On what date do I have to register my business with KVK?
- Edited 14 September 2026
- 1 min
- Starting
You are about to start a business and need to register with us. Your accountant says it is best to do this on the first day of the new quarter. But is that really true?
What do you need to arrange when starting a business?
Answer the questions on Business.gov.nl and see the steps that are important in your situation.
In short: no. You do not have to wait for a new quarter to begin. You can register your business as soon as you start it. You can register on any working day, all year round. The start of a quarter does not affect how much tax you pay.
So when do you register your business?
You register your business as soon as you start trading. That is the moment when you first carry out an activity on behalf of your business. For example:
- going online with your bsiness website
- opening a business bank account
- making purchases at a wholesaler's
- selling your first product or service
- sending your first invoice
Do any of these moments sound familiar? If so, that is your start date. From then on, you have a week to register with us.
After registration: file VAT returns
We will notify the Netherlands Tax Administration that you have set up a business. Most business owners are registered for VAT. This means:
- You charge your clients VAT.
- You pay that VAT to the Tax Administration.
- Did you pay VAT yourself, on things you have bought for your business? Then you can claim a refund of the VAT. You can also do so if you do not have turnover yet.Â
You usually file a VAT return once per 3 months (quarterly). Did you not have any turnover or costs in the first quarter? Then you file a zero return (nulaangifte). That means you enter zero euros for both turnover and input tax in all fields of the return form. That way, the Tax Administration will know that you do not yet have to pay anything.
Tax benefits for business owners
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The hours criterion for tax relief
Would you like to take advantage of tax benefits for business owners? If so, you must work at least 1,225 hours on your business in a year. Are you starting late in the year? If so, it may be difficult to reach that 1,225-hour target. Read more about the hours criterion.
