Register your business in the Business Register

All businesses and legal entities in the Netherlands must register in the Business Register (Handelsregister), including self-employed professionals (zzp'ers), freelancers, businesses, and foundations. The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel, KVK) is required by law to register the information of companies and legal entities in the Business Register.

What is the Business Register?

The Business Register contains information on all businesses and organisations in the Netherlands, for example contact details, legal structure, and the officers and authorised signatories. Most of the information in the Business Register is public.

When do you have to register in the Business Register?

Are you an entrepreneur in the Netherlands? Then you must register your business in the Business Register. KVK views you as an entrepreneur if you independently provide products or services to others, with the intention of making a profit. Read more on the criteria at KVK’s website.

You have to register your business at latest 1 week after the start of your business. You can register up to 3 months before your business will start. The final registration (with KVK number) will take place 1 week before the start of your business. If you register your business from 1 week before until 1 week after the start, your registration is immediately final and you receive your KVK number.

For businesses established in the Netherlands, KVK will pass on your details to the Netherlands Tax Administration (Belastingdienst).

How to register in the Business Register?

To start a business in het Netherlands, you need a residence permit or a residence permit for foreign startups if you come from outside the EU/EEA or Switserland.

You need a citizen service number (burgerservicenummer, BSN) to register your business.

You can register your business online with KVK using your DigiD. Then you have to make an appointment at a KVK office. A KVK employee will then check your identification and your registration.

Who may register your business, depends on your legal structure. Sometimes several owners must visit the KVK office. For some legal structures, a civil-law notary will do the registration.

To register your new business or organisation in the Dutch Business Register, you pay a registration fee.

Reporting changes

Are you changing some business details, for example your address, trade name, officers or directors, or activities? You must report the changes to KVK within 1 week.

If your business is taken over by a new owner, partnership, or legal entity, it will receive a new KVK number.

Deregistering from the Business Register

If you end your business, you must deregister from the Business Register. KVK will pass on your deregistration to the Tax Administration.

Foreign businesses

If you have a foreign business with a branch (a permanent establishment) in the Netherlands, you must register in the Business Register.

If your business does not have a permanent establishment in the Netherlands, you do not have to register in the Dutch Business Register. You may register voluntarily if you want a KVK number.

Hiring out staff

Do you supply workers in the Netherlands? For example, you have a temporary employment agency, payroll company, or job pool that is based outside the Netherlands but operates within the Netherlands? You must register your business in the Business Register as a business that provides staff. This also applies to foreign businesses without a Dutch branch office. You will get a fine if you fail to do so.

Do you hire staff? You have to make sure the supplier is registered correctly in the Business Register. If this is not the case, you may be fined. You can use the Waadi check to check this (in Dutch).