From the USA

Relocating From California to the Netherlands: The Business Owner’s Guide

Updated: 6 October 2026 Holdwise editorial team USA California DAFT

In California, the top state rate is 13.3%, on top of federal tax. Coastal living also costs more than in most places. In the Netherlands, a BV pays 19% corporate tax on the first €200,000 of profit (25.8% above), and you choose when to pay out dividends. The 30% expat ruling can apply to your salary. Your daily commute is often a bike ride. At Holdwise, we keep this answer up to date and change it when the rules change.

What changes for your money

California’s top marginal state rate of 13.3% is added on top of the federal brackets. For a founder in San Francisco, the combined rate can go well past 50%. In the Netherlands, your income is split into parts that you control. Corporate tax is 19% on profit up to €200,000. The benchmark for a director salary is €58,000. If your BV employs you, part of that salary can be tax-free under the expat ruling (how founders qualify), up to 30% in 2026 and 27% from 2027. For most people, the salary left after the tax-free part must stay above €48,013 (2026), so on €58,000 about €9,987 can be tax-free. Dividends are taxed in box 2, the tax band for income from your own company. The rate is 24.5% on the first €68,843 per person and 31% above that (2026), and you pay it only when you pay out dividends. Housing in Amsterdam costs less than in the Bay Area. Healthcare costs roughly €150 per adult per month, in place of a US family plan with a four-figure premium.

Your residence permit

Under the Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT), you get a two-year residence permit for an investment of €4,500 in your own company. You can renew it as long as the business and the investment stay in place. See the complete guide. If you work remotely, you can usually make the switch quickly, because your employer becomes your client. See the guide for remote workers.

Where Californians settle

Tech founders choose Amsterdam for its startup scene and Eindhoven for deep tech. See building your European HQ. Creatives and creators often settle along the Amsterdam canal belt or in Rotterdam’s studios. See a creator base in Europe.

Is your group setting up a Dutch entity? See setting up a Dutch subsidiary for what you need, how long it takes and what the parent company must sign.

The first 90 days

You file with the IND by week three, and arrange schools and housing in month two. After the decision, you have six months to register at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK), open a bank account and pay in the €4,500. See the DAFT application steps. Decide on the company structure first. With the right structure from the start, you save money every year. See the BV and holding setup.

Free advice

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We help entrepreneurs and international companies with their company in the Netherlands and Europe. Tell us where you stand or what you are planning. You get free advice on your next step.

Part of Doing Business in the Netherlands, the complete 2026 guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does California tax me after I leave? +

California taxes California-source income, and tax authorities review departing residents closely, so document the relocation: home, family, business and days all shift. A clean break plus the treaty makes the situation clear. Coordinate the exit year with a US advisor.

Is Amsterdam’s startup scene comparable to the Bay? +

It is smaller, but very dense. There are networks of people from successful startups, talent from across the EU on the 30% ruling, and investors within cycling distance. Founders describe it as the energy of the Bay Area at a calmer pace.

What about my stock options from a US employer? +

Timing across the relocation decides which country taxes what: exercise and vesting dates matter. See stock options for US founders in a Dutch BV for the details.

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