Registration in the Netherlands

If you are staying, or plan to stay, in the Netherlands for more than four months, you need to register (inschrijven) at the town hall in the municipality (gemeente) where you are living. Here’s why registering your address is so important, and how to do it for the first time. 

Why you need to register your address in the Netherlands

Whether you're a Dutch citizen or an international, everyone living in the Netherlands is required to be registered at their home address. New arrivals from abroad are required to register within five days of arriving. Registering is free of charge. 

Being registered allows the Basisregistratie personen (BRP or Municipal Personal Records Database) to:

• Better handle emergency situations
• Track the size of the Dutch population
• Allocate the right municipal taxes to each household

Besides this, however, the most important reason why you need to register is to get your BSN number. 

Receiving your BSN number

You need to register to receive your BSN number (personal public service number), which you need for all your administration in the Netherlands. You literally wouldn’t be able to get by without one. You need it for:

• Receiving your salary
• Opening a bank account
• Visiting the doctor
• Applying for benefits 

Does everyone need to register? 

Generally speaking, yes, everyone who lives in the Netherlands needs to register, including both foreigners and Dutch people. 

You only do not need to register if you will be living in the Netherlands for fewer than four months. However, if you are coming here to work or study for 12 weeks or less, you will need to register as a short-stay resident - see below. 

Can I register in the Netherlands without a permanent address?

This is the catch-22 that most new arrivals to the Netherlands find themselves in: the need to register within five days of arriving, despite having not yet found somewhere permanent to live. 

Ideally, within the first five days of arriving - or perhaps in advance of your move - you would find somewhere to live, and therefore have a valid rental contract that you can use to register.

However, things aren’t always so simple - especially in a country with a rental market as tight as the Dutch one. 

If you are struggling to find somewhere permanent to live, you have two other options for providing proof of address to register, besides a rental contract:

• A consent form (toestemmingsverklaring) 
• A correspondence address (briefadres)

Using a consent form (toestemmingsverklaring)

If you move in with someone else, you can fill out a form known as a consent form or permission form (toestemmingsverklaring hoofdbewoner). Essentially, this form is proof that the primary resident of the address has given you permission to live with them. 

Your consent form must be signed by the house or apartment’s main occupant or owner, and you will also need a copy of their proof of identity. 

Most municipalities have PDFs of their consent form online that you can print and fill out in advance of your registration appointment. 

Using a correspondence address (briefadres)

You can also register using a correspondence address (briefadres), for a maximum of three months. This address is temporary and an administrative address only. For instance, you could use the address of a family member or a colleague.

Generally speaking, the correspondence address must be a recognised address in the BRP; you cannot use a PO box or a non-residential address. However, if you are working in the Netherlands, some municipalities will let you register using your company's address, again temporarily for a maximum of three months. 

To register a correspondence address, you need a written declaration of consent from the person who is living at said correspondence address, or a signed and stamped employer's address registration form. 

Renting a place where registration isn’t permitted

Don’t be tempted to rent a room or apartment where you are not allowed to register. Some unscrupulous landlords do this to avoid having to pay higher municipal taxes, which are calculated per occupant. It could also be a sign that the accommodation is an illegal sublet. 

It is unwise to rent a place where you cannot register as it can cause quite a bit of trouble down the road. Not only would you be unable to get your BSN if you are moving to the Netherlands for the first time, but you might also find yourself at risk of being fined for being incorrectly registered. 

Documents needed to register

As well as sorting out a rental contract or a correspondence address, you should also make sure that you have all of the required documents. 

The documents you’ll need to register in the Netherlands include: 

• Your valid passport or ID card (not a driving licence)
• Your residence permit (if applicable, either a sticker in your passport, a plastic ID card or a letter from the IND)
• If you are renting: A rental contract (huurcontract), or a signed consent form and a copy of the main occupant’s proof of identity
• If you own your home: A purchase contract (koopcontract)
• A certified copy of your birth certificate
• Your foreign marriage certificate, certificate of registered partnership or divorce (if applicable)

All your certificates should be originals and in Dutch, English, French or German. If your certificate is in a different language, you may need to have it officially translated by a sworn interpreter/translator. 

Some documents, such as your birth certificate, may also require proof of authenticity (legalisatie), such as an apostille. You can find out more about legalising your documents on the NetherlandsWorldwide website. 

How to register in the Netherlands

You are required to register for the first time within five days of arriving in the Netherlands. It is therefore wise to make an appointment to register as soon as you can. 

You need to register at your local town hall (gemeente). The process when you register for the first time is known as a "registration from abroad” (inschrijven vanuit het buitenland). It is different if you have already registered in the Netherlands - see the section on changing your address below. 

If you have come to the Netherlands with your partner and/or children who also need to register, you should all register at the same time. You will need to bring the same documents for each of you. 

Booking a registration appointment online

It’s best to make an appointment to register. You can usually do this online:

• Book a registration appointment in Amsterdam
• Book a registration appointment in Eindhoven
• Book a registration appointment in Groningen
• Book a registration appointment in Nijmegen
• Book a registration appointment in Rotterdam
• Book a registration appointment in The Hague
• Book a registration appointment in Utrecht

For a gemeente not listed here, visit the municipalities & city councils in the Netherlands page or try a web search.

The registration appointment

You should arrive a few minutes early for your appointment, with all of your documents (your municipality will inform you exactly what you need to bring). You should make your way to the correct waiting room and wait to be called. 

The appointment itself lasts around 10 minutes, as the clerk checks your documents and fills in the paperwork. At the end of your appointment, you will be issued with a piece of paper that shows your BSN; or alternatively it may be sent to you in the post. It normally arrives within a week. 

Staff at the municipality usually speak English, but it’s not always guaranteed. If you’re unsure, it’s a good idea to take a Dutch speaker along with you. 

Registering for a short stay: Registering as a non-resident

If you are staying in the Netherlands for fewer than four months but you are working or studying, you will need a BSN number. If this is the case, you can register as a non-resident (RNI) with the Personal Records Database (BRP) at one of the 19 RNI-municipalities. Once you are registered, you will be given your BSN number.

How many people can register at one address in the Netherlands?

The number of people that can register at a single address differs per situation; i.e. rented versus owner-occupied houses, and housing corporation and municipality rules. Note also that the number of people registered at an address may affect your taxes and benefits. 

In general, the aim is one person per 10m2, or less for families. If there are a lot of people registered at your address, your municipality might start an address investigation (adresonderzoek) to see if fraud is being committed. 

If your municipality contacts you concerning an address investigation, it is important to respond to their request. Failure to comply might get you fined 325 euros or more. 

You can check whether your details are registered correctly with the BRP via Mijnoverheid. You will need a DigiD for this.

What happens if you don’t register?

Remaining unregistered or registering at the wrong address is not permitted. As of 2025, you can be fined up to 325 euros for:

• Failing to register at the correct address
• Not notifying the municipality of a change of address on time
• Not presenting all relevant documents

Changing address

If you are not registering for the first time and you are just changing address within the Netherlands, most gemeenten will let you register your new address online using your DigiD, or at the town hall in your new town or neighbourhood. Our change of address page explains how it’s done. 

Deregistering from the Netherlands

If you are leaving the Netherlands for an extended period of time, you are required to deregister from the BRP. 

When should I deregister?

You should deregister if you are going to live abroad for more than eight months in a 12-month period, even if it is not a continuous stay abroad, and even if you keep your home in the Netherlands.

How to deregister

You have to deregister from the municipality where you live. You can deregister five days before you leave, but no earlier. Deregistration can also be done either online or in person. Generally speaking, you can only deregister online if the entire household (such as your partner and children) are also deregistering at the same time. 

If you deregister in person, you can ask the town hall to provide proof of deregistration. You may need this to register your address abroad. If you later need proof of deregistration, you can request an extract from the Non-residents Record Database (RNI).

When you deregister, a notification will be sent to various agencies in the Netherlands like your pension provider, your health insurer and the tax office, to inform them of your departure. They may contact you regarding your deregistration.