How to incorporate a company in Netherlands in 2024

The process of establishing a new company and open a new corporate bank account in Netherlands are straightforward and can be completed in three weeks. Our international Clients will not be obligated to travel to Netherlands as our dedicated team on the ground will complete all procedures on their behalf.

Please find below a 10 steps summary of the procedure for company formation in the Netherlands:

Pre-incorporation steps

Netherlands company structuring

1. Consultation: Following formal engagement and due diligence receipt with Healy Consultants, our Firm and our Client agree on important points, such as: i) the proposed business activity scope and applicable licensing obligations (if any) ii) availability of business names and iii) preferred share capital requirements;
2. Corporate structure: Both parties agree on the exact corporate structure, including: i) the identity and background of the director appointees ii) the details of the memorandum and articles of incorporation iii) any changes applicable to the legally established corporate document templates and iv) the percentage distribution of ownership between the shareholders;
3. Name reservation: A dedicated officer will initiate a business name search with the local city Chamber of Commerce and submit application for name reservation. This step is necessary before our Firm can proceed with incorporation of the Netherlands company.

Incorporation steps

Netherlands company incorporation

1. Document requirement for registering a Netherlands company: Healy Consultants drafts and agrees with our Client the statutes of the company deed of incorporation and other support documents, such as director and shareholder consent forms. These documents need to be signed in front of a notary public in person, or via a power of attorney, so as to avoid the need to travel to the Netherlands to register the business;
2. Company setup application: Together with completed Form 8, and the already notarized set of company documents, our Firm submits a formal company incorporation application to the local Chamber of Commerce. This process takes on average up to 5 business days. The minimal Government fee for this application is €120.29.

Tax and employer registrations

1. Tax and VAT registration: Following successful Netherlands company registration, Healy Consultants will submit application for tax and VAT with the local tax authority. This process is time-consuming and may take up to 4 to 6 business weeks to complete;
2. Employer registration: If required by our Client, our Firm will submit an application for employer registration with the local tax authority. In most cases, this process is simultaneous with the tax registration, unless our Client wishes to delay employment in Netherlands.

Post-incorporation steps

1. Corporate bank account opening: As a next step, we assist our non-resident Client secure a non-travel corporate bank account in a preferred, high-quality Dutch bank. Healy Consultants will prepare original corporate bank account opening forms for our Client’s signature and submit a complete application set. Immediately after bank account opening, our Client deposits the initial share capital of the company (if any) and activates online banking. View this Dutch banking guide for more details.

Work permits and licensing application

1. Work permit: When required, Healy Consultants will assist our Client or his foreign staff secure work permits specific business or invitation letters for Netherlands, by submitting a quality application to the Immigration and Naturalization office. Such applications take a minimum of 8 weeks to process;
2. Business licenses: In cases, when our Client wishes to operate in a specific business sector that requires license, our Company will assist our Client to i) determine the exact license applicable to their business ii) prepare a quality feasibility study and iii) submit a complete license application with the target licensing authority in Netherlands.