You can always communicate online with the government

What has changed?

Do you want to request products or services from your municipality, province, or water authority? You have the right to send official notices, such as applications for permits or objections, to the administrative body digitally.

Dutch administrative bodies are obliged to designate a digital channel through which entrepreneurs can reach them for each formal message. You can always choose between electronic communication and communication on paper, unless a specific law prescribes electronic communication.

The administrative bodies must provide safeguards such as:

• leniency in the event of malfunctions
• mandatory acknowledgement of receipt of a message
• mandatory notification of a message in systems such as MijnOverheid

For whom?

• all entrepreneurs

When?

This Electronic Administrative Communication Modernisation Act has changed section 2.3 of the General Administrative Law Act (Algemene wet bestuursrecht). This change has entered into force on 1 January 2026.