Zoning plan

Every entrepeneur has to consider the zoning plan relating to a building or piece of land.

No matter where you start your business - in your own home, in rented premises or a building in which a similar sort of company existed - you always have to take account of the zoning plan. Every local council in the Netherlands sets out in the zoning plan the functions it allows for a building or a piece of land. 

Business in your own home
If you want to start your business in your own home, you will need permission from the local council to turn a living area into a business area. Most residential houses are sold as residential space in which it is not allowed to establish a business. Nonetheless councils will sometimes tolerate a business in your home. For example:

• if the business is purely office-based
• if no clients visit the house
• if the business can cause no disturbance
• if it is only a small part of the house will be used for business activities. 

The council and your neighbours would probably object to a business such as a shop, hairdressing salon or engineering workplace.

Renting business space
If you want to rent business space, don't forget to ask permission to run a business there from the landlord. 

Building in which a business already existed
If a similar sort of business existed in the building, check whether the zoning plan is still valid.