KVK Netherlands: How to Register a Company in the Dutch Business Register

KVK Netherlands (Kamer van Koophandel, the Chamber of Commerce) keeps the Handelsregister, the official company register of the Netherlands. When your business is entered in that register you receive a KVK number: an 8-digit identifier for your business.

• It identifies your business in the Dutch company register and in dealings with banks, clients, suppliers and government bodies.
• It is required on your invoices and, in most cases, on your website.
• It is public: anyone can look your business up in the register, which is how clients verify that you exist.
• It is not the same as your VAT number or BTW-id, which come from the Belastingdienst afterwards.
• A BV also receives an RSIN, used for tax and legal-entity purposes.

Want the scannable version of the whole process? Use the KVK registration checklist. If you are still deciding what to register, read open a company in the Netherlands.

You cannot register without a structure. An eenmanszaak or VOF is registered directly at KVK; a BV is incorporated through a Dutch notary, who normally handles the register entry. We keep the full comparison on separate pages: read choose between a BV and sole trader/ZZP for the trade-offs, or Netherlands company formation for how each structure is actually set up.

• The name must not be misleading about your activity or legal form.
• Check existing trade names and trademarks to avoid conflicts.
• Consider whether the name works internationally and whether the domain is available.

The register needs a valid address. A home address is common for starters, but check your rental or mortgage terms and municipal rules. If you are registering from abroad, read the Business.gov.nl guidance on starting from abroad — extra documentation is usually needed.

Write a plain, specific description of what you will actually do and for whom. KVK converts it into SBI codes, which affect how your business is classified and sometimes which rules, permits or insurances apply. Vague descriptions cause problems later — for example with banks.

You complete KVK's online registration form for your structure, then confirm your identity — usually at a KVK appointment, where a one-time registration fee applies. The document list depends on your situation, so we keep it on the pages that own it: the KVK appointment checklist covers what to prepare and bring, and if you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss national see KVK documents for non-EU residents.

Once registered you get a KVK number (and, for a BV, an RSIN). KVK passes your details to the Belastingdienst, which assesses whether you are a VAT entrepreneur and sends your BTW-id and VAT number. Add both numbers to your invoices and website where required, and note your first VAT return deadline.

Open a business bank account, set up bookkeeping, arrange insurance and prepare compliant invoice templates — Dutch VAT and bookkeeping guide covers that in detail, and business support is there if you would rather have help with it. For the wider picture, see our step-by-step guide to starting a business in the Netherlands.