1000-krone banknotes and older banknotes have been worthless since 31 May 2026 and cannot be used as a means of payment or exchanged at banks or at Danmarks Nationalbank’s banknote exchange points.
Danmarks Nationalbank may choose to exchange worthless banknotes if special circumstances warrant this. However, this will only be in exceptional cases.
Danmarks Nationalbank will assess whether special circumstances apply. Applications and questions regarding exchange of worthless banknotes under special circumstances will only be accepted from Wednesday, 2 December 2026.
What are special circumstances?
Danmarks Nationalbank will process all applications and make a specific and individual assessment. Danmarks Nationalbank will assess whether it has been sufficiently documented that:
- the person submitting the application was the rightful owner of the banknotes before the deadline.
- there were special circumstances that made it impossible for the rightful owner of the banknotes to hand in the banknotes during the period up to 31 May 2026, when the banknotes became worthless in relation to Danmarks Nationalbank.
All cases will be assessed individually. However, as a starting point, special circumstances will not apply if the failure to hand in the banknotes before the deadline was due, for example, to:
- lack of knowledge of the recall or the deadline,
- the banknotes only being found after the deadline,
- general stays abroad or similar circumstances.
Cases where special circumstances may, as a starting point, apply could include, for example:
- physical illness, serious health conditions or deprivation of liberty that prevented the rightful owner from acting before the deadline,
- cognitive impairments or similar circumstances that prevented the rightful owner from handing in the banknotes before the deadline,
- estates of deceased persons where the deceased rightful owner, for reasons such as those mentioned above, was unable to respond before the deadline, and where the banknotes were therefore only found afterwards.
What should I do if I want to apply for exchange under special circumstances?
Citizens wishing to apply for exchange of worthless banknotes under special circumstances must:
- Download, complete (digitally) and print a form. The form will be available from 19 October 2026.
- Obtain relevant supporting documentation showing that the citizen was the rightful owner of the banknotes before the deadline of 31 May 2026, as well as supporting documentation showing that special circumstances made it impossible to hand in the banknotes before the deadline.
- Contact FOREX at Nørreport in Copenhagen and hand in the form and the banknotes (see opening hours below). At the banknote exchange point, FOREX will verify the banknotes, review the completed form and, if relevant, inform the citizen of any need for additional supporting documentation. For larger amounts, documentation of the origin of the funds will also be required under anti-money laundering requirements. FOREX will require presentation of physical photo ID.
- Once FOREX has reviewed the completed form and the banknotes, the citizen must sign the form. By signing the form, the citizen agrees to pay an administration fee of kr. 500 if Danmarks Nationalbank accepts the application for exchange of worthless banknotes under special circumstances. If Danmarks Nationalbank rejects the application, the citizen will not have to pay the fee. By signing, the citizen also agrees that the worthless banknotes handed in will not be returned if the application for exchange under special circumstances is rejected. The banknotes will be destroyed once their authenticity has been verified.
Danmarks Nationalbank will make the final decision on whether an application qualifies under special circumstances. The citizen will receive a decision from Danmarks Nationalbank. The decision will be sent to the citizen using the contact details provided on the completed form. Only once a decision has been made will the amount handed in be transferred to the citizen’s account (less the administration fee). It may take up to 14 weeks to process a case.
Cases that qualify as special circumstances will also be subject to anti-money laundering checks under the anti-money laundering rules. Where suspicion of money laundering cannot be ruled out, Danmarks Nationalbank is obliged to notify the relevant authorities.
What is FOREX’s role?
Danmarks Nationalbank’s banknote exchange point is operated in cooperation with the international foreign exchange bureau FOREX. When banknotes are handed in, FOREX can advise citizens on whether the stated special circumstances are sufficiently documented. FOREX can also advise on whether the form has been completed correctly.
FOREX is unable to advise citizens on whether the stated special circumstance may be approved.
FOREX submits the application, form, supporting documentation and banknotes to Danmarks Nationalbank, which makes the assessment. Any payment will be made by bank transfer to the citizen’s bank account.
Address and opening hours after 2 December
The address of Danmarks Nationalbank’s banknote exchange point in Copenhagen is:
FOREX
Nørre Voldgade 90 (at Nørreport Station)
1358 København K
The banknote exchange point is open on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 18:00.
Please notice: Applications and questions regarding exchange of worthless banknotes under special circumstances will be accepted from Wednesday, 2 December 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Below you will find answers to the questions we most often receive in connection with exchange of worthless banknotes under special circumstances.
1000-krone banknotes and older banknotes have been worthless since 31 May 2026. In cases where Danmarks Nationalbank assesses that there are exceptional circumstances, Danmarks Nationalbank may decide to accept banknotes after the deadline. This is based on an individual assessment of each case.
You cannot send the banknotes to Danmarks Nationalbank. Applications for exchange of worthless banknotes under special circumstances are handled only through the physical banknote exchange point. Banknotes sent by post to Danmarks Nationalbank will be destroyed without exchange.
Danmarks Nationalbank cannot issue a general advance guarantee of exchange, as all cases are assessed individually on the basis of the documentation provided, after the banknotes have been handed in.
Danmarks Nationalbank may ask for information that clarifies the case, including who owns the banknotes, when and how they were acquired, and why they were not submitted by the deadline. Danmarks Nationalbank may also ask for documentation supporting the explanation.
No. An explanation without supporting documentation is not enough on its own. Each case is assessed individually and on its own merits, and supporting documentation is required.