What information does the Dutch Business Register contain?

IThe Netherlands Chamber of Commerce KVK Business Register (Handelsregister) lists all businesses, legal entities and other organisations that participate in economic transactions in the Netherlands. It is a public register, that is consulted millions of times per year.

The Business Register is also one of the key registers of the Dutch government, and the official resource for business details. It is of importance to the legal security in trade transactions: it shows you who you are dealing with, who is authorised to sign on behalf of the company and whether perhaps the company has gone into liquidation.

What is in the Business Register?

KVK records several details, such as the name, contact data and officers of the company. Each registration receives its unique KVK number. Most of the details are public, so that it is possible to verify if a company exists, who is liable, and where it is located. This is also true of deregistered companies and organisations, that may still be subject to liability and debt issues from the past. Some details can only be viewed by authorised persons, such as lawyers, notaries, court bailiffs, or judicial services. The Dutch Business Register Act (Handelsregisterwet) details which data are restricted.

The public information includes the following:

• name of the company or organisation;
• contact details, such as the address, telephone number, fax number, email address, and internet address;
• details of branches;
• officers and authorised signatories;
• the insolvency practitioner, in case of bankruptcy;
• the number of employees.

The UBO register is part of the Business Register. Since 22 November 2022, a ruling by the European Court of Justice has made the data temporarily non-public.

How do I find company information in the Business Register?

You can search for information in the Business Register by trade name, address or KVK number (only in Dutch). Searches are free of charge. If you want to order information, such as extracts or financial statements, costs are involved.

How to search for an entry in the Business Register

Go to the Search page (in Dutch). Fill in the name of the business you're looking for in the frame underneath 'Zoeken', and press enter. All entries of Dutch companies bearing the name you entered will appear.

Besides searching the Dutch Business Register, you can find and order registrations of the owner, legal entity, (former) trade names, head office and ancillary locations, annual financial statements such as year reports and (deposit) history, concern relations/group structure and an overview of authorised signatories. You can order these products online. This way you will receive data about a specific Dutch company or type of company. To finalise payment for your product you will be redirected to a Dutch language payment environment. If you need help navigating this Dutch environment, you can call KVK at +31 88 58515 85.

Unsolicited mailings or phonecalls

The Business Register's main goal is to offer legal certainty. But some companies and organisations use the details in the register for direct marketing purposes. This is the downside of public transparency. No-one welcomes unsolicited mail or email, telesales phonecalls or door-to-door vendors. However, this is part of being an entrepreneur; and for some companies, this is the way to find new customers. If you want to limit the amount of unsolicited sales approaches, there are options. For instance, the non-mailing indicator, that limits physical mail and visits to your company address.

Private addresses in the Business Register

The private addresses of business owners and officers are registered in the Business Register. These addresses are not public. Only employees of certain authorised parties, such as investigative authorities, are allowed to view these addresses. 

Only the business address is public. If the business address and the private address are the same, the private address will be visible under the caption business address. This address can only be shielded off under special circumstances.

Read more about the disclosure of private addresses in the Business Register