DNV GL's shared roots stretch back to 1864, when Det Norske Veritas (DNV) was founded as a membership organisation in Oslo. Norway's mutual marine insurance clubs banded together to establish a uniform set of rules and procedures, used in assessing the risk of underwriting individual vessels. The group aimed to provide "reliable and uniform classification and taxation of Norwegian ships".

The newly formed DNV GL Group became operational on September 12, 2013. It followed a long courtship which included numerous relationship-building advances and discussions about co-operation and mergers in 1986, 2000 and again in 2006. Changes in ownership and strategic alignment between the two companies and their leadership provided new opportunities, and the merger was finally successful. The DNV GL Group comprises approximately 16,000 employees operating in over 100 countries.

Today DNV GL is well positioned as a global player within the maritime, oil and gas, and energy industries as well as food and health care to meet new challenges, while balancing the needs of business and society.