Layout and construction requirements for catering establishments

Do you run a catering establishment? And does the establishment require a licence under the Alcohol Act (Alcoholwet)? Then you must meet the requirements on layout and construction. These requirements are set out in the Alcohol Act (Alcoholwet) and the environment plan.

Layout requirements

The Alcohol Act and the Environment Buildings Decree (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving, Bbl, in Dutch) set out requirements for the interior of your hospitality premises. For example:

• The floor area must be at least 35 m2. The municipality can increase this requirement.
• In newly built establishments, the height of the room must be at least 2.60 metres, measured from the floor. For existing buildings, at least 2.10 metres.
• Newly built establishments must have at least 1 toilet. If more than 15 people use the toilet, you need at least 2 toilets. For existing hospitality buildings, 1 toilet is enough for a maximum of 25 people.
• Ventilation with mechanical extraction is not mandatory. The air refreshment capacity for new buildings is 4 dm3/s per person. For new buildings, the air supply must come directly from outside. For existing establishments, the requirement is 2.12 dm3/s for each person.

Accessibility for disabled visitors

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that all entrepreneurs (including non-hospitality businesses) must comply with 2 requirements:

• You must make reasonable modifications for people with disabilities.
• You must ensure the general accessibility (in Dutch) of your establishment. You do not have to adapt the whole building for all people with disabilities. But you must do something to improve general accessibility. You may do this in stages.

Fire safety for hospitality establishments

You must ensure that your building is safe. The Decree on construction works in the living environment (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving, Bbl) contains rules on fire safety. For example, you must have a fire extinguisher. You must also ensure that escape routes are clear, and that fire exit doors are not locked.

Building or renovating a hospitality establishment

If you want to build or renovate a hospitality establishment, building regulations apply. You should also check whether your plans fit in with the municipality's environment plan. You can find the environment plan in the online service counter Omgevingsloket.

Check if you need an environment and planning permit and apply

Go to the online service counter Omgevingsloket (in Dutch) to check if you need an environment and planning permit (omgevingsvergunning). In the Omgevingsloket you can see which rules apply in your municipality, province, or regional water authority. You can then use the Omgevingsloket to apply online for an environment and planning permit or submit a notification.

Please note that rules from the General Municipal By-law (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening, APV) may also be applicable.