Step-by-step plan: Starting a campsite
Do you want to use a plot of land as a campsite for tents, caravans, hiker's huts, or other types of camping accommodation? There are several rules and obligations. If you want to start a campsite, find out what you must do and arrange.
You may start a campsite in areas where recreation is allowed. You can check this in the environment plan of the municipality where you want to start your campsite.
There is a lot involved in starting a business. A business plan describes your plans and how you plan to make a profit. Choose a trade name and a legal structure and register with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK. Read which steps you need to take before you start.
Do you need extra money to carry out your plans? Find out what options there are for borrowing money. You can also consider crowdfunding or a financing mix.
Every municipality has general municipal bylaws (Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening, APV) These bylaws contain rules of your municipality on public order and safety. For exmple, about noise or parking. Your campsite must comply with these bylaws. They may also contain rules that are not yet included in the environment plan.
At a campsite, you offer overnight stays. That means you must keep a visitor register. It shows who is staying overnight at your site and when. This is important for the fire brigade, for example, if there is an emergency.
Protect personal data
To protect the privacy of guests, you are not allowed to make a copy of their ID. This is stated in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
You must collect and pay tourist tax to the municipality for all guests who pay to stay with you, and who do not live in the municipality where your campsite is located.
Check which other municipal taxes and levies you may have to pay, such as sewerage charges and waste collection charges. In addition, from 1 January 2026, you will pay more tax on the amount of tap water you use.
How do you pay tourist tax?
When you start your campsite, you must register for tourist tax with the municipality. Later you file a tourist tax return with them. You will usually receive an invitation to file, or a tax return form. Some municipalities require quarterly tax declarations, while others require annual tax declarations.
When you file your tourist tax return, the municipality may ask you to also provide data from the visitor register.
What is the tourist tax rate?
The amount of the tourist tax differs per municipality. Your municipality may charge a fixed amount per person per night or day. Or a percentage of the cost of the overnight stay. These amounts or percentages are adjusted every year. You can add the tourist tax to your guests’ invoice.
Are you going to install sanitary facilities on your campsite? Such as toilets or showers? Then make sure the buildings comply with the building regulations. A structure must not be a danger to users or the environment.
You must also take measures to prevent Legionella contamination.
Specific rules also apply to building a swimming pool or installing playground equipment.
Check if any environmentally harmful activities take place at your campsite. For example, discharging sewage water. You can look this up at the Living Environment Information Point (in Dutch).
Setting up a campsite close to nature
Do you want to set up your campsite in or near a nature reserve? Then check whether this nature area is a Natura 2000 area. The Netherlands has 162 Natura 2000 areas. These are places where nature and animals are protected. Read more about activities that might have a harmful impact on protected natural assets.
Activity in a Natura 2000 area usually requires a special environment and planning permit. Extra rules then apply (in Dutch), for example, when applying for an environment and planning permit.
Are you starting a café, restaurant, or other type of catering on your campsite? In addition to specific rules for hospitality you will need an operating permit in many municipalities. And maybe a terrace permit and alcohol license. The conditions vary in each municipality. There are also rules you must follow if you want to install a vending machine to sell food and drinks or other products.
Rules for disposable plastic
You are not allowed to offer your guests disposable plastic cups, cutlery and meal packaging for use in your catering business. Read more about the rules for disposable plastic cups and containers.
You are required to separate your company waste. Which waste you need to separate depends on your situation. For example, how large your business is, and how much waste you produce each week. Use the Company waste separation tool to check which rules apply to you and which waste you need to separate.
Read more about separating company waste.