Other languages
» In English (Engelska)
» Individuals and employees
» Living in Sweden
» Personal identity number and coordination number

Personal identity numbers and coordination numbers

Everyone who is registered in the Swedish Population Register receives a personal identity number as an identifier. You will receive your personal identity number from the Swedish Tax Agency. A coordination number is an identifier for individuals who are not or have not been registered in the Swedish Population Register.

Personal identity number

Once you have obtained a personal identity number you will keep the same number for the rest of your life. That means your personal identity number will not change if, say, you move abroad.

In certain cases you may obtain a personal identity number even if you have not been registered in the Swedish Population Register. This applies if you have diplomatic immunity and you stay in Sweden for at least one year − for example, if you are employed at foreign embassy or certain international organisations. In such cases, personal identity numbers are assigned at the request of the Swedish Government Offices.

A video about personal identity numbers

What is a personal identification number? It is an identifier that among other things show when you were born. Learn more about how it is constructed and what it is used for.

How is a personal identity number used?

You use your personal identity number when you communicate with government authorities and private companies, as this number is your identifier in Sweden.

The Swedish Tax Agency has a government mandate to provide current and correct information about the people who live in Sweden so that other authorities have the information they need for planning and decision-making. This is done through the Population Register providing information about you to other authorities. They receive correct information about you when changes are made in the Population Register − for example, if you report a change of address. Private companies can have their customer registers updated via the Swedish personal address register (SPAR).

The structure of a personal identity number

Your personal identity number indicates your birthdate, your birth number and, lastly, a control number. The only information that can be obtained from your personal identity number is your birthdate and sex. Your sex is indicated by the second-last number of your personal identity number.

Birthdate

Your birthdate is shown as six digits. The internal order of the digits is birth year, month and day.

Example

Someone with the birthdate 640823 was born on 23 August 1964.

Birth number

Your birth number consists of three digits. The last number will be an odd number if your legal sex is male, but an even number if your legal sex is female. Between the birthdate and the birth number is a hyphen (-), which is replaced by a plus sign (+) in the year the person becomes 100 years old.

The number of birth numbers is limited. It is therefore possible that all the birth numbers for a certain date have been used up. In such a case you may then receive a personal identity number in which the numbers for your birth date show a date that is close to your true birthdate.

The control digit

The last digit of your personal identity number is a control number. It is calculated automatically on the basis of your birthdate and birth number.

Coordination number

Coordination numbers introduced in 2000

Coordination numbers were introduced in 2000. They enable Swedish public authorities and other organisations with a public function to identify people who are not currently – and have never been – registered at an address in Sweden.

Coordination numbers are assigned by the Swedish Tax Agency when requested by government authorities and certain private universities. We will give you a coordination number if you have gained employment in Sweden and are due to pay tax, or if you have established your own company and need to register it with the Swedish Tax Agency.

If you need a coordination number because you have a connection to Sweden, and no government authority has requested one on your behalf, you can request one yourself by visiting one of our service centres. You will need to bring proof of identity and provide a contact address, either in Sweden or abroad. If your address changes, you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency. Please note that if you have already been issued with a coordination number, you must use this number. You may not request a new one.

If you are going to stay in Sweden for one year or more, you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency of your move to Sweden. You will then be issued with a personal identity number.

The structure of a coordination number

10-digit numbers

Coordination numbers are structured in a similar way to personal identity numbers, but, 60 is added to the day on which an individual was born. So someone born on 24 September 1990 would be given the coordination number 900984, followed by four digits. In coordination numbers for men, these four digits are odd numbers. For women, they are even numbers.

Each coordination number is unique

You have the same coordination number for life, and no two coordination numbers are identical. But if you register at an address in Sweden later on, you will be given a personal identity number, which will replace your coordination number.

Using a coordination number

You can use your coordination number when communicating with Swedish public authorities, health services and banks. If you need to provide a document that shows your coordination number, you can request an extract from the Swedish Population Register.

Inactive or deregistered coordination numbers

A coordination number that is not in current use can be marked as inactive. This happens automatically after five years. The change in status will be recorded in the Swedish Population Register, and other Swedish public authorities will be notified. If you move away from Sweden and no longer have use for your coordination number, it is a good idea to notify the Swedish Tax Agency that you want your coordination number to be marked as inactive. This will help to prevent fraudulent use when you have left the country. If you return to Sweden, you can request for your coordination number to be reactivated if needed. To do this, please visit a service centre bringing proof of identity.

Addresses registered for individuals with coordination numbers

When the Swedish Tax Agency gives you a coordination number, we register a contact address for you. Your contact address can be either in Sweden or abroad. Once your identity is confirmed, we will also enter your address in SPAR, the Swedish state personal address register, (“Statens personadressregister”).

Swedish state personal address register, SPAR External link.

If you have a coordination number, and your contact address changes, you must notify the Swedish Tax Agency by completing form SKV 7542 (“Samordningsnummer – kontaktadress”).

Samordningsnummer – kontaktadress (SKV 7542) (In Swedish)

Did you find this information helpful?

Leave a review at YourEurope.com

Other languages

Personal identity numbers and coordination numbers