Incorporation costs: holding + operating BV
A holding structure means two companies and therefore two notarial deeds. What you pay follows the route that fits your situation. All amounts are exclusive of VAT.
| Item | Online notary | Notary office | From abroad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holding B.V. — deed | €400 – 700 | €1,200 – 3,000 | per dossier |
| Operating B.V. — deed | €400 – 700 | €1,200 – 3,000 | per dossier |
| KVK registration, per B.V. | €85.15 | €85.15 | €85.15 |
| Total, both companies | €970 – 1,570 | €2,570 – 6,170 | per dossier |
The amounts above are a broad indication, to be increased by the UBO registration (ultimate beneficial owner) per B.V., the shareholders’ register, the client due diligence per person and the notary’s quality fund. Living outside the Netherlands, or holding the shares through a foreign company, adds legalisation, translations, the power of attorney and remote identification.
From abroad we set the tariff per dossier. What the notary builds up in verification follows three things: the country where the founder lives or is established, their nationality, and the form in which they take part — as a person or as a company. A founder from an EU member state gets a long way with a legalised passport and proof of address. A company from a country under heightened international supervision calls for a complete dossier, with apostilles and translations alongside. We assemble that dossier per situation and name the tariff once the route is settled.
Which route fits you
Online notary. You live in the Netherlands, you identify yourself with a Dutch identity document, and your articles of association follow the standard model. You already know how to arrange your structure for asset growth and a low tax burden, and you handle the rest yourself. Fast and affordable.
Notary office. You want the deed tailored to your situation: voting rights and profit rights arranged separately, room for a partner or investor later, or part of the contribution as share premium. An office charges per dossier and thinks along on the content of the deed.
Guided, from within the Netherlands. You are established here and you are setting up a holding structure for the first time. The deed is then the smallest part. What counts are the choices around it: the customary salary you award yourself, the current account with your own company, the management agreement between holding and operating company, and what a B.V. asks of you each year in returns and annual accounts. You pick one of the two routes above, with guidance that tunes every choice to your figures and your plans.
From abroad. Living outside the Netherlands, or holding the shares through a foreign company, means the notary builds a heightened verification dossier before passing the deed. That is a different dossier from the domestic route, with a lead time and a tariff to match.
Annual holding costs
- Accountant for the annual accounts and the holding’s corporate tax return: a yearly fee that follows the administration
- Bank account of the holding: €15–30 a month
- Occasional legal advice on structure changes
When do the costs pay for themselves?
The annual extra cost of a holding earns itself back fast through the participation exemption. When the operating company pays €20,000 dividend to the holding instead of to you privately, roughly €4,900 in dividend tax stays inside the structure (24.5% versus 0% for the holding). The €1,000–2,000 in extra costs is covered in year one. The full route: setting up a holding step by step.
Last verified: 19 July 2026.
What comes after this
Two pages sit directly alongside this one: Setting Up a BV in the Netherlands in 2026 and Incorporating a Holding BV.