Change or add a trade name

Do you want to change or add a trade name (business name)? You can do this yourself via My KVK.

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Do you want to change or add a trade name? You can do this yourself online via My KVK.

What is a trade name?

When registering a business or organisation with KVK, you choose 1 or more trade names (also called business names). The trade name is the name you use, for example, on your website or on invoices. Your trade name indicates which products or services you offer.

When should you change or remove a trade name? Or add a new name?

Change your trade name if:

  • the name currently listed in the Business Register no longer reflects what your business or organisation does
  • you want to start providing different products or services

Remove a trade name if:

  • you have more than 1 trade name and
  • 1 or more of your trade names no longer reflect what your business or organisation does

Add an extra trade name if:

  • your business or organisation is going to add new activities. In that case, also update your activities via My KVK.
Read more about new or extra trade names
Check your trade name

How to change a trade name in My KVK

Anyone registered in the Business Register can log in to My KVK. Changing or adding a trade name is free of charge.

  1. Log in to My KVK with your DigiD.
  2. Select the business or organisation for which you want to change the trade name.
  3. Update the trade name, check that everything is correct and submit it to KVK.

Log in to My KVK

What happens after you make the change?

This is what you can expect:

  • You can track the status of your submitted change in My KVK.
  • Once the change has been made in the Business Register, you will receive a letter from KVK. Keep this as proof of the change.
  • We will notify the Netherlands Tax Administration of the change.
Check the current processing times

Frequently asked questions about changing a trade name

You can only change a registered name (statutaire naam) through a civil-law notary. This is done by amending the articles of association. 

You can report a change to the name of a VOF (general partnership), maatschap (professional partnership), CV (limited partnership), or rederij (shipping company) using Form 15: Change of details of a legal entity or partnership. On the form, you can indicate that the new name will also be the new trade name.

You may have as many trade names as you need and set them out with the KVK. However, only once you actually use a trade name – for example, in advertising, on your website or on invoices – does the Trade Names Act (Handelsnaamwet, in Dutch) protect against others using that name. The business or organisation that has used a trade name for the longest period of time is protected by the Trade Names Act.

Yes, you can do this using Form 18. On the form, you can specify the order in which you want the trade names to appear. Once KVK has made the change in the Business Register, the correct trade name will appear at the top of an extract.

Call the Tax Helpline. Once the Netherlands Tax Administration has updated your details, you will see the changes immediately in VIES.