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.
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Holding Structures
How the Dutch structure with a holding and an operating company works, and how much tax you can save with it.
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BV vs. Sole Trader
When does a BV become more tax-efficient than a sole trader? Find the exact profit threshold.
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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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FAQ
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.
Employment
17 guides
Hiring Your First Employee in the Netherlands: Costs and Contracts
An employee in the Netherlands usually costs 25% to 35% more than the gross salary. If the employee falls ill, you continue to…
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Giving Your Team Shares or Options in a Dutch BV
You can give your team a stake in a Dutch BV in four ways, and this is common in the Netherlands. The main difference is when the…
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Tax-Free Employee Benefits in the Netherlands: the 2.00% Free Allowance
As a Dutch employer, you can give staff a range of benefits free of payroll tax. This is arranged in the work-related costs…
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Two Years of Sick Pay: the Dutch Obligation for Employers
A Dutch employer pays a sick employee for up to 104 weeks. The employer also has a legal duty to work actively toward the…
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The 8% Holiday Allowance Every Dutch Employee Receives
Every Dutch employee has a legal right to holiday allowance (vakantiegeld) of 8% of gross annual salary, paid on top of the…
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When a Dutch Collective Agreement Applies to You Automatically
A Dutch collective labour agreement (collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst, CAO) can apply to your company through a government…
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Dutch Pension Obligations: When Joining a Sector Fund Is Mandatory
A Dutch employer must join an industry-wide pension fund when its sector has one with mandatory affiliation. This applies to a…
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Dismissing an Employee in the Netherlands: Why You Need Permission First
Dutch law works differently from most countries: an employer needs permission before dismissing someone. Termination at will is…
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The Settlement Agreement: How Most Dutch Employments End
Most Dutch employments end with a settlement agreement (vaststellingsovereenkomst). Employer and employee agree to end the…
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The Transition Payment: What Ending a Dutch Employment Costs
When a Dutch employment ends at the employer's initiative, the employee has a right to a transition payment…
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Notice Periods and Probation in Dutch Employment Contracts
Dutch notice periods are set by law and differ for employer and employee, based on length of service. Two other details affect…
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The Chain Rule: When a Fixed-Term Contract Becomes Permanent
Under the chain rule (ketenregeling), a series of fixed-term contracts becomes a permanent contract by operation of law. This…
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Non-Compete Clauses in the Netherlands: Rules and Court Practice
A Dutch non-compete clause (concurrentiebeding) has formal requirements, and fixed-term contracts have an extra requirement…
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The Works Council: What Changes at Fifty Employees
A Dutch company with fifty employees or more must set up a works council (ondernemingsraad, OR). The works council has two kinds…
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Dutch Minimum Wage and Working Hours: the Rules That Bind Every Employer
The Dutch minimum wage and the working time rules apply to every employer, whatever the size, sector or contract type. Inspectors…
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Running Dutch Payroll: What the Employer Withholds and Pays
A Dutch employer withholds and pays one combined levy with several parts, filed monthly or every four weeks. Some parts come out…
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Posting Workers to the Netherlands: Notification, A1 and Dutch Conditions
If your company is based elsewhere in Europe and sends employees to work temporarily in the Netherlands, Dutch obligations apply…
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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.