Wood-burning stoves in Denmark: rules when buying and tips

Boligfritid.dk is a Danish magazine for homeowners. This English version is written for international residents in Denmark. Read the original in Danish.

Updated 23 October 2026. A wood-burning stove makes a home cosy, but old stoves and poor burning habits cause a lot of pollution. According to Miljøstyrelsen (the Danish Environmental Protection Agency), an old wood-burning stove pollutes up to five times as much as a modern one. Here are the rules and the most important tips for lighting a fire.

Buying a home with a wood-burning stove?

Since 1 August 2021, as a home buyer you must state whether there is a wood-burning stove or fireplace insert in the home. You do this when the skøde (title deed) is registered at tinglysning (land registration). Afterwards you receive a letter from Miljøstyrelsen via Digital Post (the official digital mailbox, which you can log in to with MitID).

• Stove made before 1 January 2003: it must be replaced or decommissioned no later than 12 months after you take over the home, and this must be reported to Miljøstyrelsen.
• Stove made after 1 January 2003: you must document its age within 6 months, for example with a test certificate, the Svanemærket (Nordic Swan Ecolabel) or a declaration of the year of manufacture.
• Unknown age: ask the chimney sweep or another professional to assess the year of manufacture on Miljøstyrelsen’s declaration form.

There are exemptions from the requirement. You can find them on Brændefyringsportalen (the Danish authorities’ wood-burning portal). Order a new stove in good time, as delivery times can be long. If it cannot arrive in time, you can decommission the old one by disconnecting it from the chimney.

Municipal rules for older stoves

Municipalities can ban older wood-burning stoves in areas with fjernvarme (district heating) or another collective heating supply, and the deadlines vary. Check your municipality’s rules if you have a stove from before 2008.

How to light a fire the right way

1. Light it from the top: place two logs at the bottom, stack plenty of kindling on top with air in between, and light it at the top, for example with a firelighter. According to Brændefyringsportalen, this can reduce particle emissions during lighting by 50–80%.
2. Use dry firewood: the moisture content should be below 18%. Freshly felled wood needs to dry for 1–2 years, and it helps to bring the wood indoors a week before you use it.
3. Add a little at a time: use pieces about the size of a forearm, and give the fire plenty of air.
4. Never burn rubbish: treated, painted or glued wood and plastic must not be burned.
5. Check the smoke: it should be almost invisible once the stove is hot.

Chimney and safety

• Have the chimney swept and the stove checked by the chimney sweep.
• Empty the ash into a metal bucket with a lid, and leave it outside until it is completely cold.
• Have a smoke alarm in the room and a fire extinguisher or fire blanket nearby.

If you need to close your summer house for the winter, see our checklist for closing the summer house. If you are considering a different heat source, see air-to-air or air-to-water heat pump (in Danish).

Sources

• Brændefyringsportalen (Miljøstyrelsen): Have you bought a home with a wood-burning stove? (in Danish)
• Brændefyringsportalen: Light the fire from the top (in Danish)
• Brændefyringsportalen: Choosing firewood (in Danish)