General information
Registering your company
Registering your company at the Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) is compulsory. The website is (mainly) in Dutch and thus, a quick visit to the nearest KvK is advisable; you can easily get all the necessary information on company registration and further advice / guidance on how to start a business.
Photo by Flickr user mystic_mabel
Taxation
Taxes that you have to pay as a business owner include:
› Wage Tax
› Income Tax
› National Insurance contributions
› Employee Insurance contributions
› Value added tax (VAT)
Visit the tax office website (also in English) for detailed information regarding taxation issues.
Legal form
When registering a company you need to specify its legal form. There are several types that differ significantly in terms of taxation and liability, and you should be careful when choosing:
› Legal form required
Forms that do not involve a legal person and members’ personal assets are liable for obligations.
› No legal form required
Forms that involve legal persons with independent rights and obligations, and members are liable for the amounts that have invested.
› Other forms
Useful links
› Working as a self-employed person in the Netherlands; detailed pdf by IND
› The European Commission
› The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce
