Public order and safety (General Municipal By-law)
Do you run a shop or a hospitality or catering business? You will have to keep to the rules in the General Municipal By-Law.
Every Dutch municipality has its own General Municipal By-Law (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening, APV). It lays down the municipal regulations with respect to public order and safety. It also states whether a permit is needed for certain activities. More information on the APV is often made available via the municipal website. You can also look them up through the Dutch-language search service at Overheid.nl. The APV applies to everyone who resides in the municipality.
What is the General Municipal By-Law (APV)?
The APV describes various regulations related to public order and safety in your municipality. These regulations cover the following matters:
Public order and safety
- nuisance and rowdiness
Protection of the environment and natural beauty
- defacement and odour nuisance
Other matters subject to municipal regulation
Regulations for the retail sector
The following issues referred to in the APV apply to the retail sector:
- waste bins for food and drink
- supervision of events
- shopping trolleys
Regulations for the hotel and catering sector
The following issues referred to in the APV apply to the hotel and catering sector:
- general regulations on permits and dispensations
- supervision of events
- supervision of catering establishments
- supervision of overnight accommodation
- supervision of gambling venues
- location of a terrace
- nuisance and rowdiness
- noise and light nuisance (for instance parties)
- waste bins for food and drink
This article is related to:
Related articles
External links
Questions relating to this article?
Please contact theNetherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO