Knowledge Hub

Dutch Business & Tax Knowledge Base 2026

861 English guides on doing business in and from the Netherlands, written for international entrepreneurs and updated to the 2026 and 2027 figures. See how we verify this claim →

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Each guide is about one question that founders from abroad ask. Examples are what a Dutch company costs and how you register it from abroad. Other questions are about what you pay yourself, how dividend is taxed and when a holding is worth it. Start with the four main topics, or use the document check to see which papers your country requires.

BV Incorporation

Complete guide to setting up a Dutch BV: costs, timeline, notary and KVK registration.

Holding Structures

How the Dutch structure with a holding and an operating company works, and how much tax you can save with it.

BV vs. Sole Trader

When does a BV become more tax-efficient than a sole trader? Find the exact profit threshold.

DGA Salary Calculator

Calculate your optimal director salary and dividend split for 2026. Live calculator with official tax rates.

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Entity Comparison

Compare all Dutch legal structures: sole trader, general partnership (VOF), BV and holding. Tax, liability and setup costs.

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Answers to the most common questions about Dutch BV formation, corporate tax and doing business in the Netherlands.

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The complete English library has 861 guides on all areas of Dutch business, tax and legal structures, sorted by topic. If you are new, start with Doing Business in the Netherlands.

Doing Business in the Netherlands

46 guides

Dutch BV vs UK Limited Company After Brexit

Since Brexit, many UK entrepreneurs consider a Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) for EU access…

Open a Business Bank Account in the Netherlands as a Non-Resident

A non-resident can open a business bank account for a Dutch company. The bank first checks who owns the company, what it does and…

Branch Office vs Dutch BV: Which Should a Foreign Company Choose?

A foreign company that comes to the Netherlands can register a branch or set up a BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private…

Setting Up a Dutch BV from Ireland

Irish founders increasingly use a Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) for their European…

Corporate Tax in the Netherlands 2026: What Foreign Owners Pay

A Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) pays corporate tax on its profit. When the BV pays out…

Dutch BV vs US LLC: How the Two Compare

A Dutch private limited company (besloten vennootschap, BV) and a US limited liability company (LLC) are two different legal…

The 30% ruling in 2026: requirements, salary threshold and the change in 2027

Under the 30% ruling, an employer may pay up to 30% of the salary free of tax to an employee hired from abroad. The ruling…

Delaware LLC vs Dutch BV: Different Purposes, Often Used Together

Delaware and the Netherlands have different purposes, and many companies use both. American companies incorporate in Delaware for…

European Subsidiary for a UK Company: Branch or Dutch BV?

A UK company that wants an EU presence has two options. It can register the Ltd itself as a Dutch branch. It can also set up a…

From UK Ltd to Dutch BV: Relocating the Company or Building Beside It

Founders who feel the business now centres on Europe often wonder whether the Ltd can become a BV directly (besloten…

Is the Netherlands a Tax Haven?

In 2026, the Netherlands has mainstream European tax rates and applies all OECD standards, but parts of its system are still…

Company Secretarial Work in the Netherlands: the Duties

In a Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company), a company secretary is optional. The board itself is…

Registered Office or Virtual Office: What the KVK Asks of a BV Address

Every Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) registers a business address at the Dutch Chamber of…

The Dutch Substance Checklist for 2026

Substance means that a Dutch company has real presence and activity in the Netherlands. Banks check it when the company applies…

Does a Dutch BV Need a Local Director?

A Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) can have directors of any nationality who live in any…

Running Dutch Payroll as a Foreign Company

When you hire your first employee in the Netherlands, you need a Dutch payroll. This means a wage tax registration, monthly…

Employer of Record or Your Own BV: the Employment Choice

For your first employee in the Netherlands, you have two options. You can use an employer of record (EOR) or your own Dutch BV…

Converting a Dutch Branch into a BV

You convert a Dutch branch into a BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) in four steps. You set up the BV…

Annual Accounts Deadlines for a Dutch BV in 2026

A BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) has four steps with legal deadlines for its annual accounts. The…

Updating the UBO Register: When and How

The company updates its UBO data at the KVK promptly after a change in ownership or control. The register of ultimate beneficial…

Changes at the KVK: What to File and When

You file most changes to your BV at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) within a week. Examples are a new director, a new…

The Shareholder Register of a BV: Keeping It Right

The shareholder register is the record of who owns the shares in a BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company)…

Board and Shareholder Resolutions: When Paper Is Required

A BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) records its decisions in writing. Some decisions need a…

The General Meeting (AVA) of a BV: the Requirements

A BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) must hold at least one general meeting of shareholders a year…

The BV Compliance Calendar 2026: Every Deadline of the Year

A BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) has deadlines at four different intervals. Payroll taxes are due…

Appointing and Dismissing Directors of a BV

The shareholders decide who becomes a director of a BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) and who leaves…

Powers of Attorney in Dutch Business: Volmacht and Procuratie

The board of a BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) signs for the company. With a power of attorney…

Apostille and Legalisation of Dutch Company Documents

To use a Dutch company document abroad, you usually need a stamp that proves it is genuine. For countries in the Apostille…

Opening a Dutch Business Account: the Document Checklist

To open a Dutch business account, you hand in a file with documents about the company, the people behind it and the business…

Dutch Business Address Requirements: What You Need

At its business address, a Dutch company receives its official letters and keeps its registers. The KVK asks for proof that the…

Outsourcing the Administration: What Stays Yours

When a BV outsources its administration, the board keeps the legal responsibility. By law, the board is responsible for the…

When a Dutch BV Needs an Auditor: the Thresholds

A Dutch BV needs an auditor when it is medium-sized or larger. A company is medium-sized when it passes two of three size limits…

The Dormant BV: Obligations While the Company Is Inactive

A dormant BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) still has yearly duties. The company remains a legal…

Reactivating a Dormant BV: the Restart Checklist

You can restart a dormant BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) faster than you can set up a new one. The…

The Management Agreement Between Holding and Operating BV

A management agreement is the contract under which the holding company supplies management to the operating BV (besloten…

Corporate Housekeeping: the Annual Checklist for a BV

Corporate housekeeping is a yearly review of the company's paperwork: the registers, resolutions, filings and contracts. If you…

How to Read a Dutch Invoice: Every Element Explained

A Dutch invoice is a small legal document with a fixed set of numbers and phrases. Once you know them, you can check each new…

The KVK Extract (Uittreksel) Explained Line by Line

The uittreksel is an extract of one page from the Dutch trade register (the KVK). Banks, landlords and serious business partners…

KVK, RSIN, btw-id, EORI: Every Dutch Company Number Mapped

A new Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) receives several numbers: KVK, RSIN, btw-id…

Employer Costs in the Netherlands: What Comes on Top of Gross Salary

The salary in the offer letter is only part of your cost as an employer. You also pay holiday allowance, contributions and other…

Dutch Employment Contract Types: Choosing the Right Form

Dutch employers mainly use three contract forms: fixed-term, permanent and on-call. Strict rules apply when you switch from one…

Grants and Subsidies for SMEs in the Netherlands: an Overview

Small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in the Netherlands can apply for dozens of subsidy schemes. Each scheme has its own…

Stichting or BV: Which Dutch Legal Form for Which Purpose

In Dutch structures, the BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) is the form for ownership and profit. The…

What a Dutch BV Costs Each Year (2026)

You set up a Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the private limited company) once, and you pay to run it every year. Look at these…

Registered Office for a Dutch BV: What the Address Has to Be

Every Dutch BV (besloten vennootschap, the Dutch private limited company) has a statutory seat, and you need the business address…

DAC8: what the Dutch tax authority will see of your crypto from 2027

From 1 January 2026, crypto platforms in the EU keep a record of who trades what. They send the first report to the tax authority…

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The Dutch knowledge base at /kennisbank has 495 in-depth articles in Dutch on every aspect of Dutch business and tax law.

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Knowledge on doing business in the Netherlands · based on the 2026 figures

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