Checklist for starting a restaurant, cafe, or hotel

What does horeca mean?

The word horeca is short for hotel, restaurant, and cafe. In the Netherlands, it is used to indicate the hospitality industry. Takeaway businesses, food trucks, coffee shops, and (home) catering businesses also fall within the hospitality sector

Check if you meet the conditions for staying in the Netherlands

Entrepreneurs who intend to stay in the Netherlands must fulfil several conditions. You will sometimes also require a residence permit. Our interactive tool Coming to the Netherlands as an entrepreneur can help you find out quickly if this is true for you, and tell you what other obligations you have to fulfil.

If you plan to start doing business in the Netherlands, you will also need to have or apply for a business bank account (IBAN). The Nederlandse Vereniging van Banken (Dutch Banking Association) has created a Quick Scan to help you find out if you are eligible. Read how it works.

Before you start your hospitality business

The article How to start a business in the Netherlands - a checklist shows you the most important steps for starting any business. For example, you need to choose a legal structure for your business. Follow the step-by-step plan before starting a hospitality business. Then get started with the steps on this page.

1. Register your hospitality business with KVK

New businesses must register with the Dutch Business Register (Handelsregister) at the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK. KVK will pass on your details to the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst), who will issue you with a VAT identification number and a VAT number.

2. Check the environment plan

Your business premises must be in line with the environment plan (omgevingsplan) for that specific area. If this is not the case, however, you can apply for an exemption. Or are you going to do something that will affect the surrounding area, such as renovating your premises? If so, you need to apply for an environment and planning permit.

Your plans must also fit with the environment plan if you want to run a catering business from home. You must also inform your municipality of your plans to start a business from home.

3. Check whether you need an environment and planning permit

To build, alter or renovate (refurbish), you usually need an environment and planning permit for building. Different rules apply to listed buildings. Also, if you want to place advertising on or around your premises, you often need an environment and planning permit. Do the permit check (in Dutch) in the Omgevingsloket online service counter to see what you need to arrange.

4. Apply for a catering establishment operating permit

You need a catering establishment operating permit (horecavergunning). if customers eat and drink in your restaurant or café. Or if you want to open a discotheque. Sometimes no catering establishment operating licence is required. For example, for a takeaway restaurant, food truck, or company canteen. This differs per municipality. Contact your municipality for more information.

5. Apply for an alcohol licence

An operating licence alone does not allow you to serve alcohol. If alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed in your catering business, you must have an alcohol licence from your local municipality. You must be 21 years or older to apply for an alcohol licence. You must also have a diploma or certificate in Social Hygiene. If there is more than 1 owner, these requirements apply to all of them.

6. Make sure your business complies with fire safety requirements

If you need to apply for an alcohol licence, you will also need to comply with certain requirements for furnishing your hospitality establishment (in Dutch). You must also take measures to prevent hazardous situations. For example, use inflammable or flame-retardant materials.

Read more about ensuring fire safety.

7. Check which other permits and licences you need

Depending on the typr of business you want to run in the hospitality sector, there are a number of other permits and licences you may need.

• terrace permit
• licence for sales demonstrations
• permit to place gaming machines
• if you place gaming machines, you must pay gaming tax (in Dutch)

Bibob check

If you apply to the municipality for a licence, you may have to undergo a Bibob check. This means the municipality carries out integrity investigations into you, your hospitality business and the people you work with.

8. Register your food business with NVWA

If your company manufactures, processes, or sells food products, you must register your business with the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The NVWA checks that food is produced, processed, and sold according to the rules. These rules are in place so that food is safe for consumers.

9. Draw up a hygiene code or use an approved one

If you prepare food and drink, you must work according to a hygiene code based on the HACCP principles. HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. It is a safety analysis that prevents you from risking food safety. If you work in accordance with an approved hygiene code for your sector, you automatically fulfil the legal requirements.

You can also draw up your own HACCP food safety plan. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit, NVWA) evaluates your HACCP plan and checks if you work according to the plan. The NVWA website has a list of hygiene codes per sector (in Dutch).

10. Follow the rules when hiring personnel

If you employ staff, you must draw up a risk assessment and evaluation (RI&E) before you open your catering business. You can use the hotel and catering RI&E (Horeca RI&E, in Dutch). To sell spirits, your staff must be 16 years of age or older. There must always be a manager in the establishment who is at least 21 years old. The manager must have an SVH Diploma in Social Hygiene (in Dutch) or a declaration of professional competence. You need this catering diploma or declaration to register in the Social Hygiene Register (in Dutch).

11. Arrange business insurance

There are business risks you will face as an entrepreneur Business insurance covers your business for certain business risks For example, if you are held liable for damage Or for the costs if your employees fall ill.

12. Check permitted opening hours

Permitted opening and closing hours vary from one municipality to another. Do you want to be open outside the valid closing hours? Then you must apply for an exemption in many municipalities. You must have an operating permit or be an entrepreneur in the hospitality sector.

13. Check the environmental rules

If you start a catering business, you will have to deal with environmental regulations. There are rules concerning, for example, noise, energy and waste. In some cases, you may need a permit or have to make a notification. Do the permit check in the online service counter Omgevingsloket (in Dutch) to see what you need to arrange.

14. Ask permission to use music

Do you play music in your catering business? For example, background music in the bar or restaurant? Then you need permission from the lyricist, composer, and music publisher. You arrange this by applying for a licence and paying a fee. You do that at Buma/Stemra or Sena. They ensure that your payment reaches the makers.