general practitioner chosen by the patient or to a doctor who has the person concerned in
treatment.
PCS. 2. From those in para. In the registers referred to in paragraph 1, identification information and
information on diagnoses, etc. for doctors for use in specific research projects. There must
only subsequent inquiries to the data subjects to the extent that the doctors who have
treated the persons concerned, gives permission to do so.
PCS. 3. In addition to the records referred to in paragraph. 1 with the National Board of Health
approval and, on specified terms, information is passed on for use in research
or planning.
PCS. 4. Information provided for statistical or research purposes
may not be further disclosed.
§ 17. Registered information other than that mentioned in § 9, para. 2, must not
passed on to private individuals and companies, etc.
PCS. 2. Transmission of the in paragraph. The information mentioned in 1 may, however, be done to the extent that is
mentioned in § 16, or when the information is already publicly available.

Page 9

PCS. 3. For use in specific legal matters, individual information may be passed on as
mentioned in para. 1 to private persons and companies, etc., who can prove that they have a legal right
interest in obtaining the information in question, which clearly exceeds the consideration of the information
secrecy. However, this does not apply to information which is stipulated by law
special secrecy regulations.
PCS. 4. Information as mentioned in subsection (1) may be passed on. 1 for use in research.
PCS. 5. In addition, disclosure of information as mentioned in para. 1 for private individuals
and companies, etc. in special cases take place with the prior permission of the Danish Register Authority,
when this is due to the nature, quantity and purpose of the disclosure
is considered unthinkable. The Danish Register Authority may lay down more detailed conditions for the permit.
The decision of the Register Inspectorate cannot be appealed to another administrative authority.
§ 18. From registers that have been compiled solely for the purpose of performing statistics
extracts or as part of a scientific study, there may not be without special authority
information that can be attributed to specific persons is passed on. The Register Authority may, however
upon application in each case allow such information to be specified
terms are transferred to private registers that have been compiled exclusively in statistical or
for scientific purposes. The Register Inspectorate's decision in this regard cannot be appealed to anyone else
administrative authority.
§ 19. The authority responsible for the register may set conditions for disclosure of
information in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, including that the information may only
used for specific purposes. Such disclosure for the purpose of linking registers,
which is not covered by the Act on Private Registers, etc., can only be done after prior obtaining
statement from the Danish Register Authority.
§ 20. The relevant minister may lay down rules on payment for the delivery of
information.

Chapter 6
Disclosure of information to public authorities
§ 21. Registered information as mentioned in § 9, para. 2, may not be passed on to another
public authority.
PCS. 2. Transmission of the in paragraph. However, the information mentioned in 1 may occur when
● 1) the person to whom the information relates has given consent,

Page 10

● 2) it follows from law or regulations laid down by law that the information must
passed on,
● 3) the transfer is made for the protection of private or public interests that clearly
exceeds the interests of the interests justifying secrecy, including
consideration of the person to whom the information relates,
● 4) the transfer is necessary for the performance of an authority's business or
required for a decision to be taken by the Authority; or
● 5) the disclosure is necessary for the performance of scientific or statistical
studies of significant societal significance.
PCS. 3. Other registered information may, in addition to the 2 mentioned cases only
passed on to a public authority when the information is already public
available or when it can be assumed that the information will be of significant importance to
the authority's activity or for a decision that the authority must make, cf., however, section 9, subsection
1, 2. pkt.
PCS. 4. Consent pursuant to para. 2, no. 1, must meet the requirements in § 16, para. 3. Consent lapses
at the latest after 1 year.
PCS. 5. From registers compiled solely for the purpose of performing statistics
extracts or as part of a scientific study, may not without special authority
information that can be attributed to specific persons is passed on. The Register Authority may, however
upon application in each case allow such information to be disclosed to
registers compiled exclusively for statistical or scientific purposes.
The Register Inspectorate's decision on this cannot be appealed to another administrative authority.

Chapter 7
Registry supervision
§ 22. The Register Inspectorate, which consists of a council and a secretariat, supervises any
register covered by the law. The Danish Register Authority also performs the functions that in
according to the law on private registers, etc. is left to the supervision.
PCS. 2. The Register Inspectorate ensures, on its own initiative or after a complaint from a data subject, that the register is
created and applied in accordance with the provisions of the law and the regulations that are
provided for by law.
§ 23. The council, appointed by the Minister of Justice, consists of a chairman who must fulfill
the conditions for being appointed as a judge, and by 6 other members.
The members and deputies of these are appointed for 4 years.

Page 11

§ 24. The Register Office's daily business is handled by the secretariat, which is headed by a
Manager.
§ 25. The Minister of Justice lays down the Council's rules of procedure and the detailed rules on
division of labor between council and secretariat.
§ 26. The Register Inspectorate may require both the authority or authorities responsible for the register
as the registrar, any information relevant to supervision.
PCS. 2. The members and staff of the Authority shall at all times have against proper identification without
court order access to all premises from which the register is administered or may be used, as well as
to rooms where the register or technical aids are stored or used.
PCS. 3. The Authority shall report to the authority or authorities responsible for the register and
the Minister concerned on breaches of the law or those laid down
regulations and otherwise about deficiencies found. The Authority must be informed of what
the authority makes on the occasion of the report.
§ 27. The Register Inspectorate may at any time submit proposals for changes to the applicable
regulations to the authority which laid down the regulations. The provisions of § 5, para.
2, and § 6, para. 3, 2nd sentence, applies correspondingly.
§ 28. The Danish Register Authority submits an annual report on its activities to the Folketing.
The report is published.
PCS. 2. The Register Authority may otherwise publish statements in which the Authority has issued
pursuant to section 1, subsection 5, § 5, para. 1, § 6, para. 3, § 7, para. 2, § 8 a, para. 4, § 8 b, para. 7, § 8 e, and § 19,
reports submitted pursuant to section 26, subsection 3, and proposals made pursuant to
§ 27. The provision in § 8, para. 2, 2nd sentence, applies correspondingly.

Chapter 8
Punishment
§ 29. Unless a higher penalty is due under other legislation, a fine shall be imposed
or be liable to anyone who:
● 1) overrides conditions in a consent pursuant to section 16, subsection 2, No. 1,
● 2) violates § 16, para. 5, § 16 a, para. 2, 2nd sentence, and § 16 a, para. 4, or
● 3) overrides conditions laid down pursuant to section 16 a, subsection 3, § 17, para. 5, § 18 and § 19.

Page 12

PCS. (2 ) Regulations issued pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Act may provide for penalties
fine for violation of provisions of the regulations.
PCS. 3. If the infringement is committed by a public limited company, cooperative or similar, may
liability is imposed on the company as such.

Chapter 9
Entry into force and transitional provisions, etc.
§ 30. The Act enters into force on 1 January 1979.
PCS. 2. For registers and register systems that have been put into use before the Act enters into force,
the law only takes effect 1 year after the law enters into force. For the relevant registers are submitted
draft regulations on the structure and operation of the registers which comply with the provisions of
Chapter 3-6, to the Danish Register Authority no later than 6 months after the Act enters into force. The provisions
in § 5, para. 2, and § 6, para. 3, 2nd sentence, applies correspondingly. The Minister of Justice may extend
deadlines for specific registers.
PCS. 3. For registers that have been taken into use or are under construction when the Act enters into force, and
for which it is not possible without significant system technical changes to give a printout of
the registered information, the provisions of § 13, para. 1 and 3, only effect 3 years after
entry into force of the Act.
§ 31. The Act does not apply to registers kept for the police and the defense
intelligence services.
§ 32. The Act does not apply to registers kept by the authorities of the Faroese Home Rule Government
or for the national authorities in the Faroe Islands. The law may by royal. device shall take effect
registers of the national authorities with the deviations required by the special Faroese conditions.
Sections 3 and 4 of Act no. 383 of 10 June 1987 contain the following provisions:
§3
PCS. 1. The Act enters into force on 1 April 1988. The provision in § 2, no. 5 (§ 13, subsection 2, on
automatic register access) does not, however, enter into force until the Minister of Justice has specified
provision.
PCS. 2. (concerning the Private Registers Act)

Page 13

PCS. 3. For registers of public authorities which have come into use before the entry into force of the Act,
the regulations must be amended so that they comply with the provisions of section 2, no later than 1 year
after the entry into force of the Act. The Minister of Justice may extend the time limit for certain registers.
§4
PCS. 1. (concerning the Private Registers Act)
PCS. 2. § 2 (amending the Act on Public Registers) does not apply to records
conducted for the Faroese or Greenland Home Rule authorities or for
the national authorities in the Faroe Islands or Greenland. Section 2 of the Act may, by Royal Decree no. device is set
in force for the registers of the national authorities with the deviations which the special Faroese or
Greenlandic conditions dictate.
Sections 2 and 3 of Act no. 346 of 6 June 1991 contain the following provisions:
§2
The law enters into force on 1 September 1991.
§3
The Act does not apply to registers kept by the Faroese or Greenland Home Rule Government
authorities or for the national authorities in the Faroe Islands or in Greenland. § 1 of the Act may
at the Royal order shall enter into force for the registers of the national authorities with the deviations which they
special Faroese or Greenlandic conditions dictate.
Ministry of Justice, September 20, 1991

