What bookkeeping includes
Bookkeeping is keeping the financial records of the company. These include every invoice, every bank transaction and every cost, in good order. You can then see the financial position of the company at any moment. Under Dutch law, the company has a duty to keep records (administratieplicht). It must keep the records for seven years. The tax returns are based on these records. There is the periodic turnover-tax return (btw-aangifte, the Dutch VAT return), and payroll tax when there are employees. After year-end there is the corporate income-tax return (vennootschapsbelasting, vpb). The bookkeeper makes the figures. The legal documents of the company are kept in order with secretarial work.
What the work covers
| Area | What happens in practice |
|---|---|
| The administration | Sales and purchase invoices, bank feeds and receipts are processed continuously in software that meets Dutch rules. You can see the position at any moment |
| VAT return (btw-aangifte) | The turnover-tax return prepared and filed each quarter, including EU transactions (the ICP declaration for intra-Community supplies) |
| Payroll | Payslips, the monthly payroll-tax return and the annual statements for the director-shareholder (DGA) and staff |
| Annual accounts | A balance sheet and profit-and-loss account for the year, ready for adoption and filing with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) |
| Corporate income tax | The corporate tax return (vpb) for the closed year, filed after year-end. In the meantime, the provisional assessment is kept realistic |
The yearly deadlines
| Obligation | Schedule and deadline |
|---|---|
| VAT return and payment | Quarterly, within one month after the quarter: 30 April, 31 July, 31 October, 31 January |
| Payroll-tax return | Monthly, within one month after the wage period, from the first payslip onwards |
| Annual accounts | Prepared within 5 months after year-end (extendable by 5), filed with the KVK within 8 days of adoption and always within 12 months |
| Corporate income-tax return | Filed after year-end. With the extension scheme for tax advisers, the deadline is well into the following year |
| Record retention | Seven years for the full administration; ten years where immovable property is involved |
Why this is useful: up-to-date records are the basis for all other work. You need them for the VAT return, the annual accounts, the bank’s customer check (KYC) and every request for financing. If you update the records every week, you have less work at each deadline.
How international owners run this
All work is done in writing and online. Invoices are added to the software directly, and bank transactions are matched automatically. Each return is prepared, sent to you for approval and filed with eHerkenning (the Dutch business login for government portals). As an owner abroad, you approve by e-mail, sign digitally and keep a dated file of every return. We use the same approach, with advice first, for our corporate services. We do the bookkeeping. An accountant usually makes the annual accounts from the same records.
Is your Dutch company the subsidiary of a group abroad? See finance and compliance for your Dutch subsidiary, with monthly figures for the parent company and every Dutch filing date in one calendar.
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Frequently asked questions
Is bookkeeping mandatory for a Dutch BV?
Yes. Every Dutch company must keep an administration. With it, you can see the financial position at any moment. The company files the periodic VAT return, prepares annual accounts and keeps the records for seven years. The obligation starts on the first day, before the first invoice.
How often is the Dutch VAT return filed?
Most companies file every quarter, within one month after the quarter ends: 30 April, 31 July, 31 October and 31 January. You file and pay by the same deadline. The tax office can set a monthly or yearly schedule in specific situations.
What does bookkeeping cost in the Netherlands?
Market rates depend on volume, payroll and the software used. A small BV typically pays a few hundred euros a quarter. We confirm the exact price for our full service in writing after a short intake call.
Can bookkeeping be run from abroad?
Yes. The administration is digital. Invoices and bank transactions are added automatically. Returns are filed online with eHerkenning (the Dutch business login for government portals). You get everything in writing. As an owner, you sign and approve from abroad.