Starting a Business

Choosing a Business Name in the Netherlands: Rules and Checks

Updated: 6 October 2026 Holdwise editorial team Business Name Branding Getting Started

Your business name ("handelsnaam" in Dutch) is the name you trade under. It has to meet the Dutch rules, be free to use and be one you can protect. With a good name, you avoid legal problems later, and customers find and remember you. At Holdwise, we updated this answer on 27 May 2026. You find the steps further down this page.

What counts as a business name?

In the Netherlands, a "handelsnaam" is the name you run your business under. You register it at the KVK, the Dutch chamber of commerce. Under the Trade Name Act ("Handelsnaamwet"), your name is protected, mainly against confusingly similar names of competitors in the same field and region.

The basic rules

A misleading name is prohibited. An example is a sole trader who calls the business a "BV" (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company).
A name that is confusingly similar to an existing business in the same sector and area is prohibited.
It must respect other people's registered trademarks.

Step 1: Check the KVK register

Search the KVK trade register to see whether the name you want, or something very close, is already in use. The search is free, so do it first.

Step 2: Check trademarks

A trade name and a trademark ("merk") are two different things. Someone may hold a registered trademark even when that exact name is currently unused as a trade name. Check the Benelux trademark register (BOIP) before you decide on the name. A conflict over a trademark can be expensive.

Step 3: Secure the domain and social media accounts

Before you decide, check that a sensible domain name (ideally a .nl) and matching social media names are free. With a name that differs from your web address, you can have problems for years.

Step 4: Consider protecting it

If you register your name as a trademark with BOIP, it is protected in the whole Benelux. This protection is much stronger than trade name protection alone. For a serious brand, the cost is modest and worth paying.

Do you want to set up a Dutch BV from abroad? See setting up a BV in the Netherlands for the costs, the steps and the timeline. We arrange the notary and the KVK registration for you.

If you live outside the Netherlands, the steps are the same in every country. An employee of the notary's office signs the deed for you with your power of attorney. The company is then registered with the KVK, the Dutch chamber of commerce, and gets its tax numbers. See company formation in the Netherlands for non-residents for an overview.

Frequently asked questions

Is my business name automatically protected once I register at the KVK? +

The registration itself gives zero protection. Your trade name is protected from the day you start using it, against confusingly similar names in your sector and region. Trademark rights are separate. For wider protection, register a trademark at BOIP.

Can I trade under a different name than my registered one? +

Yes. You can register several trade names for one business at the KVK. Register every name you trade under.

Does my business name need to be in Dutch? +

English and other-language names are allowed and common, especially for businesses serving international clients.

Sources Belastingdienst · KVK · wetten.overheid.nl Last updated: 6 October 2026