Coordination number or personal identity number?
You get the personal identity number when you become registered in the population registration. The coordination number is for those who are not, for example those who work, study or own a property in Sweden without living here. It is structured like a personal identity number, but the numbers for the birthday have 60 added: the one born on 3 October 1970 gets 701063.
The number does not determine what rights you have. Skatteverket writes that it is not the coordination number that determines whether you have the right to healthcare or are required to pay tax, and that it does not give the right to residence-based benefits. It can, however, make it easier when you open a bank account, buy a home or sign up for a phone subscription.
| Personal identity number | Coordination number | |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets it | The one who becomes registered in the population registration in Sweden | The one who is not or has not been registered in the population registration |
| The birthday in the number | As it is | Plus 60 |
| Validity | Whole life | Five years, can be renewed |
| Gives right to residence-based benefits | The population registration decides | No |
Source: Lag (2022:1697) om samordningsnummer (riksdagen.se), Skatteverket: Begär tilldelning av samordningsnummer (för myndigheter), Skatteverket: Så funkar samordningsnummer (nyhet 28 maj 2025), Skatteverket: Samordningsnummer. 1 kap. 1 §, 2 kap. 8 § and 3 kap. 2 § lagen om samordningsnummer.
Who can request a coordination number?
Only government agencies and universities can request that Skatteverket assign a person a coordination number when they need it in their own operations. Skatteverket can also assign a number when you need to be registered for tax in Sweden, for example when you apply for F-tax. Banks, brokers and employers are not among those who can request the number.
Source: Skatteverket: Begär tilldelning av samordningsnummer (för myndigheter), Skatteverket: Samordningsnummer, Lag (2022:1697) om samordningsnummer (riksdagen.se).
How do I apply for a coordination number myself?
You can apply yourself if you will be in Sweden for less than a year. You need to show that you need a coordination number and a connection to Sweden. Apply in Skatteverket's e-service Coordination number or on the form SKV 7540. If you use the form, you can submit it at the same time as the identity check is done. If you will be living in Sweden for at least a year, you should instead report a move to Sweden, see the guide on moving to Sweden.
A common reason is a property. From 1 July 2026, the person applying for a title deed must state their Swedish personal identity number, coordination number or organisation number, and Lantmäteriet (the Swedish land registration authority) reminds you to be in good time since the processing can take a long time.
Source: Skatteverket: Coordination number, Lantmäteriet: How the application for a title deed is affected when new laws come into effect on 1 July.
Identity check at the service office
Since 1 September 2023, the person who needs to verify their identity must come in person to an identity check. You book a time at one of Skatteverket's service offices and show your passport, ID card or equivalent document. In exceptional cases, the check can be done by a passport authority, for example an embassy. Skatteverket performs a biometric check before the number is assigned.
A change in the law comes into effect on 1 December 2026. The person who comes to the identity check must then, on request, provide fingerprints and a facial image, and Skatteverket may compare them with the Migration Agency's register.
Source: Law (2022:1697) on coordination numbers (riksdagen.se), Skatteverket: Coordination number, Skatteverket: How coordination numbers work (news 28 May 2025). Chapter 2, sections 2 and 4 of the law on coordination numbers, amended by SFS 2026:1455.
How long does it take?
Skatteverket's information on how long it takes before the case gets a handler, read 9 October 2026:
- Own application: up to six weeks.
- An authority requests a number: about three weeks, and then up to six weeks before you get a response.
- Renewal that you apply for yourself: up to six weeks.
Source: Skatteverket: Coordination number.
How long is a coordination number valid?
For five years. After that, it can be renewed if you still need it. The law counts calendar years: the number is declared dormant if no one has applied for renewal by the end of the fifth calendar year after the year it was assigned or last renewed. It also becomes dormant if you no longer need contact with Swedish authorities, or if you become registered in the population register. A dormant number can be renewed, but then you need to do a new identity check at a service office.
Source: Law (2022:1697) on coordination numbers (riksdagen.se), Skatteverket: Coordination number, Skatteverket: Apply for allocation of coordination number (for authorities).
What happens when I get registered in the population registration?
If you are registered in the population registration in Sweden, the coordination number is replaced by a personal identity number. How you report your move and what applies to population registration is stated in the guide to moving to Sweden.
Source: Skatteverket: Coordination number, Skatteverket: Move to Sweden.
Common questions
What is a coordination number?
An identity designation for those who are not or have not been population registered in Sweden. It is similar to a personal identity number, but the day in the birth date has 60 added to it, so someone born on 3 October 1970 gets 701063.
Can I apply for a coordination number myself?
Yes, if you are going to be in Sweden for less than a year and can show that you need the number and have a connection to Sweden. You apply in the e-service or on form SKV 7540 and visit a service office for identity check.
How long does it take to get a coordination number?
Skatteverket writes that a personal application can take up to six weeks before it gets a handler. If an authority requests a number, it takes about three weeks before the case gets a handler and then up to six weeks before you get a response.
What happens to the coordination number when I get registered in the population registration?
It is replaced by a personal identity number.
Can my employer or bank apply for a coordination number for me?
No. Only government agencies and universities can request that Skatteverket assign a coordination number. Skatteverket can also assign a number when it is needed for tax purposes, for example when you apply for F-tax.
The law behind it
The sections summarised, with a link to the legal text on riksdagen.se.
1 chap. 1 § law on coordination numbers (2022:1697), checked 9 October 2026
A coordination number is an identity designation for those who are not or have not been registered in the population registration in Sweden.
2 chap. 1 § law on coordination numbers (2022:1697), checked 6 October 2026
A co-ordination number is assigned at the request of an authority or body determined by the government, or after application by an individual with ties to Sweden. The law applies from 1 September 2023.
2 chap. 2 § law on coordination numbers (2022:1697), checked 9 October 2026
The person who needs to prove their identity to get a coordination number must come in person to an identity check. Skatteverket may waive the requirement if there are special reasons.
3 chap. 1 § law on coordination numbers (2022:1697), checked 9 October 2026
A coordination number may be renewed after application by an authority that may request the number or by the individual.
3 chap. 2 § law on coordination numbers (2022:1697), checked 9 October 2026
A coordination number shall be declared dormant if no one has applied for renewal at the end of the fifth calendar year after the year in which the number was allocated or last renewed, or if there are other reasons.