Changes and deregistration

You can report a change of address online.

• Choose ‘Wijzigen’ (change, in Dutch)
• Enter your business name or KVK number.
• Select ‘Gegevens van de vestiging wijzigen' (Change business branch details)
• Follow the steps and submit the details digitally or by post.

Additional documentation

If the visiting address is not the same as your home address, submit 1 of the following documents to show that you are permitted to use this address as a visiting address for your enterprise:

• a copy of the rental, purchase, or lease agreement, signed by both parties; or
• a certificate from the Dutch Land Registry Office; or
• a declaration of consent.

Private address

If your private address is also changing, you should first notify your local Personal Records Database (BRP) of the municipality.

Do you want to communicate a change of address without a rental, purchase or lease agreement? Then use a declaration of consent.

Declaration of consent

With a declaration of consent, the owner/landlord of the property grants you permission to establish a business/organisation at the relevant address, or to use the address in question as a postal address for your business/organisation. The declaration must have a signature and copy of the owner/landlord's proof of identity.

First, change your private address with your local municipality. They will pass this information to us. Then we will automatically change your private address.

Is the visiting address of your business or organisation the same as your private address? Then you must inform us directly of the change of your visiting address. For sole proprietorships, this can be done via My eenmanszaak. For other legal structures, you can report a change online. But only do this after you have informed the municipality about the change of your private address. This means we do not have to ask you for additional proof.

Private address abroad

Do you live abroad and are you registered in the Non-residents Records Database (RNI)? Submit the change of your private address to 1 of the 19 RNI desks. We will then change your private address automatically.

Not registered in the RNI? Then pass on the change of your private address to us using form 16 (for a sole proprietorship) or report a change for other legal structures. Print the form, sign it, and send it together with a copy of a valid proof of identity to the KVK postal address. Also send proof of the new private address.

Anyone can see the visiting address of your business. Sometimes you may not want that. That is why you can shield the visiting address of your sole proprietorship. With other legal structures, shielding can only be done if there is a threatening situation. You must always register a postal address. 

Learn more about shielding your business address.

Click the 'Report a change' button. Enter your business name or KVK number. Click on Functionarissen ('Officers') and follow the steps.

To identify yourself in person or not?

You do not always have to come in person to identify yourself at a KVK office. On our website and the forms, you can read when personal identification is or is not necessary.

Do you have to identify yourself? Then make an appointment online. You can register at any KVK office in the Netherlands. 

Register and deregister at the same time

Does the director or partner who will be deregistered also sign for the registration of the new director or partner? Then give the deregistration form to the new director or partner when they come to register at a KVK office.

This will prevent the registration and deregistration from crossing paths, possibly making registration impossible at that time. Only a director or partner who is still registered may sign for the registration of a new director or partner.

Check whether the change affects the UBO registration

Via the online UBO report, determine whether the new director or partner will also become a UBO of your organisation and immediately register the new UBO or submit a change.

Consequences for (financial) institutions

A change of officials may have consequences for, for instance, permits of the municipality, financing, insurance, pension fund, or bank account of the company. Check the website of the relevant (financial) institution for which steps you must follow when changing officials.

You register a director online. You can read how to do this in our article 'Reporting a board change for a stichting, vereniging, or VvE'.

Use a change form for this purpose, or Form 11 (Register an official of a legal entity) if it cannot be done online. Enclose a copy of the notarial deed of transfer of shares. This is not necessary if a civil-law notary signs the form. Check whether the change affects the UBO report.

Authorised signatory and copy of ID

A director, who is currently registered in the Business Register, signs the form. Send the form to the KVK postal address together with a valid proof of identity of the authorised signatory and the sole shareholder. Do not send a copy of the sole shareholder's proof of identity if this person is already registered as a director or supervisory director (in the same KVK number).

To change the number of registered employed persons: 

• Go to ‘Wijzigen’ (Report a change, the page is in Dutch)
• Search for the name of your company.
• Select ‘Gegevens van de vestiging wijzigen’ (Change establishment details).
• Select ‘Aantal werkzame personen’ (Number of persons employed).
• Go through the steps and send the details online or by post.

You can change, add or remove the trade name of a business through ‘Wijzigen’ (change, in Dutch). Enter your business name or registration number. Select ‘Organisatiegegevens wijzigen’ (organisation details) and follow the steps. Submit the details digitally.

KVK cannot give advice about a trade name. A trade name must not be confusing by being similar to an existing trade name. Also, a trade name must not be misleading. Before registering a new trade name, it is wise to check it first on our website. Consider the advice here, and read the general rules and tips on choosing a trade name.

To change the trade name of a vof, maatschap or cv (a partnership), you need to fill in Form 15 (in Dutch). On this form, you can indicate that the new name of the partnership will also be the new trade name.

To change the legal name of a bv, you must contact a civil-law notary, as this requires amending the articles of association. However, you can add an additional trade name.

An SBI code is always linked to the registered business activities. You change your business activities online. You can read how to do this and what to watch out for in our article 'Changing or adding business activities'.

You change your business activities online. You can read how to do this and what to watch out for in the article Changing or adding business activities.

Register a new branch of your company via our website:

• Go to Report a change. This takes you to the online Dutch form.
• Search for and select your business.
• Click 'Nieuwe vestiging inschrijven' (register a new branch)
• Follow the steps and send the details digitally or by post

Additional proof

Is the visiting address not the same as your private address? Then provide one of the following documents as proof that you may use this address as the visiting address for your new branch::

• a copy of the rental or lease contract, signed by both parties; or
• a supporting document from the 'Kadaster' (Land Registry Office); or
• a declaration of consent. 

For associations and foundations

Are you not sure whether to register the branch office? Then take a look at the branch office registration decision tree for foundations and associations (in Dutch). 

It depends on the number of weeks the business has been deregistered and the proof you have for this.

Deregistered for longer than 6 weeks

Did you deregister your eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship ) more than 6 weeks ago? In this case, you cannot undo your deregistration. You have to register a new eenmanszaak.

To prepare for the registration, please complete the online registration form. Then make an appointment at a KVK office to finalise your registration. You can do this at any KVK office in the Netherlands. 

For this new registration you will receive a new KVK number and a new VAT identification number. For the registration of the new eenmanszaak, you must pay a registration fee.

Deregistered for less than 6 weeks

Did you deregister your sole proprietorship less than 6 weeks ago? Then you can reverse your deregistration if you can prove that your business has continued to be active. To do so, complete and send form 18 (Additional information regarding other Business Register forms), and include the requested evidence. For example:

• Recent bank statements in the name of the company, showing that there still are – or have been – activities.
• Recent purchase and sales invoices, or order confirmations. If your company was deregistered retroactively, include invoices from that period.
• A statement from your bookkeeper or accountant.
• Proof of business activities (WUO) or results from other activities (ROW) issued by the tax administration. Or other forms of administration that can prove that the rectification is correct.

Complete, sign and send form 18 by post. Include a copy of a valid ID and your supporting documents. Do this within 6 weeks from the date of the deregistration confirmation. You received this from us by post.

We will assess whether the supporting documents offer sufficient proof to reinstate the registration. If so, you will keep the same KVK number. You will receive confirmation of this by post. You can then apply for a new certified KVK Business Register Extract.

Tax Administration

The Netherlands Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) is not automatically notified of the reversal of your deregistration.

To re-activate your VAT number, please send a letter to the Tax Administration stating that you want to re-activate the VAT number for your business. Send the letter to:

Belastingdienst/Klantbeheer
Postbus 2892
6401 DJ Heerlen

Your VAT number may not remain exactly the same. You can speak to the Tax Administration about this.

If you do not carry out any activities for an extended period, you should deregister your business from the Business Register. This is because the Business Register is a register of active businesses. Putting your registration on hold is not possible. Nevertheless, it may sometimes be necessary to temporarily stop working on your business. For example, to attend a study, take on temporary employment, or to travel for less than 8 months. What you need to do depends on your situation.

Situation 1: Your business has no turnover or business activity (for example, due to travel, study, illness, etc).

• Is this period expected to last for less than 6 months?

  You can temporarily stop working on your business. It remains registered in the Business Register. Let your contacts know you are stopping your business activities for a while. Continue to file VAT returns, even if these are nil or zero returns. You should continue doing the accounts. 

• Is this period expected to last for longer than 6 months? Or is the length of time not known?

  Deregister your business.
  If you start business activities again after this period, you register a new business. You will receive a new KVK number and VAT number. It is not possible to re-activate your old KVK number and VAT number. If you want to keep the ‘right’ to your trade name, you have to use that name externally. You cannot keep your KVK registration for this purpose.

Situation 2: Your business has no turnover but there is business activity (for example, acquisition, product development, getting ready to start, etc).

This is a valid reason to stay registered. Just remember that after several nil VAT tax returns, the Tax Administration will withdraw your VAT tax number. Before they do this, you will receive a letter. If you disagree with this, you have to prove that no ‘discontinuation’ took place. Can you not do this? Then KVK receives a message from the Tax Administration and will deregister your business.

You can deregister your business using an online form (in Dutch) on our website. In the online form, select 'uitschrijven' (deregister), then enter the company name or KVK number, and complete the steps. Submit the deregistration:

• online: this is possible for a sole proprietorship, a legal entity still being set up, or a branch of a foreign company in the Netherlands
• by post: for all other legal forms

When you stop your business, there are a number of things you need to arrange. You will find useful tips in the step-by-step plan for ending your business, and in the information about tax issues when ending a business (in Dutch).

Please note: Dissolving and deregistering the business may have an impact on, among other things, your business bank account, financing, insurance, pension fund, and municipal permits. For example, you will no longer be able to access your business bank account. Please check the websites of these organisations to find out what steps you must take before deregistering.

Are you planning to apply for financial support from your municipality? If so, it may be a condition that you are still listed in the Business Register. Check this before deregistering the company with KVK.

The deregistration of your 'eenmanszaak' (sole proprietorship) should be done via a change form on our website (in Dutch):

• Go to 'Uitschrijven' (Deregister).
• Search for and choose your company.
• Click on 'Opheffen eenmanszaak' (Dissolve sole proprietorship)
• Fill in your details and submit the deregistration digitally or by post.

Submit digitally (processing time 2 working days)

You sign the form by logging in with DigiD.

Submit by post (longer processing time 15 working days)

Send the completed and signed form to the KVK postal address, together with a copy of a valid identification document of the signatory. The signatory of the form is always an authorised person currently registered in the Busines Register.

More information

When you end your business, you need to arrange a number of things. You will find useful tips in the article 'Ending your company per legal structure'. And in the information on tax matters when you discontinue your business.

Please note: Dissolving and deregistering the sole proprietorship may affect your business bank account, financing, insurance, pension fund, and municipal permits, among other things.

For example, you will no longer be able to access your business bank account. Therefore, before deregistering your sole proprietorship with us, please check the websites of these organisations to find out what steps you must take.

Are you planning to apply for financial support from your municipality? If so, a condition may be that you are still registered in the Business Register. Check this before you deregister from KVK.

You can dissolve or deregister a vof, maatschap, cv, or shipping company using Form 17a. To find out what steps you need to take. read the article 'Dissolving a vof, cv, or maatschap'

To dissolve the bv, the shareholders first take a dissolution decision. Check the bv's articles of association to see how this resolution should be passed. In the article 'Dissolving a legal entity', you can read how to submit the dissolution decision and deregister the legal entity with KVK, and what else may be needed.

Check this article and find out what steps to take.

Choose your situation on this page and read what steps to take.

By post

Yes, you can also report a change by submitting the right form by post. Please place an original signature (with a pen) on the form. Enclose a copy of your proof of identity. Allow for a longer processing time (15 workdays). 

By email

You cannot submit a change form by email. This is because KVK needs your original signature (with a pen) on the form.

By phone

You cannot report your change by phone. Go to kvk.nl/report-a-change to submit your changes. 

You must report a change within 1 week. Has more than a week passed? In that case, you must still report your change. If you fail to do so, this will have consequences, for example, for the liability of your company. The change only takes effect once it has been entered in the Business Register. You cannot rely on it before then.

It is free to submit a change. Are you registering a new business, a continuation, an acquisition, a merger, or a demerger? And will you get a new KVK number? Then you must pay a registration fee.

New KVK extract

After the change is made, you can order a KVK Business Register Extract. There is a fee for this.

We use different postal addresses and PO Box numbers. Find out which postal address applies to your situation.

The PDF forms for registering, changing or deregistering can be found on our website.

You can report most changes online. Your details will then be up to date within 2 days. The web page will tell you which attachments you need to send along.

You can also print out the digitally completed details and send them to the KVK postal address together with the required attachments. Your details will be processed after about 15 working days. If you use the PDF forms, the processing time will also be 15 working days.

If you submitted your change online and we have received it, you will receive an email confirmation. The confirmation of receipt may end up in your spam folder, so please check there.

If you have not received an email from KVK with the confirmation of receipt, this means something went wrong. If this happens, please contact us.

Did you submit your change by post? You will only receive a confirmation when your change has been processed. This is usually within 15 working days. We will contact you if the change is incorrect or incomplete.

If you submitted a change for a date in the future, you will only see the change in the Business Register from that date. This is because the Business Register always shows the current situation.

How quickly we process your change depends on how you communicate your change to us. We process a change you make online faster than a change by post. Check the current processing times on our website.

If the information you provide is not correct, we will contact you.

Are you submitting a change for a future date? Then you will only see the change in the Business Register on that date. For the UBO register, you cannot submit changes with an effective date in the future. 

We cannot provide information about the status between the time of receipt and processing.

After your change has been processed in the Business Register and/or UBO register, you will receive official confirmation by letter, or digitally via your Message Box account. Are you submitting the change online? Then you will also receive confirmation by email.

You can see the details of all organisations you are currently registered with via My KVK. You also see the UBOs of an organisation for which you are allowed to file a report. And you can see your own UBO details if you yourself are listed as a UBO in the UBO register.