Amsterdam launch support
Starting a Business in Amsterdam as a Newcomer
Most rules are national; the KVK office, the municipal desk and the city's permits are Amsterdam's. We order the steps, check your papers and go with you; you, or a notary for a BV, register.
- KVK fee EUR 85.15 (2026)
- KVK Amsterdam: appointment only; Kabelweg 39-47 from 2 November 2026
- KVK slots bookable up to 8 weeks ahead
- The owner registers, with their own DigiD
Amsterdam has its own KVK office; the rules it applies are national.
What's included in our Amsterdam launch support
For first-time founders, freelancers, two co-founders, founders arriving from abroad, non-EU founders and hospitality starters. The national rules are set out in how starting a business works in the Netherlands; Amsterdam adds its KVK office, municipal desk and permits.
An Amsterdam start plan
Your steps in order: a stay over or under four months, EU or non-EU, eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship), VOF or BV, home or premises, hospitality.
A document check before each desk
Your papers checked against the official KVK and RNI lists before each desk.
The Dutch-only KVK form, explained
The form is in Dutch only; the KVK's English-Dutch PDF is the aid. We prepare your answers; you log in with your own DigiD.
Accompaniment at the appointments
We go with you to the appointments; you attend in person with your own valid proof of identity.
The Amsterdam rules, as information
The KVK office and its move, the 40 percent home-office rule, the hospitality permits with their charges and decision times.
Where our service stops
Only the owner registers an eenmanszaak; the notary registers a BV. No municipal permit filing, no tax advice, no promised slot, date, acceptance or decision.
Not part of this service
A client who takes this service does not take our registered office or virtual office address. No nominee, director or general power of attorney.
National rules and Amsterdam desks, side by side
Amsterdam or Rotterdam changes little: the procedure, the fee and the address rules are the same at every KVK office.
| Topic | National or Amsterdam | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| Where you complete the registration | National | Any KVK office; you choose the date, time and location when you book. The Rotterdam office (Blaak 40) also works by appointment only |
| The registration fee | National | One statutory amount: EUR 85.15 in 2026 |
| The visiting address and its proof | National | Every registration needs a visiting address; the proof rules are the KVK's |
| The BSN and the DigiD | National | The BSN follows registration in the BRP or the RNI; the DigiD is applied for with the BSN |
| The KVK Amsterdam office | Amsterdam | Monday to Friday 8:30 to 17:00, appointment only; De Ruijterkade 5 until the move, Kabelweg 39-47 from 2 November 2026; the regional Ondernemersplein (business information desk) is in the same building |
| Your personal registration as a resident | The municipality where you live | In person, at the municipality of your home address; the city's own booking steps are not covered here |
| An office in your own home | Amsterdam rule beside national guidance | Amsterdam: no conversion permit up to 40 percent of the home. National guidance: in most municipalities no more than 1/3 of the house. Different instruments |
| Hospitality permits | Amsterdam | The city's operating permit and terrace permit, with the city's charges and decision times |
| A general business licence | None | No general licence exists; permits come in four families and depend on the activity |
Sources: KVK, Amsterdam office page, read 3 October 2026; KVK Rotterdam office; Financiële regeling handelsregister 2019, art. 5; Municipality of Amsterdam; business.gov.nl.
How starting in Amsterdam works, step by step
Check your permit
(non-EU founders). Self-employed work needs a residence permit that allows it; IND fee for a first application EUR 423 (2026). See our freelance visa service or the start-up visa application.
Get your DigiD
(you, with your BSN). From abroad: a collection code valid 30 days, then an activation code valid 21 days, not by post. No processing time is published.
Settle the business address
(you). Your BRP home needs no proof, within Amsterdam's 40 percent rule; check your lease. From abroad, a Dutch visiting address comes before the KVK form.
City permits, if needed
(you). A cafe or restaurant: the operating permit (16 weeks), the terrace permit (8 weeks) and an alcohol licence with the Social Hygiene requirement.
Fill in the KVK form
(you; we prepare). Dutch only, with the English-Dutch PDF as the aid; you log in with your own DigiD, never us. Detail: the KVK registration guide.
Attend the KVK appointment
(you, in person), booked up to 8 weeks ahead. Register within a week either side of your start (Hrw 2007, art. 20). Sole traders: our sole proprietorship registration service; freelancers: registering as a zzp'er in the Netherlands.
After the counter
The KVK number comes at the appointment, or by post after an early visit; the fee is invoiced by email, no cash. A sole trader's VAT number follows within 10 workdays.
A BV differs at step 7: the notary executes the deed and registers the company, no counter visit. See how to open a BV in the Netherlands, or the page on buying a Dutch shelf company.
With a BSN and DigiD, start at step 4; from abroad, step 4 precedes step 6. The city's page sets no order between a hospitality permit and the KVK registration.
- Check your permitNon-EU founders, with the INDIND fee EUR 423 (2026) No official time is published
- Register yourselfYou, at your municipality, or at an RNI desk (Breda or Venlo for non-EU nationals)By the fifth day after a stay of at least two thirds of a half year begins (art. 2.38 Wet BRP)
- Get your DigiDYou, with your BSNFrom abroad: collection code valid 30 days, activation code valid 21 days No official time is published
- Settle the business addressYou, with your landlord if you rentNo official time is published
- City permits, if neededYou, with the municipality of AmsterdamOperating permit: 16 weeks Terrace permit: 8 weeks
- Fill in the KVK formYou, with your own DigiD; we prepare your answersNo official time is published
- Attend the KVK appointmentYou, in person at the KVKBooked up to 8 weeks ahead From one week before to one week after your start (art. 20 Hrw 2007) An early visit is possible up to 3 months before
- After the counterThe KVK, then the BelastingdienstFee EUR 85.15 (2026) Sole trader's VAT number within 10 workdays
Non-EU founder: check the permit first. No order between the permit and the KVK registration is promised.
Founder abroad: an RNI desk comes before the DigiD, and the Dutch address before the KVK form.
Hospitality: the city permits sit at step 5. No order between a permit and the KVK registration is set.
BV: the notary executes the deed and registers the company. There is no counter visit at step 7.
Not sure which step comes first for you?
Abroad, non-EU or opening a cafe? Your situation decides the order. Tell us yours and get your steps and documents in sequence.
Documents you will need
- Valid proof of identity, at every desk
- Your own DigiD, to book and to log in
- The KVK online form, filled in first
- Your BRP or RNI registration
- At an RNI desk: passport or identity card; an interpreter if you speak neither Dutch nor English
- Proof of the visiting address, unless it is your BRP home
- From abroad: an original foreign population-register extract, at most 2 months old
- That extract in Dutch, English, French or German or sworn-translated; legalised for a non-EU address
- From abroad: the Dutch address agreement, signed by both parties
- Non-EU founder: a residence permit that allows self-employment
- Hospitality: proof of your start capital's source, the Bibob check, a Social Hygiene declaration
- Terrace: a facade photograph and a dimensioned plan
Your business address in Amsterdam, what the KVK asks for
Every registration needs a visiting address; the KVK's proof rules decide whether yours works.
| Your situation | What the KVK asks for | Conditions and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Your own home, registered in the BRP | No proof of use | Your activities must fit the property's designated use. Amsterdam allows an office of up to 40 percent of the home without a conversion permit; your lease or mortgage may still forbid it |
| A property you own but do not live in | A Kadaster certificate of ownership or a copy of the purchase agreement | Proof is needed because the address differs from your BRP address |
| Rented premises or a shared building | A signed rental, purchase, service, lease or usage agreement, a Kadaster certificate, or a declaration of consent | A flexible workspace or meeting room rented from time to time is not a visiting address |
| Someone else's home (a relative, a friend, a resident landlord) | A declaration of consent from the resident or owner | Only for an address with a residential function; the declaration cannot be withdrawn |
| A P.O. box | No proof, as a postal address | A Dutch P.O. box can be the postal address, never the visiting address |
| You live abroad | A Dutch visiting address and a copy of its agreement, signed by both parties | The address comes before the KVK form; a narrow border-region exception is not covered here |
The KVK's address tests. Sources: KVK, proof of visiting address and postal address; other KVK, business.gov.nl and Municipality of Amsterdam pages, checked in October 2026.
Above 40 percent of your home, the city asks for a conversion permit (onttrekkingsvergunning): EUR 664.10 per application or per building, payable even if refused, decided within 8 weeks of a complete application, extendable once by 6 (the city's published rule, read 8 October 2026, no tariff year printed).
A natural person's home address is never public in the register; a sole trader can shield the visiting address behind a public postal address (Handelsregisterbesluit 2008, art. 51). Address changes in My KVK are free.
Our registered office address is a separate product: a client who takes it takes no other service from NetherStart Partners.
What the state and the city charge in Amsterdam
No general business licence exists; permits come in four families and depend on your activity. The full picture, the notary's fee for a BV included, is in our cost of starting overview.
| Charge | Amount | Year or status | Who pays, and when | Payable if refused? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVK one-off registration fee | EUR 85.15 | 2026, Financiële regeling handelsregister 2019, art. 5 | The registrant; invoiced by email after the visit, no cash | Not stated |
| Personal registration in the BRP or the RNI | Free | As published in October 2026 | No charge | Not applicable |
| Changing or adding an address in My KVK | Free | As published in October 2026 | No charge | Not applicable |
| IND fee, first application (self-employed permits, DAFT included, and the start-up permit) | EUR 423.00 | 2026 | The non-EU applicant | Not stated |
| Amsterdam conversion permit, above 40 percent of the home | EUR 664.10 per application or per building | The city's page on 8 October 2026, no tariff year printed | The applicant, invoiced after the decision | Yes |
| Amsterdam operating permit, new, without a terrace | EUR 3,010.80 | The city's page on 8 October 2026, no tariff year printed | The applicant, invoiced after the decision | Yes |
| Amsterdam operating permit, new, with a terrace | EUR 3,621.50 | The city's page on 8 October 2026, no tariff year printed | The applicant, invoiced after the decision | Yes |
| Amsterdam terrace permit | EUR 681.30, plus EUR 483.40 where alcohol is sold | The city's page on 8 October 2026, no tariff year printed | The applicant | Yes |
State and city charges. A late or missing municipal registration can be fined up to EUR 325 (Wet BRP, art. 4.17). Our fee is on request.
The operating permit takes 16 weeks and includes a Bibob integrity check (Municipality of Amsterdam, read 8 October 2026): the longest wait in the sequence. Food and NVWA rules are in our guide to how to start a food business in the Netherlands.
Published in other terms: registration from one week before to one week after your start (art. 20 Hrw 2007); a sole trader's VAT number within 10 workdays.
No official time is published The BRP appointment, the BSN and the DigiD.
Problems we solve
- "I need a KVK appointment this week"
Bookings run up to 8 weeks ahead and a slot within a week may not exist. You may visit up to 3 months before your start; we plan around that.
- "I have no BSN or DigiD yet"
Personal registration first, then the BSN, the DigiD and the form. Non-EU nationals abroad register in Breda or Venlo; no DigiD date can be promised.
- "My lease forbids a business"
Check your lease or mortgage first. A declaration of consent comes only from the resident and cannot be withdrawn; an occasional flex desk is not a visiting address.
- "The form is in Dutch"
The KVK's English-Dutch PDF is the aid. You still file with your own DigiD; we prepare your answers and go with you.
Planning around the longest wait?
Living abroad or opening a cafe? Personal registration and city permits set your timeline. Get your steps planned before you book.
Why work with NetherStart Partners
Daan Mulder, Launch and legal forms lead, Amsterdam office. Eleven years on Dutch start-up files. Dutch, English, French.
From our practice: the BSN route comes first, since the KVK form needs a DigiD and a DigiD needs a BSN; then the visiting address, the form and the appointment. A BV file goes to the notary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the rules for starting a business differ in Amsterdam, or is it the same as the rest of the Netherlands?
Most rules are national: the KVK procedure, the registration fee of EUR 85.15 in 2026, the address rules, the BSN and the DigiD. Amsterdam's own parts are the KVK Amsterdam office, the municipality's registration desk, the city's 40 percent home-office rule and its hospitality permits.
Do I have to register at the KVK office in Amsterdam, or can I use another office?
No. You can register at any KVK office in the Netherlands, and you choose the date, time and location when you book. The Rotterdam office, at Blaak 40, also works by appointment only, and the fee and the address rules are the same at every office.
How long does it take to get a KVK appointment in Amsterdam, and can I get one this week?
Appointments can be booked up to 8 weeks ahead, and the KVK warns that a slot within a week may not be available. You may visit up to 3 months before your start date to have your details and identity checked; the KVK number then arrives by post in your start week. No slot or date can be promised.
Where is the KVK office in Amsterdam after 2 November 2026?
From 2 November 2026 the KVK Amsterdam office is at Kabelweg 39-47, 1014 BA Amsterdam. Until the move it is at De Ruijterkade 5, 1013 AA, open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 17:00, by appointment only. The KVK page does not yet give the opening hours at the new address.
Can someone else register my sole proprietorship for me?
No. The KVK states that only the owner of a sole proprietorship can register it, logging in with their own DigiD; a bookkeeper or other intermediary can help but cannot register. A BV is registered by the civil-law notary. Our role is preparation, document checks and accompaniment, never the registration itself.
I do not have a BSN or a DigiD yet: what do I do first?
First the personal registration: the BRP at your municipality if you will stay more than four months, otherwise an RNI desk. The BSN is allocated immediately after it. Then you apply for a DigiD with the BSN, and only then fill in the KVK form. From abroad, a DigiD is activated with codes, not sent by post.
I am not from the EU: can I start a business in Amsterdam, and where can I register?
Yes, but a KVK registration does not give the right to work: self-employed work needs a residence permit that allows it, and the IND fee for a first application is EUR 423 in 2026. Non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals can register in the RNI only at the desks in Breda and Venlo.
Can I register my business at my home address in Amsterdam, even if I rent?
Your own BRP home address needs no proof of use at the KVK, and Amsterdam's published rule, written for home owners, allows an office of up to 40 percent of your home without a conversion permit. Your rental agreement or mortgage may still forbid running a business from home, so check it before you register.
Do I need a business licence or permit in Amsterdam, for example for a cafe?
There is no general business licence; permits depend on the activity. A cafe or restaurant needs the city's operating permit, decided within 16 weeks and including a Bibob integrity check, a terrace permit for outdoor seating and, if it serves alcohol, an alcohol licence, for which the owner and managers need a Social Hygiene diploma or certificate.
How much does the state charge to start a business in Amsterdam?
The KVK registration fee is EUR 85.15 in 2026, invoiced by email, no cash. The BRP or RNI registration and a later address change are free. A hospitality starter adds the city's charges: EUR 3,010.80 or EUR 3,621.50 for the operating permit, and EUR 681.30 for a terrace, plus EUR 483.40 with alcohol. Our fee is on request.
How can I create a new company?
Register yourself in the BRP or the RNI, get your DigiD, settle the business address and check whether you need a city permit, then fill in the KVK form and attend the KVK appointment. A BV is founded by notarial deed instead, its seat must lie in the Netherlands, and the notary registers it with the KVK.
Can a foreigner start a business in the Netherlands?
Yes. A founder who lives abroad registers with a Dutch visiting address and brings an original extract of the foreign population register, no more than 2 months old. A national from outside the EU, the EEA or Switzerland also needs a residence permit that allows self-employment before working self-employed.
How much does it cost to start a business in the Netherlands?
The state's one-off KVK registration fee is EUR 85.15 in 2026, wherever you register, and the BRP or RNI registration is free. Other costs depend on the legal form and the activity; the notary's fee for a BV is separate. Our own fee is on request.
How do I register my business in the Netherlands?
Fill in the KVK online form, which is in Dutch with an English-Dutch PDF as the aid, book an appointment with your DigiD and complete the registration at any KVK office, within the window from one week before to one week after you start. A BV is registered by the notary instead.
Request your Amsterdam start plan
Tell us your nationality, start date and activity; our fee is on request. A client who takes this service does not take our address.
