Recreation boards (recreatieschappen)

Do you want to carry out activities in a recreational area? You may need to apply for a permit with a recreation board (recreatieschappen). In the Netherlands there are several recreation boards. These recreation authorities develop, manage and exploit outdoor recreational facilities outside the built-up area. They are cooperative arrangements between municipal and provincial authorities. Some recreation boards have their own by-laws.

Examples of outdoor recreational facilities outside the built-up area are for instance:

• (swimming) pools
• picnic locations
• cycle paths and footpaths
• canoe routes

Permits

For activities within the district of a recreation board, you will sometimes need a permit. It concerns, for example:

• a permit for making photographs or film recordings for commercial purposes
• a dispensation from advertisements on immovable property
• a permit for parking and using advertising vehicles
• a street trader’s permit
• a stand permit

You apply for the permit to the management of the recreation board:

• Recreation boards in the province of Noord-Holland (in Dutch)
• Recreation boards in the province of Zuid-Holland (in Dutch, partially managed by Staatsbosbeheer, the Dutch Forestry Commission)
• Recreation boards in Midden-Nederland (central Netherlands, in Dutch), comprising the province of Utrecht and part of Noord-Holland, partially managed by Staatsbosbeheer and the Wijdemeren municipality)
• Recreation board for the province of Drenthe (in Dutch)
• Recreation association Marrekrite (for the province of Friesland, in Dutch), summaries available in English and German

Online application procedure via Message Box

You can apply for permits digitally via Message Box, for instance to some recreational boards. Message Box is a secure email system that enables you as an entrepreneur to exchange digital messages with Dutch government agencies.