Europe · Company formation
Company formation in Netherlands
This suits an EU holding or operating company that wants the participation exemption and an extensive treaty network.
At a glance
- Entity
- Private limited company (Besloten Vennootschap, BV)
- Corporate tax
- 19% on the first EUR 200,000 of profit, 25.8% above (rates unchanged for 2026); ~9% effective under the Innovation Box for qualifying IP
- Incorporation time
- ~5–10 working days
- Minimum capital
- EUR 0.01 (Flex-BV; nominal only, no minimum paid-up requirement)
- Resident director
- Not required (no residency requirement for directors or shareholders)
- Audit
- Small-company exemption; statutory audit is mandatory only once two of three thresholds are met over two consecutive years (assets EUR 7.5m, turnover EUR 15m, 50 employees)
- Remote set-up
- Mostly; the notarial deed of incorporation can be executed via a power of attorney with video identity verification, avoiding travel
- Government fee
- EUR 85.15 KVK registration fee (one-off, as of 2026); civil-law notary fees are separate and vary by provider
- Best for
- This suits an EU holding or operating company that wants the participation exemption and an extensive treaty network.
The process
- Choose a name and instruct a civil-law notary (notaris) to draft the articles of association
- Submit KYC/identity documents and sign the notarial power of attorney (may be done remotely)
- Execute the notarial deed of incorporation before the notary
- The notary registers the BV with the KVK (Business Register), producing the KVK number and RSIN
- Register for corporate income tax and VAT with the Belastingdienst (tax authority)
- Open a Dutch business bank account to deposit capital and operate
- The EUR 0.01 minimum is nominal only; directors risk personal liability for undercapitalisation, and banks and counterparties expect realistic working capital.
- Opening a Dutch business bank account is the practical bottleneck: banks apply strict KYC and generally want genuine local substance or nexus before onboarding.
- A pure holding BV without substance risks challenge under EU anti-avoidance rules (ATAD, principal-purpose test) and may be denied treaty or withholding-tax benefits; substance is increasingly required.
- A 15% dividend withholding tax applies to distributions unless reduced by treaty or the EU Parent-Subsidiary regime, plus a conditional withholding tax on interest and royalties paid to low-tax jurisdictions.
Frequently asked
How long does it take to register a company in Netherlands?
~5–10 working days
How much does it cost to register a company in Netherlands?
EUR 85.15 KVK registration fee (one-off, as of 2026); civil-law notary fees are separate and vary by provider
What is the corporate tax rate in Netherlands?
19% on the first EUR 200,000 of profit, 25.8% above (rates unchanged for 2026); ~9% effective under the Innovation Box for qualifying IP
Does a company in Netherlands need a resident director?
Not required (no residency requirement for directors or shareholders)
Can a company in Netherlands be formed remotely?
Mostly; the notarial deed of incorporation can be executed via a power of attorney with video identity verification, avoiding travel
What is the minimum share capital in Netherlands?
EUR 0.01 (Flex-BV; nominal only, no minimum paid-up requirement)
Does a company in Netherlands need an audit?
Small-company exemption; statutory audit is mandatory only once two of three thresholds are met over two consecutive years (assets EUR 7.5m, turnover EUR 15m, 50 employees)
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Form a company in Netherlands?
One named person on the file, an honest read on tax and substance, and a fixed quote before you commit.