What is the §7P scheme?
§7P is a tax scheme in Danish tax law that allows employees to receive shares, warrants, or stock options from their employer, taxed as share income instead of salary income.
The §7P scheme allows taxation of employee shares as share income (27%/42%) instead of personal income (up to 52%). The savings can be up to 25 percentage points.[↗]
Normally, salary is taxed at up to 52% (including top tax). But with §7P, you instead pay share tax at 27% (below the progression threshold) or 42% (above). This can mean savings of up to 25 percentage points.
The scheme was introduced to make it easier for Danish companies to attract and retain talented employees through ownership — particularly relevant for startups that cannot compete on salary alone.
See what the §7P scheme means for your net pay — calculate in 10 seconds
Tax savings with §7P
The big advantage of §7P is the lower tax rate. Here's the comparison:
| Taxation | Regular salary | §7P shares |
|---|---|---|
| Low income | ~37% | 27% |
| Medium income | ~42% | 27-42% |
| High income (top tax) | ~52% | 42% |
Savings are highest for people who pay top tax.
§7P Calculator: Compare tax on shares vs. salary
As regular salary
As §7P shares
You save 10 percentage points in tax
Stock tax calculation
| Stock income | 200,000 kr |
| Tax 27% (up to 79,400 DKK) | 21,438 kr |
| Tax 42% (over 79,400 DKK) | 50,652 kr |
| Total stock tax | 72,090 kr |
You don't pay top tax on your current salary. The savings are still significant.
Calculate your full net salary with all tax deductions
Open salary calculatorRequirements and limits
Limit for §7P compensation
Requirements for §7P: Min. 3-year lock-up period, max 10% of annual salary for established companies (50% for new companies), and shares must come from your employer.
Other requirements
- ✓Shares must be held for minimum 3 years
- ✓You must be employed by the company
- ✓Employer must have approved scheme
- ✓There must be a written agreement
How the tax is calculated
Tax on §7P shares is calculated when you sell them:
| Share income | Tax rate 2026 |
|---|---|
| Up to 61,000 DKK (single) | 27% |
| Up to 122,000 DKK (couple) | 27% |
| Above threshold | 42% |
Example
You receive shares worth 200,000 DKK under §7P:
| As salary | Tax ~96,000 DKK (48%) = 104,000 DKK net |
| As §7P | Tax ~72,000 DKK (36% avg.) = 128,000 DKK net |
| Savings | 24,000 DKK |
Practical example: Startup with §7P
Marie works at a startup and earns 600,000 DKK per year. She's offered 300,000 DKK in warrants under §7P (50% of salary).
Startup example: §7P warrants
Simulate what happens when you receive warrants in a startup and they increase in value at exit:
Comparison with bonus
After 3 years, the warrants have risen to 500,000 DKK. Marie sells:
- Share income: 500,000 DKK
- Tax (27% of 61,000 DKK + 42% of 439,000 DKK): ~201,000 DKK
- Net: ~299,000 DKK
If she had received 500,000 DKK as bonus instead, the tax would be about 260,000 DKK — around 60,000 DKK more.
Drawbacks and risks
- ⚠️Risk: Shares can decrease in value or become worthless
- ⚠️Lock-up: Cannot be sold for 3 years
- ⚠️Liquidity: You don't get money immediately
- ⚠️Complexity: Requires understanding of share taxation
- ⚠️Exit-dependent: In startups, value often depends on exit/IPO
Important: §7P is best for high earners who already pay top tax. For lower incomes, the savings are smaller.
Calculate your salary after tax — with or without employee shares
Frequently asked questions
§7P is a tax scheme in Danish tax law that allows employees to receive shares, warrants, or stock options from their employer, taxed as share income (27%/42%) instead of salary income (up to 52%). The scheme was introduced to make it easier for companies to attract and retain employees through ownership.
In principle, all employees in a company can receive §7P shares if the employer offers the scheme. However, you must be employed by the company, and there must be a written agreement. The company must also have an approved §7P scheme. It's typically most common in tech startups and growth companies.
For established companies, the limit is 50% of your annual salary. For startups (companies less than 5 years old with fewer than 50 employees), the limit is 100% of your annual salary. Note that the value is calculated at the time of grant, not at sale.
You only pay tax when you sell the shares. There's no tax at grant (unlike regular salary). The tax is calculated as share tax: 27% on gains up to 79,400 DKK (158,800 DKK for couples), and 42% on gains above that. This provides significant tax deferral.
No, there's a minimum holding period of 3 years. The shares cannot be sold during this period, otherwise you lose the favorable tax treatment and are instead taxed as regular salary income. After 3 years, you can sell freely.
It depends on your agreement with the company. In many cases, you keep your vested shares/warrants, but unvested ones may be forfeited. Some agreements require you to sell the shares back upon departure. Always read your §7P agreement carefully.
Not exactly. §7P is the tax scheme, while warrants are a type of equity compensation. Warrants (subscription rights) can be covered by §7P, but so can shares and stock options. What matters is whether the grant is made under the §7P scheme.
The biggest risk is that the shares can decrease in value or become worthless (especially in startups). You also tie up your liquidity for at least 3 years. Additionally, the value often depends on an exit (company sale or IPO). Consider §7P as part of your total compensation, not as guaranteed income.
RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) are typically taxed as salary income at vesting - i.e., up to 52% tax. §7P shares are taxed as share income (27%/42%) at sale. So §7P provides both a lower tax rate and tax deferral. RSUs from foreign companies (e.g., American tech giants) cannot receive §7P treatment.
Yes, absolutely! If your employer doesn't offer §7P, you can suggest it as part of your compensation package. However, it requires the company to establish a §7P scheme, which involves legal and administrative work. It's most realistic in smaller companies and startups.