How it works
The KVK is the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Its main task is the trade register (Handelsregister), the public list of all companies, associations and foundations in the Netherlands. Anyone can look up who is behind a company, who may sign for it and where it is established.
A BV is registered by the notary right after the deed of incorporation. The KVK issues the KVK number (8 digits) and the RSIN (9 digits). The KVK passes the registration to the tax authority, which issues the VAT number and, when the company has staff, the payroll tax number.
Registration costs a one-time fee of €85.15 in 2026. Changes such as a new director, a new address or a change of activities are filed with the KVK too, free of charge. The KVK also keeps the UBO register, which records the natural persons who ultimately own or control a company.
A foreign company that opens a branch in the Netherlands registers that branch with the KVK as well, with documents from its home register. Most foreign founders choose a BV instead, because a BV has its own liability and its own tax status.
Example
The notary signs the deed for a new BV on Tuesday. On Wednesday the BV has a KVK number and an RSIN; the extract from the trade register is available online. The bank asks for that extract to open the account, and the tax authority sends the VAT number within a few weeks.
The figures
All 2026 figures: Netherlands tax rates 2026 · the 2027 figures: Netherlands tax rates 2027.
Questions people ask
Is the KVK extract public?
Yes. Anyone can buy an extract for a few euros. It shows the company name, address, directors, activities and the registration date. Home addresses of directors are shielded since 2022.
Does a BV need a Dutch address?
Yes. The BV needs a Dutch address for the trade register. A registered office service provides that address for owners who live abroad, together with mail handling.
Holdwise, Hoofddorp. Definition and explanation maintained with the Dutch and German glossaries; figures from the central rates source, year 2026. Updated 16 September 2026.
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