Which Danish test do you need for permanent residence in Denmark?

You need to have passed Prøve i Dansk 2, or a test at an equivalent or higher level. Prøve i Dansk 3 is not required, but it counts as one of the four supplementary conditions.

The basic requirement

Prøve i Dansk 2 passed, or a test at an equivalent or higher level.
Prøve i Dansk 3 and Studieprøven are at a higher level, so they also meet the basic requirement.

Prøve i Dansk 1 is not enough on its own.

Prøve i Dansk 3 as a supplementary condition

Passed Prøve i Dansk 3 or higher.
At least 4 years of work within the last 4 years and 6 months.
Passed medborgerskabsprøven (the active citizenship test), or at least 1 year of active citizenship, such as board work, coaching or documented volunteering.
An average annual taxable income of at least DKK 346,155.57 over the last 2 years.

With 8 years of residence you need at least 2 of these 4. With 4 to under 8 years you need all 4, so on the short route the Danish test at level 3 is in practice unavoidable.

Pensioners

With at least 8 years of residence you need either active citizenship or Prøve i Dansk 3.
With 4 to under 8 years you need both.

The conditions about work and income do not apply to pensioners, so the Danish test carries more weight.

What makes it complicated

A test from another country or an older Danish test has to be documented as equivalent.
The certificate is part of the documentation, so a lost certificate has to be replaced before you apply.

If you are unsure whether your test counts, the check marks it as something to clarify instead of guessing.

Check your own dates

Residence Check compares your answers with the requirements and shows which ones you meet, what you still need to clarify, and the earliest date you can meet all of them. Answering the questions is free.

Start the check