Import licences or import certificates

Licence required for certain products

Some products are subject to strict rules for import. If you want to import such products, you may need an import licence, import certificate, or another document. Sometimes this only applies only to certain products from certain countries.

How do you know if you need an import licence or certificate?

There is no list of products for which you need an import licence or certificate. On KVK.nl you will find a list of products to which import restrictions and import regulations may apply.

Applying for an import licence or import certificate

Different government agencies issue these documents for different products. Licensing authorities include the Customs Central Import and Export Office (CDIU) of Dutch Customs, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO, in Dutch), and Farmatec (in Dutch):

• The CDIU provides permits and certificates for strategic goods, such as weapons;
• RFO does so for agricultural products and endangered alien animal and plant species (in Dutch), and products made from them;
• Farmatec provides permits and certificates for medicines (in Dutch).