Registering a Dutch eenmanszaak and making an appointment

Start or continue your registration. Or make an appointment to complete your registration.

What is an eenmanszaak?

An eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship) is the most common legal structure. It is a legal structure in which you are the sole owner of the business and are often entitled to tax benefits for entrepreneurs. However, you also run a personal risk if you incur business debts. Would you like to prepare for your registration in advance? Then read what information you need to fill in on the form.

Do you need to register?

Sometimes it is not necessary to register your business. Answer a few questions to find out what best suits your situation. There has also been a lot of media attention on false self-employment and the Employment Relationships Deregulation Act (Wet DBA). This may make you doubt whether you should register. Read about your options.

What should you do if you receive benefits?

Do you want to start a business and do you receive an unemployment benefit? Then discuss it with the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). If you receive an assistance benefit discuss it with the municipality.

Can you have more than 1 eenmanszaak?

It is not possible to have more than 1 eenmanszaak. So, if you already have an eenmanszaak, you cannot register another one. But an eenmanszaak can have multiple trade names and activities. Changing or adding business activities may have consequences for your taxes, insurance, or permits, for example. View and change the details of your eenmanszaak via My KVK. 

Video: Registering with KVK: how it works

How do you register an eenmanszaak?

1. Log in with DigiD

Only the owner of a eenmanszaak can register. You need a DigiD to register. Read what you can do if you do not have a DigiD. 

2. Complete the registration form

Complete all parts of the digital registration form step by step. Read what information you will need to fill in on the form. Logged out before finishing? No problem. Your data is saved.

3. Check your details

After filling in the registration form, check that all the details are correct. Now your eenmanszaak is ready to be registered in the Business Register.  In most cases you need to make an appointment at a KVK office of your choice. You can do this online by logging in with DigiD. In some cases, registration is done digitally. In that case, you do not need to make an appointment. 

How do you make an appointment at KVK?

If you have to make an appointment, you need to have filled in the registration form completely. 

  • You can make an appointment at any KVK office.
  • Bring valid proof of identity, plus the necessary forms and supporting documents. After making your appointment, you will receive an email with an overview of what you need to bring.
  • You pay a registration fee to register a new company or organisation.
  • You can order a certified KVK Business Register Extract directly after you have registered. You can use this as proof of registration. Some banks and wholesalers ask for an extract.

Information in English and help

The online registration process is in Dutch. You can use Form 1 to see which information we need from you in English and Dutch. If you need more help, contact the KVK Advice Team on 088 585 22 22.

Go to the registration form and make an appointment

Start or edit your registration by logging in with DigiD. Finished filling in the registration form? Then make an appointment straight away.

Log in with DigiD

FAQ about DigiD

DigiD is required to confirm your identity. In this way, we ensure that only authorised persons have access to data from an organisation.

At Help & Contact you will find all frequently asked questions about DigiD.

Apply for DigiD via www.digid.nl. You need your citizen server number (BSN) to apply.

Do you live outside the Netherlands and do not have a DigiD? Check which situation applies to you.

  • You have Dutch nationality. You can apply for a DigiD. The DigiD website tells you how to do this.
  • You do not have Dutch nationality. Follow these steps to apply for a DigiD:
    • First register with the Non-Residents Records Database (RNI).
    • After registration with the RNI, you will immediately receive a citizen service number (BSN).
    • With this BSN you can apply for a DigiD. The DigiD website tells you how to do this.

FAQ about making an appointment

You will find all frequently asked questions about making an appointment in Help and Contact.

You must make an appointment to visit a KVK office. You choose which KVK office yourself. This can also be an office outside your region or place of residence. To make an appointment online, log in using DigiD. You can schedule an appointment up to 8 weeks in advance.

Did you not receive the confirmation email? Then it is probably in your spam or deleted mail folder. If not, please call our Service Centre: 088 585 15 85. Available from Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 17:00 hours.

Have you made an appointment to register an eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship), VOF (general partnership) or maatschap (professional partnership)?

Then log in again with your DigiD on this page. Your appointment at KVK will be listed under 'registration details'. Here you can see when, at what time, and at which office the appointment was made. Here you can still cancel or change your appointment.

FAQ about registering an eenmanszaak

You should register your business 1 week before or after the start of business operations. Prepare your registration online. Then make an appointment to verify your identity and to finalise your registration. You will then receive your KVK number straight away. You can register at any KVK office in the Netherlands.

You may also visit us earlier to have your pre-filled details and proof of identity checked. This can be done up to 3 months before your start date. You will then receive your KVK number by post in the week of your start date. You will receive the invoice by email. You can find more information about registering on kvk.nl.

False self-employment is a situation where you take on an assignment as an entrepreneur, but are actually an employee. For example, if you only have one client and do not plan to work for more. The client is then in fact your employer, which does not fulfil its obligations towards both you and the Tax Administration. For example, they do not pay income tax and contributions for you. The Employment Relationships Deregulation Act (wet DBA) provides clarity about your working relationship with your clients. By getting clarity in advance about your working relationship with your client, you can prevent false self-employment.

You and your client can use the Tax Administration's 'Salaried Employment or Non-employment' check (in Dutch) to check whether you are employed. If you are not an employee, you do not have to do anything else. You can then simply carry out the assignment as an entrepreneur. The outcome may also be that you are an employee by law. In that case, your client must deduct payroll taxes. Contact the Tax Administration about this.

No, when you have  a hobby we assume that you earn little or no income from it. Or that you spend a lot of time on your hobby but earn very little from it. According to the Commercial Register Act (Handelsregisterwet), this is not a business and you do not meet the criteria to be an entrepreneur. So, you are not required to register. However, if you do earn some money from your hobby, you usually have to report this income to the Belastingdienst (Netherlands Tax Administration). 

You will receive a KVK number number when you register with KVK. If you register your business 1 week before or after starting business activities, you will receive your KVK number immediately.

Visiting us earlier

You may also visit us earlier to have your pre-completed details and proof of identity checked. This is possible up to a maximum of 3 months before your start date. Once you have completed your online preparation, book an appointment at one of our offices. You can schedule an appointment up to 8 weeks in advance.

We will register your business from 1 week before the start date you have specified. After registration, you will receive a letter by post containing your KVK number. You will receive the invoice for the registration fee by email.

Are you taking over a business?

Then we will send you the new KVK number on the takeover date.

Registration in the preparation phase is possible in some cases. Preparations include ordering goods, applying for permits, or renting business premises. To complete the registration, make an appointment online by logging in with DigiD. Registration is possible at any KVK office in the Netherlands.

Only the owner of a sole proprietorship can register the business. A friend, family member, bookkeeper, accountant, or another intermediary cannot. But they can help with the registration. The owner must log in themself using their own DigiD.

You can only register your business if you have a Dutch visiting address. Do you live in an area bordering the Netherlands? And can you show genuine, physical business activities in the Netherlands? Only then you can register with a visiting address that is abroad. Follow these steps to register:

  • Choose a legal structure and fill in the (digital) registration form.
    To register an eenmanszaak, you need a DigiD. You apply for this using your Citizen Service Number (BSN). If you do not have a BSN, follow these steps:
  • Make an appointment at a KVK office to complete your registration.
  • Bring the following with you:
    • A valid proof of identity.
    • A paper copy of an original extract from the foreign population register showing your residential address.
      Please note: This document must not be more than 2 months old and must be in Dutch, English, French or German. If this is not the case, a (sworn) translation must be provided.
      If your residential address is not within the European Union (EU), the document must also be legalised. You can find more information about legalisation at Legalisation of foreign documents for use in the Netherlands on the Netherlands Worldwide website.
    • A copy of the rental, purchase, service, lease, or usage agreement for the (Dutch) visiting address, signed by both parties.
  • You pay a one-off registration fee.

No, you do not need to register with the Netherlands Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) yourself. Once the registration of your business is complete, we will automatically pass on your details.

You will receive a letter from the Tax Administration about this within 2 weeks of your start date.

If you have not received anything after 2 weeks, please contact the Tax Administration's helpline on 0800 05 43.

You can register a maximum of 1 eenmanszaak. An eenmanszaak may have multiple trade names and activities. Changing or adding business activities may have consequences for your taxes, insurance, or permits, for example.

Another address?

Are the new activities at a different address than the registration you have? Then choose to register a secondary establishment.

My KVK

View and change the details of your eenmanszaak in My KVK.

Netherlands Tax Administration

We will notify the Tax Administration (in Dutch) of the change in activities and trade name. If there are any changes to your VAT return, you will be notified by the Tax Administration.

Is your question not included? More frequently asked questions can be found on our Help and contact page. It also states how you can contact us.