Registering with the KVK as an expat: step-by-step, costs and documents
Registering a business with the KVK (the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce) costs a one-off €85.15 (kvk.nl, 2026) and takes one online form plus one in-person appointment. Expats need three things before the appointment: a BSN (citizen service number), a valid passport or ID, and a Dutch address where the business actually operates. The KVK then passes your details to the Tax Administration, which posts your VAT ID within two weeks.
Do you need to register with the KVK at all?
The KVK registers you when you meet three criteria: you supply products or services independently (or are preparing to), you charge a price or fee that generates an income, and you regularly supply people other than family and friends (kvk.nl, do you need to register). There is no minimum turnover. A freelancer with one client a month qualifies as soon as those three points hold. If you do not meet them, you get no KVK number, but you may still have to declare the income to the Tax Administration using the form "Opgaaf Startende Onderneming".
What do expats need before the KVK appointment?
- A BSN. Staying longer than 4 months: register in the Personal Records Database (BRP) at your municipality. Staying up to 4 months: register in the Non-residents Records Database (RNI); you then need proof of a permanent address abroad and a temporary one in the Netherlands (business.gov.nl, BSN).
- The right to be self-employed. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no permit. Others need a residence permit that allows self-employment; the options are in How to register a company in the Netherlands.
- A valid ID. The KVK cannot register you without it (business.gov.nl, registration at the KVK).
- A Dutch business address with proof: a lease or purchase contract, a service contract with a business centre, or a signed declaration of consent from the owner if you use someone else's address.
How does KVK registration work, step by step?
- Choose a legal form. Most freelancers start as an eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship); partners choose a vof; anyone who wants limited liability sets up a BV through a civil-law notary.
- Fill in the online form (sole proprietorship and vof). You need DigiD, the Dutch digital login, which you can request once you have a BSN. The form asks for your trade name, visiting and postal address, a description of your activities (for the SBI code) and your start date.
- Book an appointment at a KVK office. Registration is not possible without an appointment. You may register up to 1 week before or 1 week after starting; earlier registration is possible if you need the number for a lease or a permit.
- Attend, show your ID, pay the fee. The KVK number is usually issued on the spot.
- Wait for the VAT ID. The Tax Administration posts your btw-id within two weeks; you do not register separately.
What does KVK registration cost in 2026?
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| KVK registration fee (one-off, any legal form) | €85.15 | kvk.nl |
| Civil-law notary for a BV, on top of the fee | roughly €500 to €1,500 | business.gov.nl |
| VAT ID | free | kvk.nl |
| Certified extract (uittreksel) | per the KVK price list, VAT-exempt | kvk.nl |
The KVK adjusts the registration fee for inflation every year and the fee is tax-deductible as a business expense, so check kvk.nl shortly before your appointment.
KVK number, VAT ID, RSIN and establishment number: which is which?
| Number | Format | Issued by | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| KVK number | 8 digits | KVK, at registration | Mandatory on invoices, quotes, letters, website and business e-mail |
| Establishment number (vestigingsnummer) | 12 digits | KVK, per location | Government data exchange; not required on invoices |
| VAT ID (btw-id) | NL + 9 digits + B + 2 digits | Tax Administration, within 2 weeks | Invoices, website, EU trade with clients and suppliers |
| Turnover tax number (ob-nummer) | contains your BSN for a sole proprietorship | Tax Administration | Only for contact with the Tax Administration; keep it off invoices |
| RSIN | 9 digits | KVK / Tax Administration | Legal entities and partnerships (BV, vof, foundation); a sole proprietorship has none |
Sources: kvk.nl, RSIN; business.gov.nl, Dutch business numbers.
Which address can an expat register at?
Every KVK registration has a visiting address and a postal address, which may be identical. The visiting address is where the business actually works and where you are regularly present; a PO box is not allowed. A rented flat works if your landlord permits business use; a coworking space or business centre works when you hold a lease or service contract that gives you access during opening hours. Renting a hot desk or meeting room now and then is not enough, according to the KVK. Details, including what a virtual office can and cannot do, are in Business address for the KVK: rules, PO boxes and virtual offices. This catalogue lists 119 buildings with a virtual office in Amsterdam, from €73 a month.
What happens after registration?
- Tax. You file VAT returns, usually quarterly, unless you opt into the small businesses scheme (KOR) for turnover up to €20,000 a year. Income tax on profit follows in the annual return.
- UBO register. A BV, vof, foundation or association must register its ultimate beneficial owners (anyone holding more than 25% of shares or votes); a sole proprietorship is exempt. Changes must be reported within a week.
- Public record. Your trade name, address, activities and KVK number are public. Sole proprietors may shield the visiting address, in which case a separate public postal address is required.
- Extracts. Banks and landlords ask for a KVK extract (uittreksel). A digitally certified extract arrives as a PDF within 10 minutes; a paper one within 5 working days.
Setting up in Amsterdam? Compare virtual offices in Amsterdam and coworking spaces in Amsterdam; comparing and viewing costs tenants nothing.