Regularly check your registration with KVK

Your business evolves and your situation may change. Things like your visiting address, business activities, the names of people allowed to sign contracts, or your trade name(s) and domain name. The details in your registration must match your company’s real situation. So check your details regularly and report changes to the KVK.

What are the risks of incorrect information in the Business Register?

A deal fails because of an invalid contract. A municipality refuses a permit. A large customer decides to do business with another company. These are all things that can happen if your details are incorrectly entered in the Business Register.

Who uses your data?

Various people and organisations use the Business Register to obtain information about your business:

• suppliers and customers
• public authorities, such as municipalities and the Netherlands Tax Administration
• insurers and pension funds
• lenders, such as banks and leasing companies

Incorrect or out-of-date information in the Business Register raises questions. “Why, for example, does your business name include the word ‘bakery’ if you no longer run a bakery?” says Roland Hoff, account manager at KVK. “This sort noticeable detail can lead to enquiries from businesses or public authorities. It could, for example, result in your application for a permit or a subsidy being refused. Or a customer might pull back because they do not fully trust you.”

Hoff explains: “You pay attention to your website; you make sure your business looks professional. You do this because you are assessed on this basis. Your registration in the Business Register is also part of your business’s image. If everything is correctly registered, you demonstrate that you are trustworthy.”

Function of the Business Register

The Business Register is the public Dutch base registry (basisregistratie) in which all companies and legal entities must register. The Business Register tells you who you are dealing with, who is authorised to sign, and whether a company is bankrupt. An extract from the Business Register gives you up-to-date information and legal certainty when doing business. Other authorities also use the data from the Business Register. To assess your application for a permit or a subsidy, for example.

What company information and why?

What data is in the Business Register, why is it there, and what can you do with it? An explanation.

1. Business Activities

With a description of business activities you clearly describe what your company does. You are responsible for the text of this description. For example, “wholesale in kitchens and kitchen equipment, advice on kitchen design”. KVK gives these activities a code, using the Standard Industrial Classification (SBI).

If you have provided incorrect information here, this can cause problems. For example, someone is looking for what your business offers, but does not contact you because it looks like you do not offer what they want. Customers and suppliers who would like to do business with you may also change their mind. For example, because they do not trust you when they see that your information in the Business Register does not match reality.

The correct registration of the activities of your company is important for your customers, your suppliers, and your company insurance. But also, for example, for the collective labour agreement (CAO) and pension agreements that you must meet. Institutions such as Statistics Netherlands, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), the Netherlands Tax Administration (Belastingdienst), and the municipality use the SBI code of your main activity to classify your company in a sector. If this SBI code is correct, you will receive the subsidy, or the support that suits your situation. For example, are you registered as an advertising agency but now work mainly as a book writer? If so, you may face problems when you apply for a grant that applies only to writers.

2. Address

Your primary establishment (hoofdvestiging) or 'visiting address' is the place from which your company carries out activities. Are you renting an extra building or moving your company? Please report this change to the KVK. Otherwise people cannot find your company at the address in the Business Register. You need a company address to apply for permits from the municipality. For example, for your parking space, outside seating area, or renovation.

Please note: KVK only enter addresses in the Business Register that are listed in the Addresses and Buildings key register (BAG). You can check whether an address is listed using the BAG Viewer (in Dutch).

In certain situations, you can shield your business or visiting address. Your business address is then no longer public. Private addresses are always shielded in the Business Register. Your private address will only be shown if it is the same as your business address. 

3. Signing authority

Who represents your company? Who is authorised to sign certain documents or contracts on your company's behalf? This person(s) must be registered as authorised to sign in the Business Register. Is the information incorrect? Then you run the risk that signed contracts are not valid. Your customer or supplier will then not have to abide by the agreements in those contracts 

As the owner or director of a company or legal entity, you are authorised to sign yourself. But you can also give others the right to sign on behalf of your company. This is called a power of attorney. You can appoint an officer for this purpose. This authorised representative may be an employee, but also, for example, a family member. If, for example, you go on holiday or fall ill, it is convenient to give someone a power of attorney.

4. Employed persons

The number of employees per company is registered in the Business Register. The employed persons consist of the cooperating owners, partners, and employees. Arrangements for, for example, subsidies, filing annual accounts, or the obligation for a works council are based on the number of employees.  Is the number of employed persons listed in the Business Register incorrect? Then you may not get a subsidy you want even though you are entitled to it.

5. Trade name

People use the Business Register when they want to check whether they are dealing with a fake company. If your trade name or the name of your website is different from the name registered, they may start to have doubts. Are you really from the company you name? Can you be trusted?

In addition, starting entrepreneurs who search for a company name in the Business Register can see whether their favourite name is still available or if it is already being used by another company.