Company forms
Dutch BV Incorporation for Founders Abroad
Your Dutch private limited company: incorporated by notarial deed, registered with the KVK and the Belastingdienst, and planned on the route your founders may use.
- No statutory minimum capital (art. 2:178 BW)
- KVK fee 2026: EUR 85.15
- Online deed for EU nationals; paper deed for everyone
A Dutch BV, set up from abroad
A BV, besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid, is the Dutch private limited company: a legal person with registered shares whose shareholders are not personally liable for its debts (Civil Code, art. 2:175 lid 1 BW). It is one of several Dutch business structures; for a vehicle without shares, see our Dutch foundation service.
We set up BVs for founders and companies abroad, EU and non-EU, coordinating the notary, the KVK and the Belastingdienst. A BV needs no statutory minimum capital (art. 2:178 BW); a dutch nv needs EUR 45,000 (art. 2:67 BW).
What's included
Six pieces of work, from structure to the first year.
Structure and articles
Shares, board, name and object, and the choice between a single BV and a holding over an operating BV. See our holding company overview.
The notary's file
We prepare the draft deed and articles, the founders' identification and, on the paper route, the written power of attorney (art. 2:176 lid 1 BW). The notary executes the deed.
Registration follow-through
The notary files the Business Register and UBO entries within one week of the deed (art. 20 lid 1 Hrw 2007). We follow that filing through to the register.
The letters that follow
The KVK number letter, the RSIN and the Belastingdienst letter, which arrives by post within 2 weeks. We track each one for founders abroad.
First-year set-up
eHerkenning for tax filing, support with the bank-account application, VAT and corporate tax follow-up, and the customary-salary question. Then bookkeeping and accounting services, returns and annual accounts.
Where our work stops
The deed is the notary's act. We never act as your director, hold a general power of attorney, sell a BV, or bundle our address with it (Wtt 2018, art. 1 and 3).
Which route fits your founders
Who the founders are and what they contribute fix the route (Book 2 BW, in force from 1 July 2026).
Every founder an EU national, cash only
The electronic deed is open and may be in English (art. 2:175a lid 1, 2:176 lid 2 BW), with a statutory clock of five or ten working days (lid 3).
A founder outside the EU, even with an EU eID
The electronic deed is closed, because every co-founder must be an EU national (explanatory memorandum, Kamerstukken 36085). The Dutch paper deed is open, by appearance or written power of attorney.
A company as founder
A company may found a BV online, signing through its authorised director, as the explanatory memorandum and the notaries' English model deed provide. The paper deed stays open to it too.
A contribution in kind, or an existing BV
Online deeds take cash only (art. 2:191a lid 4 BW), so contributions in kind go on paper (art. 2:204a BW). For an existing BV, see shelf company netherlands: buyer-side help with the notarial share transfer.
- Who may use it
- Nationals of an EU member state only (art. 2:175a lid 1 BW)
- Language
- English allowed (art. 2:176 lid 2 BW)
- Presence
- eID at eIDAS level high and a video session (art. 53a Wna)
- Contributions
- Cash only (art. 2:191a lid 4 BW)
- Statutory clock
- Five or ten working days (art. 2:175a lid 3 BW)
- Who may use it
- Everyone (art. 2:176 lid 1 BW)
- Language
- Dutch
- Presence
- Appearance or a written power of attorney
- Contributions
- Cash or in kind (art. 2:204a BW)
- Statutory clock
- None
How the incorporation works
Eight steps; a clock appears only where the law or an official page sets one.
Set by law or an official pagePractice indicationNo statutory deadline
- Structure, name and addressYou and usNo official time
- Route choiceYou and usNo official time
- Notary engagementThe notaryNo official time
- SigningYou, by eID or power of attorneyElectronic: five or ten working days from a complete file (art. 2:175a lid 3 BW) Paper: no statutory deadline
- Execution of the deedThe notaryThe BV exists that day
- KVK and UBO registrationThe notary filesWithin one week of the deed (art. 20 lid 1 Hrw 2007)
- KVK number, RSIN and tax letterThe KVK and the BelastingdienstKVK invoice payable within four weeks Tax letter by post within 2 weeks (kvk.nl)
- eHerkenning and the bankThe supplier and the bankBank approval often 2 to 8 weeks (business.gov.nl)
Structure, name and address
Shares, board, name and your own Dutch business address; the seat lies in the Netherlands (art. 2:177 lid 3 BW). Name protection: Benelux trade mark registration.
Route choice
Electronic deed where every founder is an EU national or a company, and every contribution is cash; otherwise the paper deed.
Notary engagement
The notary takes the draft deed and articles, identifies each new party and runs the Wwft client due diligence.
Signing
Electronic route: eID login and video session (art. 2:175a lid 3 BW). Paper route: appearance or a written power of attorney.
Execution of the deed
The BV exists, its first directors are appointed in the deed (art. 2:242 lid 1 BW), and the notary hands over the shareholders' register.
KVK and UBO registration
The notary files both (Hrw 2007, art. 20 lid 1); until then the directors are jointly and severally liable with the BV (art. 2:180 lid 2 BW).
Number, RSIN and tax letter
The KVK number letter, an EUR 85.15 invoice payable within four weeks, the RSIN, then the tax letter by post (kvk.nl).
eHerkenning and the bank
eHerkenning for tax filing, then a business account, or a SEPA account abroad in the BV's name.
Not sure which route your founders can use?
Tell us each founder's nationality and contribution; we reply with the deed route and its documents.
Documents you will need
What the notary and the KVK ask for, by route.
- Passport or identity card for every founder and director (art. 39 lid 1 Wna)
- The information the notary requests for its Wwft client due diligence
- Electronic route: an eID at eIDAS level high, in practice ItsMe (art. 53a Wna)
- Electronic route: each director's declaration on disqualifications in another member state
- Paper route, not appearing: a written power of attorney, legalised and apostilled in practice
- Corporate founder: an extract from its home register and, in practice, a capacity legal opinion
- UBO data for every ultimate beneficial owner, with supporting documents (art. 15a Hrw 2007)
- Proof of your Dutch business address, such as a lease; never a P.O. box
- Contribution in kind, paper route only: the founders' description and valuation (art. 2:204a BW)
- Not required: bank statement, Dutch-resident director, residence permit, or a pre-deed bank account
Dutch BV requirements, fees and deadlines in 2026
What the law and the state set for a BV in 2026; our fee is on request. Next, see corporate income tax in the Netherlands and what a Dutch BV costs to set up.
Dutch BV rules, state fees and deadlines for 2026, from the statutes cited in each row, kvk.nl and business.gov.nl; checked on 3 October 2026.
| Item | Rule or figure | Source and year |
|---|---|---|
| Share capital | No statutory minimum; at least EUR 0.01 paid in, in practice | Art. 2:178 BW (2026); business.gov.nl, 2026 |
| Seat and address | Seat in the Netherlands; a Dutch business address, not a P.O. box | Art. 2:177 lid 3 BW; business.gov.nl, 2026 |
| Directors | No residence or nationality rule in Book 2; a legal person may be director | Art. 2:242 and 2:11 BW |
| Deed and notary | Notarial deed; notary fees not regulated, kvk.nl indicates EUR 500 to EUR 1,500 | Art. 2:175 lid 2 BW; art. 54 Wna; kvk.nl, 2026 |
| KVK registration fee | EUR 85.15 one-off, the same for every legal form, VAT-exempt | Art. 5 Financiële regeling handelsregister 2019, from 1 July 2026 |
| First registration and UBO | Within one week of the deed; later changes within one week, UBO changes within 7 days | Art. 20 Hrw 2007; business.gov.nl, 2026 |
| Certified extract | EUR 9.60 digital, EUR 19.20 paper | Art. 1 and 2 Financiële regeling handelsregister 2019 (2026) |
| Corporate income tax 2026 | 19 percent up to EUR 200,000; 25.8 percent above | Art. 22 Wet Vpb 1969; kvk.nl, 2026 |
| DGA customary salary 2026 | At least EUR 58,000, or the higher comparison figure | Art. 12a lid 1 sub c Wet LB 1964 |
| Annual accounts | Drawn up within five months, extendable by five; filed within eight days of adoption, at the latest twelve months after year end | Art. 2:210 and 2:394 BW |
Problems we solve
- A non-EU founder expects to sign online
The electronic deed is closed to non-EU nationals, EU eID or not (art. 2:175a lid 1 BW). We plan the paper deed with a written power of attorney from the start.
- The bank account
No statute requires one before the deed, but official guidance treats a business account as mandatory, and banks do refuse foreign-owned BVs in practice. Application support: business bank account netherlands.
- Liability before registration
Acts for the BV i.o. (BV in formation) bind whoever acted until ratified (art. 2:203 BW); directors share the BV's liability until the first filing (art. 2:180 lid 2 BW). We plan around that window.
- A board that sits abroad
A Dutch-incorporated BV is deemed resident for corporate tax (art. 2(5) Wet Vpb), while residence is otherwise judged by the facts (art. 4 AWR). A board abroad risks dual residence.
- First-year duties nobody mentioned
A directeur-grootaandeelhouder (DGA, a director holding at least 5 percent) takes a customary salary of at least EUR 58,000 in 2026. Accounts filed late presume improper management in a later bankruptcy (art. 2:248 BW).
Planning a BV with founders in several countries?
Send the founders' nationalities and the planned shareholding; we return the deed route, the documents and the first-year dates.
Why work with us
Route first, then the notary's file, identification and UBO data, then the KVK letter, the RSIN and the tax letter.
Joost van Leeuwen, company formation and company law lead, Amsterdam: eleven years on Dutch company files, in Dutch, English and German.
Related services
- DutchRegist: Online Company Registration in the NetherlandsThe electronic deed in depth: who may use it, the eID and the video session.
- DutchRegist: Dutch CooperativeThe member-based legal form, for a business its members run together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set up a Dutch BV online if I am not an EU citizen?
No. The electronic deed under art. 2:175a BW is open only to nationals of an EU member state, every co-founder included, and holding an EU-recognised eID does not change that. A founder of any nationality can use the paper deed, signing in person or by written power of attorney (art. 2:176 lid 1 BW).
Do I need to live in the Netherlands, or hold a residence permit, to own and direct a BV?
No residence permit is needed to own a BV, and Book 2 of the Civil Code sets no residence or nationality rule for directors (art. 2:242 BW), although the articles may restrict who can be appointed. The BV does need a Dutch business address; a P.O. box is not accepted.
Do I need a Dutch bank account before the BV can be incorporated?
Not by statute: the bank-statement rule of art. 2:203a BW was repealed on 1 October 2012. Official guidance treats a business account as mandatory once the BV exists, and accepts a SEPA account held abroad in the BV's name. A statutory right to a business basic account was enacted in 2026 but is not yet in force.
How long does it take to set up a Dutch BV?
Only the electronic route has a statutory clock: five or ten working days from a complete file (art. 2:175a lid 3 BW). The notary files the registration within one week (art. 20 Hrw 2007), the tax letter follows by post within 2 weeks, and a bank often takes 2 to 8 weeks. The paper route has no statutory deadline.
What does the state charge to register a BV in 2026, and what does a notary charge?
The KVK charges a one-off registration fee of EUR 85.15, the same for every legal form (art. 5 Financiële regeling handelsregister 2019, in force from 1 July 2026). Notary fees are not regulated (art. 54 Wna); kvk.nl indicates EUR 500 to EUR 1,500 for an incorporation. Our own fee is on request.
Am I personally liable before the BV is registered?
Yes, for acts in the name of the BV in formation (BV i.o.): those who acted are jointly and severally bound until the BV ratifies them (art. 2:203 BW). After the deed, the directors are jointly and severally liable with the BV for every act binding it until the first registration is filed (art. 2:180 lid 2 BW).
Can the deed and the articles of association be in English?
Only the electronic deed may be executed in English (art. 2:176 lid 2 BW), and that route is open to EU-national founders and to a company acting through its director. A paper deed is executed in Dutch (art. 2:176 lid 1 BW), and articles first drawn up in Dutch cannot later be amended in English (art. 2:234 lid 4 BW).
What is the minimum share capital of a Dutch BV?
There is no statutory minimum (art. 2:178 BW): the articles state the nominal amount of the shares, and the deed states the issued and paid-up capital. In practice at least EUR 0.01 is paid in. The capital may be in a foreign currency (art. 2:178 lid 2 BW), and payment may be deferred (art. 2:191 lid 1 BW).
Who can see my name in the Business Register?
Every director and supervisory director is public, and so is the holder of all shares where there is a sole shareholder (art. 22 lid 1 HRB). The shareholders' register kept by the board (art. 2:194 BW) is not public, and UBO data are open only to Wwft and Sanctions Act institutions (art. 22a Hrw 2007).
What must the BV do every year after registration?
Pay corporate income tax at 19 percent up to EUR 200,000 and 25.8 percent above (art. 22 Wet Vpb, 2026), and file the return before 1 June for a calendar year. A director-major shareholder takes a customary salary. The annual accounts are drawn up within five months and filed within eight days of adoption (art. 2:210, 2:394 BW).
What does BV stand for, and what is a Dutch BV?
BV stands for besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid, the Dutch private limited company. It is a legal person whose capital is divided into one or more transferable registered shares, and its shareholders are not personally liable for its debts (art. 2:175 lid 1 BW). Its name must begin or end with "B.V." (art. 2:177 lid 2 BW).
What is the main difference between a BV and an NV in the Netherlands?
Capital is the clearest one: a BV has no statutory minimum (art. 2:178 BW), while an NV needs EUR 45,000 (art. 2:67 BW). A BV can also be incorporated by electronic deed, and an NV cannot. The full comparison of the Dutch company forms, with the other differences, is on the company types page.
Is a Dutch BV a corporation?
Under Dutch law a BV is a legal person whose capital is divided into shares, and its shareholders are not personally liable for its debts (art. 2:175 lid 1 BW). How another country's tax law classifies a BV is decided under that country's own rules, and this page does not state that classification.
Request a BV formation plan
Tell us about the founders and the business; we confirm the deed route and the documents before any date is given.