Note: This article describes the Danish system specifically — "CVR" is the Danish central business register number, roughly equivalent to a company registration or tax ID number elsewhere.

Many people running a smaller operation, a webshop alongside a full-time job, or a hobby project that's grown bigger than expected, have never registered a formal business. That doesn't mean you can't sell your business — but it places different demands on the process than if you had a registered company.

Can you even sell anything without a registration number?

Yes. What you're actually selling isn't a company, but the assets behind the operation — for example a webshop with its associated domain, customer database, inventory and possibly a Facebook or Instagram page with an established audience. It's fully legal to transfer, as long as you're honest about what actually comes with the deal.

What's different from selling a registered company?

No company transfer

The deal isn't a transfer of shares, but an ordinary purchase of assets — the domain, the inventory, customer data and any equipment.

Different tax treatment

If you're a private individual without business registration, a gain from a sale may, depending on circumstances, be taxed differently than a sale of a company. If the amount is significant, you should always clarify it with an accountant before selling — the rules depend, among other things, on whether the activity is considered a hobby or a genuine business for tax purposes.

Simpler transfer

Without a company to transfer, the handover itself often becomes simpler — no general meeting, no ownership register update, no registration change. In return, you should be extra thorough with a written agreement describing precisely what's being transferred.

What should an agreement for a sale as a private individual contain?

  • Exactly which assets are transferred — domain, accounts, inventory, customer data, social media.
  • The price and payment terms.
  • When and how access and ownership are transferred (e.g. domain transfer, login details).
  • Whether you commit to not starting a competing business — see what a non-compete clause typically contains.

Why do most business marketplaces require a registration number?

Most established platforms for selling a business are built to broker deals between registered companies, and therefore require a registration number to create a listing. We've deliberately chosen a different model: you can create a listing whether you're selling an ApS, a sole proprietorship, or an activity you never got around to formally registering — if you have a registration number, we automatically fetch your business data, but it's not a prerequisite to get started.

Ready to sell your business, website or webshop — with or without a registration number? Create your listing here, or read more about how to sell a website or a domain, if that's what you have.

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