Norway

Influencer Payment Regulations in
Norway
Playbook

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Norway
is a few seconds with Gigapay.
With Gigapay, you can easily onboard and pay influencers in
Norway
, all while adhering to the relevant local laws and regulations. Simplify your payout processes with Gigapay.
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Capital

Oslo

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Currency

NOK (kr)

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DAC7

No

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Preferred Payment Method

PayPal, Bank Transfer

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Norway
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Norway
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Norway
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Norway

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Norway
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Norway
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Our guide to paying creators in
Norway

Navigate the tabs below to learn everything you need to know about paying creators in
Norway

Individual

If the influencer is acting as an individual without any registered activity, it is essential to be aware of applicable rules and regulations, as you may have additional responsibilities towards the individual. It is important to understand what legal obligations apply to you. You may for example have withholding responsibilities or be required to pay social costs.

What is an Individual?

A person providing a service to someone without actually registering an activity. It could for example be someone helping the neighbour with their math exercises before a test for a small fee. 

Is it possible to make payouts to the creator?

Yes, but conditions may apply. If the activity is not viewed as a hobby or if certain thresholds are met, the influencer should register their activity as a sole trader or company.

Sole Trader

Receiving compensation as an individual can be tricky and may sometimes raise concerns related to employment laws and taxation rules. Therefore, it is quite common for influencers to register their activity as sole traders in their country of work. In fact, most countries have simplified systems allowing persons to register their activity in a quick and easy way. This allows influencers to invoice their clients and pay their taxes in a more streamlined way.

What is a Sole Trader?

A sole trader is typically a self-employed person who owns and runs their own business as an individual. Sole traders usually benefit from a simplified system designed to make it easier to start a business. 

In Norway, you can operate as a sole trader and is, in Norwegian “selvstendig næringsdrivende”. Sole traders are usually a self-employed person. The sole traders can issue invoices and sell goods and services. They pay their social fees and taxes. If you are unsure of what your status is, you can contact the tax office to get an assessment.

You may read more about the registration process and the sole traders in Norway on the following websites:

Is it possible to make payouts to the creator?

Yes.

Private Trader

Company

If the influencer is popular, it is not uncommon that they have a registered company and a whole team working with them (billing, project management, technical team, ...).

What is a Company?

A company is typically a legal entity formed by a group of individuals to operate a business enterprise. It may be organized in various ways for tax and financial liability purposes depending on the corporate law of its jurisdiction.

Is it possible to make payouts to the creator?

Yes.

Hobby

Notwithstanding the above, it may be possible to receive compensation for influencer work without registering as a sole trader or company. Many countries have rules allowing individuals to receive compensation if certain conditions are met. However, it can be tricky sometimes to know if the activity can be classified as a hobby or not, therefore, when in doubt, it is almost always preferred to register as a sole trader to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Influencers are allowed to classify blogging and social media as a hobby, but they need to report if they plan to do so. If they do not have a business and is an occasional work they do as self-employed individuals, then it can be classified as a hobby. The crucial factor in determining whether an activity is a hobby or not is if the influencer intends to generate profit from it. However, it is advised that the influencer register regardless of the amount of profit generated. Influencers should register if they work consistently for a longer period of time, generate profit, and collaborate with multiple businesses.

According to the Norwegian Tax Authority, blogging is considered a commercial activity if it:

  • is carried on at own expense and risk;
  • is expected to have a certain scope and duration;
  • is likely to generate profit.

In practice, there are no strict rules for the duration and scope of an activity; the key factor is whether it can generate a profit sufficient to generate a reasonable salary to justify your effort.

If blogging is registered as a commercial activity, all income from the blog will be considered business income. The Norwegian tax office has also stated that the physical location of the blog/website has no significance towards the tax and duty rules. The tax and duty liability is determined by the country from which the blog/website is operated. In other words, if your blog/website is located abroad, but operated from Norway, Norwegian tax and duty rules must be followed.****

In Norway, influencers can also be affiliate marketers. Affiliate marketing is a form of marketing where a business rewards its business partners for referring visitors or customers to the business. This type of income needs to be included in the assessment as well, whether it is a hobby or a commercial activity. As a self-employed individual, you will be liable for tax on the affiliate income.

You can read more about the hobby and social media responsibilities here.

Due Diligence

To assess your responsibilities towards the influencer, it is necessary to define your relationship and follow a proper due diligence process catered to the status of the influencer and their country of activity. This may include requesting information about their name, TIN number, age, and more.

It may also be relevant to do some research about the influencer's followers to verify that their followers fit the kind of content or product you would like to advertise. This is especially important if the followers are young (e.g. it may not be appropriate to advertise alcohol to underage followers).

New Self-Employed or Registered Business?

Common Ways of Working as an Influencer in the UAE

Payment Method

The most common payment method used to pay influencers in Norway is through PayPal and bank transfers.

In Norway, you may invoice clients within and outside of the country. The sole trader must issue an invoice without VAT (MVA) if the client is located outside Norway. Please note that the reverse charge system applies if the sole trader invoices a client in an EU country. Both businesses must be registered for VAT to apply the reverse charge rules. You may read more about reverse charge here.

In Norway, businesses may outsource invoicing operations to a third party or the customer if certain circumstances are met. You may use self-billing or “egenfakturering” or “selvfakturering” in Norwegian if the parties have agreed to use self-billing before issuing the invoice. The agreement should preferably be in writing and specify the terms applicable to the self-billing invoice.

Gifting, Travel, and Vouchers

As a general rule, gifts are considered to be a form of compensation, and influencers should therefore always report the value of gifts, free travel, and vouchers to their tax authorities. The taxable value is usually based on the commercial value of the gift, travel, or voucher.

It is not uncommon for companies to be legally required to report to tax agencies when they pay out compensation to an influencer. Influencer partnerships are quite different from regular partnerships, compensation may not only include monetary compensation but also gifts, vouchers, and travel. In some countries, all types of compensation sent for “payment” to the influencer should be reported. Therefore, it may be relevant to verify your reporting responsibilities on that matter.

In Norway, it is also common that influencers receive gifts, even gifts they have not asked for and do not want, and therefore discard those. To make sure you pay the right tax, you will need to make a note of what you have received and what you have discarded (internal voucher). You will need to date and sign it. You can read more about your responsibilities as an influencer here.

Tax and Reporting Implications

Exchange of income statements to other countries.

As mentioned above, it is not uncommon for companies to be legally required to report to tax agencies when they pay out compensation to an influencer. This obligation may also be applicable if you are working with an influencer from another country. Many countries sign bilateral agreements in which they agree to exchange income statements with each other. This allows tax agencies around the world to have a better overview of the compensation paid out to the people conducting business in their country and better control over who should pay taxes or not. The exchange of income statements is especially relevant when paying out compensation to individuals without a registered activity. It is therefore important to verify your reporting obligations in your country.  

Additional responsibilities - social fees, withholding of taxes, more

Before drafting an agreement with an influencer, it is important to consider if the person has a registered activity as an influencer or a company. If the influencer is acting as an individual without any registered activity, it is essential to be aware of applicable rules and regulations, as you may have additional responsibilities towards the individual. It is important to understand what legal obligations apply to you. It is important to be fully aware of all the responsibilities before drafting any agreement with an influencer as you may be able, depending on the applicable laws and regulations, to put some of the responsibilities onto the influencer if it is clearly stated in the agreement. It is also important to consider any potential liabilities arising from the agreement. As such, the responsibility of each party should be clearly described in the agreement and preferably regulate topics such as the payment of indirect and direct taxes, reporting to tax authorities, or even social costs.

Advertising and Marketing Law

In most countries, influencer marketing is already regulated by national laws such as consumer protection and marketing laws or specific guidelines.

Considering influencers can reach consumers globally, examining legal implications in various countries is important. Violating the rules can lead to penalties, fines, and legal fees.

It's important to note that there are topics that are usually more strongly regulated within influencer marketing. These commonly include:

  • Children and minors.
  • Alcohol, religious beliefs, adult content, tobacco, cosmetic procedures, gambling products, and in certain countries politics.

Work on this is progressing quickly both on a national and a global level. It would therefore be wise to keep yourself updated on new laws and guidelines being issued on the topic.

Influencer marketing regulations in Norway

Even though Norway is not a member of the EU, they have marketing laws protecting consumers from any hidden or confusing advertising. Starting from 1 July 2022, the Marketing Act mandates the inclusion of a standardized label on all advertisements that involve the alteration of body shape, size, or skin through retouching or similar manipulations.

The regulation's primary objective is to address and mitigate societal body-image pressures linked to the portrayal of idealized individuals in advertising. To achieve this, the law mandates the labeling of retouched or manipulated advertising, aiming to increase consumer awareness and safeguard young individuals from the potential harm caused by misleading advertisements that deviate from reality.

The ultimate goal is to decrease the prevalence of retouched images featuring idealized body standards in advertising campaigns.

The Norwegian Consumer Authority has been entrusted with the duty of overseeing and ensuring compliance with these labeling requirements by businesses and other stakeholders. You can read the Norwegian Consumer Authority's guide on advertising on social media here.

Agreements

Risk of false self-employment

If you are looking to collaborate with independent workers, it is essential to treat them as such. Influencers working independently should be treated differently from employees. It is crucial to provide them with creative and personal freedom, allowing them, for example, to choose and determine their activities and working hours. To prevent a relationship that could be seen as an employment relationship, it is imperative to draft a clear agreement between the two parties. If the relationship is too close to an employment relationship, it may be viewed as false self-employment. This may come with legal implications for the brand. Without an unambiguous agreement, a clear distinction is not always easy; both influencers and those who use them are often unaware of how the relationship can be viewed by the authorities.

As a rule of thumb, the more instructions you give regarding the services to be performed and the more the person is bound to your organization, the more likely it is that an employment relationship exists. To ensure that your relationship with the influencer is as unambiguous as possible, it is important to make sure that the agreement that is established is fair and offers them the autonomy to choose their activities and working hours. Also, the relationship should be independent in facts not only on paper. This should allow for a successful collaboration. In the case of false self-employment, the brand or agency may be responsible for paying employer fees and social costs for the influencer.

An Agreement can take many forms and does not necessarily have to be in writing. However, it’s usually recommended to sign a written Agreement with the digital creator before they start to work on a project. We recommend having a legal professional review the agreement before it's signed, to ensure that it covers all the necessary legal aspects relevant to the relationship at hand. It may be relevant to define the following points in the agreement:

1. Define Compensation Structure and Amount

Begin by specifying the type and amount of compensation the influencer will receive for their services. This can be a flat fee, commission-based, or a combination of both. Be transparent about the compensation structure and ensure that the influencer understands whether they are considered an employee or an independent contractor, as this has tax implications.

2. Outline Payment Schedule and Currency

Establish a clear payment schedule that details whether the influencer will receive a one-time payment or multiple installments. Also, specify the currency in which payments will be made, and discuss potential fluctuations in exchange rates to avoid confusion or disagreements.

3. Specify Payment Terms for Content Creation and Sharing

One important consideration is whether payment should only be made upon delivery of the post or if there should be two separate fees, one for creating the content and another for sharing it upon approval by the Brand. Clearly state these terms in your agreement to ensure both parties understand when and how payments will be made for each aspect of the influencer's work.

4. Detail Payment Methods and Third-Party Involvement

Outline the method of payment, whether it's PayPal, wire transfer, or through a third party. If you're using a third-party service provider, such as Gigapay, to handle payouts and reporting, include this information in the agreement. This helps set expectations and ensures the influencer knows who will send the payment and when to expect it.

Want to know more about influencer partnership agreements? Use this guide to ensure your agreements cover all essential aspects and foster long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with your influencers.

Simplified compliance process

With Gigapay you can start working with creator in a breeze. Forget about complicated KYC process and a long chain of approval. Simply upload your spreadsheets with the emails of who you would like to pay and we handle everything for you. We tank care of collecting all the necessary legal information in order for you to pay influencers.

A woman with long red hair smiling at the camera.

Simplified compliance process

With Gigapay you can start working with creator in a breeze. Forget about complicated KYC process and a long chain of approval. Simply upload your spreadsheets with the emails of who you would like to pay and we handle everything for you. We tank care of collecting all the necessary legal information in order for you to pay influencers.

A woman with long red hair smiling at the camera.

Simplified compliance process

With Gigapay you can start working with creator in a breeze. Forget about complicated KYC process and a long chain of approval. Simply upload your spreadsheets with the emails of who you would like to pay and we handle everything for you. We tank care of collecting all the necessary legal information in order for you to pay influencers.

A woman with long red hair smiling at the camera.

Simplified compliance process

With Gigapay you can start working with creator in a breeze. Forget about complicated KYC process and a long chain of approval. Simply upload your spreadsheets with the emails of who you would like to pay and we handle everything for you. We tank care of collecting all the necessary legal information in order for you to pay influencers.

A woman with long red hair smiling at the camera.

Note: The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.

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