How to Start a Business in the Netherlands

• Check your residence and work rights (IND) — registering at KVK does not give you the right to work here.
• Choose a legal structure: eenmanszaak (ZZP), VOF or BV.
• Prepare your business name, Dutch business address and a clear activity description (SBI code).
• Register in the Dutch Business Register at KVK and confirm your identity; pay the one-time fee.
• Receive your KVK number, then your BTW-id and VAT number from the Belastingdienst.
• Open a business bank account and set up bookkeeping and compliant invoices.
• Arrange insurance, and get advice for permits, cross-border VAT or staff.

Specialist pages per step: Netherlands company formation, how KVK company registration works, KVK appointment checklist, KVK documents for non-EU residents, choose between a BV and sole trader/ZZP, Dutch VAT and bookkeeping guide and, for US citizens, DAFT preparation.

In broad terms, anyone who is legally allowed to live and work in the Netherlands (or who meets the requirements to come here for self-employment) can register a business. What differs is the preparation:

• EU/EEA and Swiss nationals generally have free access to the Dutch labour market, including self-employment.
• Non-EU nationals normally need a residence permit that allows self-employed work — the conditions depend on your nationality and situation.
• If you already live here on another permit (for example as a highly skilled migrant or a partner), check what your permit allows before you register.
• You can also start from abroad, but you will need to arrange practical items such as an address and identification.

This is the step people most often skip. Registering with KVK does not grant you the right to work in the Netherlands — the two are separate. Confirm your residence and work rights first with the IND, then continue with the business steps. If you are moving here specifically to be self-employed, look at the self-employed residence permit route.

Most starters end up with an eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship, the usual form for ZZP'ers), a VOF (general partnership, when you start with partners) or a BV (private limited company). The choice affects liability, taxes, admin work and how clients and investors see you.

Compare the two most common starting points in our ZZP or BV comparison, or read about the ZZP route in ZZP in the Netherlands for expats.

Registration in the Dutch Business Register happens at KVK (the Chamber of Commerce). You normally prepare online, then confirm your identity — often at a KVK appointment. You will need a business name, a business address, your chosen structure and a description of your activities (which becomes your SBI code). There is a one-time KVK registration fee.

Use our KVK registration checklist or the more detailed register a company in the Netherlands walkthrough.

When you register with KVK, your details are passed to the Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax Administration), which decides whether you are a VAT entrepreneur and issues your BTW-id and VAT number. After that you generally:

• show your VAT number on invoices and your website where required
• file periodic VAT returns (often quarterly)
• keep records of income, expenses and VAT
• check whether a small-business scheme or a VAT exemption applies to your activity

• Business address: you need a valid address for the register. Home-based businesses are common, but check your rental contract and municipal rules.
• Bank account: not legally required for an eenmanszaak, but a separate business account makes bookkeeping and VAT returns far easier.
• Bookkeeping: choose your tools or an accountant early — Dutch record-keeping obligations start from day one.
• Insurance: consider liability insurance and, for self-employed people, income protection.
• Invoicing: Dutch invoices have mandatory content requirements, including your VAT and KVK numbers.

This is also where doing business in the Netherlands becomes routine: quarterly VAT returns, tidy bookkeeping and compliant invoices. Our guide to Dutch VAT and accounting setup for startups covers that part in beginner-friendly detail.

Get qualified help when your situation involves a residence permit application, a BV with shareholders, cross-border VAT, employees, or a contract you do not fully understand. A short session with an accountant or lawyer is usually cheaper than fixing a wrong structure later. We can introduce you to vetted partners through our assisted services, and help with practical work after registration via business support.