You can buy a house in Sweden without a Swedish bank account and without a personnummer. What you will need since July 2026 is a coordination number. This guide explains what works without Swedish paperwork, what doesn't, and how to plan around it.
What works without a personnummer
The personnummer is the Swedish personal identity number. You only get one if you are registered as living in Sweden. As a buyer from abroad you won't have one, and for the purchase itself you don't need one.
- Signing the contract. The purchase contract (köpekontrakt) and the deed of sale (köpebrev) are signed on paper. No Swedish e-ID is involved.
- Paying. With Rabenfels you pay in euros to a European bank account. A Swedish bank account is not needed.
- Owning. Swedish law does not restrict who may own a house. See Can a foreigner buy a house in Sweden?
The contract with Rabenfels is bilingual, Swedish and English, so you can read every clause. The Swedish version is the legally binding one.
New since 1 July 2026: lagfart needs a Swedish ID number
After the purchase, the new owner is entered in the land register. This is the lagfart, handled by the land registry Lantmäteriet. Until recently, foreign buyers could get a lagfart without any Swedish number.
That has changed. For purchases where the contract is signed on or after 1 July 2026, private buyers must state a Swedish personnummer or a coordination number (samordningsnummer) in the lagfart application. If it is missing, Lantmäteriet will not grant the application as it stands. The case can be put on hold, which costs extra fees. The reason given is fraud prevention in the property market.
In practice this means: if you buy from abroad today, you need a coordination number. With Rabenfels, the lagfart application is filed with Lantmäteriet for you, but the number has to be yours.
What a samordningsnummer is and how you get one
A coordination number is the identity number Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) gives to people who are not registered as living in Sweden but need to deal with Swedish authorities. Skatteverket names the registration of property ownership as one of the reasons for applying.
The application
- Apply through Skatteverket's e-service "Coordination number" or on form SKV 7540.
- You must show that you need the number. The purchase contract for a Swedish property serves that purpose.
The personal appointment
- You must go to a Swedish government service centre in person for an identity check. Skatteverket will not issue the number without it.
- Bring your passport or national identity card. If you have a Swedish residence permit, bring the card as well.
- In some cases the identity check can be done at a Swedish embassy. Ask the embassy in your country whether it offers this.
How long it takes
Skatteverket says it can take up to five weeks before an application is assigned to an administrator. Plan this time in before the lagfart. Once issued, the number stays active for five years. After that it becomes inactive if unused, and reactivating it means another identity check.
The BankID problem
In Sweden almost everything digital runs through BankID: logging in to authorities, signing contracts with utilities, sometimes even parcel collection. BankID is issued by Swedish banks. As a rule you need to be a customer of the bank and have a Swedish personnummer. A coordination number alone is generally not enough, and opening a Swedish account without a personnummer is hard.
What that means for you as an owner living abroad:
- For the purchase you don't need BankID. Everything is signed on paper.
- Some online services will not be available to you. Expect to use email, phone or paper forms instead.
- As a property owner you pay the annual property fee (fastighetsavgift) and must file a Swedish income tax return even without Swedish income. Skatteverket's e-services need an e-ID, so expect paperwork by post.
Paying from abroad in EUR, GBP or CAD
Rabenfels takes payment in euros to a European account. If your money is in pounds, Canadian dollars or US dollars, it has to be converted at some point. That conversion is where most of the hidden cost sits.
- Exchange margin. Banks often convert at a rate worse than the mid-market rate and do not show the difference as a fee. On a house price, a small percentage is real money.
- Transfer fees. International payments can carry a fee from your bank and sometimes from intermediary banks.
- Specialist services. Many buyers use online money-transfer services such as Wise or Revolut, or their bank's own currency service. Compare the total amount that arrives in euros, not only the advertised fee. This is not a recommendation for any provider.
- Large transfers. Your bank may ask where the money comes from before releasing a large payment. Have the purchase contract ready and allow a few days.
The purchase also has costs on top of the price, such as the stamp duty on the lagfart. They are listed in Closing costs and taxes when buying.
Electricity and insurance without a personnummer
Electricity
Swedish homes have two electricity contracts. The grid contract is with the local network company that owns the lines. You cannot choose it. The supply contract is with the company that sells you the power, which you can choose freely.
- Larger suppliers ask for a Swedish personnummer when you sign up online.
- If you don't choose a supplier, you are placed on a designated contract (anvisat avtal). It works, but it is usually much more expensive.
- Holiday-home owners from abroad have long had trouble signing electricity, phone and internet contracts. Since 2021 they can apply for a coordination number, and that number makes dealing with private providers easier.
Realistically: call the supplier, explain that you own a holiday home and have a coordination number, and ask what they accept. Some will help by phone or email, others won't.
Insurance
A house should be insured from the day you take it over. Insurers handle owners abroad differently. Some ask for a Swedish ID number, others accept a coordination number or deal with you directly. Ask before completion, not afterwards. Also check what the policy requires if the house is empty in winter, for example rules about heating and draining the water.
Technical points such as the well, sewage and heating are covered in Well, sewage, heating and radon.
A realistic order of steps
- Choose the house and sign the bilingual purchase contract.
- Apply for the coordination number and attend the identity check, which Rabenfels books for you.
- Pay in euros to the European account.
- Sign the deed of sale. Rabenfels files the lagfart with Lantmäteriet.
- Set up electricity and insurance with your coordination number.
The houses Rabenfels sells are sold as they are (befintligt skick), and I list the known defects openly before you sign. You can see the current listing here: House near a lake in Storfors, Värmland, EUR 79,500.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a house in Sweden without a personnummer?
Yes. You do not need a Swedish personal identity number to buy. For purchases signed from 1 July 2026, however, the lagfart application must include a personnummer or a coordination number. Non-residents apply to Skatteverket for a coordination number.
How long does it take to get a samordningsnummer?
You apply online or with form SKV 7540 and must attend an identity check in person at a service centre (in some cases at a Swedish embassy). Skatteverket states it can take up to five weeks for an application to be assigned to an administrator, so plan for that time before the lagfart.
Do I need a Swedish bank account to buy from Rabenfels?
No. With Rabenfels you pay in euros to a European bank account. A Swedish account is not required for the purchase.
Can I get BankID as a foreigner?
Usually not without a Swedish personnummer and a customer relationship with a Swedish bank. A coordination number alone is generally not enough. For buying a house you do not need BankID: the contract and deed can be signed on paper.
Can I get electricity and insurance without a personnummer?
The grid connection is with the local network company and is set up when ownership changes. Many electricity suppliers ask for a personnummer; a coordination number makes contracts with private providers easier. If you choose no supplier you are placed on a designated contract, which is usually more expensive. Ask an insurer before completion whether they accept a coordination number.
Sources
- Lantmäteriet: Information om lagändringar från den 1 juli 2026 (personnummer or samordningsnummer required for lagfart)
- Byggahus.se: Nya regler för lagfart: ansökan kan stoppas om vissa uppgifter saknas (2026, with statement from Lantmäteriet)
- Skatteverket: Coordination numbers (application, identity check, processing time, validity)
- Skatteverket: Fastighetsavgift och fastighetsskatt (owners abroad pay and must file a return)
- The Local: Which Swedish banks still let foreign citizens apply for a BankID? (2022)
- Øresunddirekt: Coordination number for foreign holiday home owners in Sweden
- Vattenfall: How to get electricity at home (grid and supply contract, designated contract)
Status: October 2026. All information without guarantee. This guide is not legal or tax advice.