Netherlands

Set up your Dutch B.V. or holding without travelling

A Dutch B.V. needs one cent of capital, exempts dividends from a 5% stake from day one, and is known to every bank and investor in Europe. Answer three questions and we tell you which structure fits. Then we register it for you, remotely, for a fixed fee.

Takes one minute. Free first consultation.

Netherlands at a glance
Corporate tax19% to EUR 200,000, 25.8% above
Share capitalFrom EUR 0.01 (B.V.)
Participation exemption5%, no holding period
Tax treatiesAbout 100, including Australia
TravelNone, sign by power of attorney
Structure finder

Which Dutch structure do you need?

Three questions, one recommendation. We confirm it on a free call before anything is signed.

Question 1 of 3

What will the Dutch company mainly do?

Question 2 of 3

Who will own it?

Question 3 of 3

Where is the owner based?

Our suggestion

A Dutch holding B.V.

Dividends and exit gains from subsidiaries held at 5% or more are exempt from the day you buy them. The B.V. needs no real share capital and pays no net wealth tax.

Dutch holding company →
Our suggestion

A Dutch B.V.

The standard Dutch company for trading and services. Registered by a notary, with a KVK number, tax numbers and a bank-ready file.

Company formation in the Netherlands →
Our suggestion

A Dutch SPV B.V.

One B.V. per deal or joint venture, with the shareholders' agreement built into its articles. Lenders and partners across Europe know how it works.

Dutch SPV for M&A and joint ventures →
Our suggestion

Consider Luxembourg for a fund

The Dutch toolkit is corporate rather than fund-shaped. For investor money, a Luxembourg SCSp or RAIF is usually what investors expect. A Dutch CV or FGR can work for a smaller platform.

Luxembourg investment funds →
Check first

A B.V., but not paying out to a low-tax parent

Since 2024 the Netherlands withholds 25.8% on dividends, interest and royalties paid to a related company in a low-tax country. We look at the top of your structure before we set anything up.

Luxembourg vs Netherlands →
Dividend check

Will dividends pass through your B.V. tax-free?

Two questions decide it: are dividends from your subsidiary exempt in the B.V., and what is withheld when the B.V. pays its owner? Enter your case.

Dividends into the B.V.

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Dividends out to the owner

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Look at Luxembourg too. Luxembourg withholds 15% here instead of 25.8%, and nothing on liquidation proceeds. Compare both.

A first indication under the Dutch participation exemption and dividend withholding rules, not tax advice. The 0% rate also requires that the structure is not abusive and that the owner is the beneficial owner. We check every flow before you rely on it.

What we set up in the Netherlands

Pick a service and start today

Company formation

A B.V. registered by a Dutch notary, with KVK and tax numbers and a bank file.

Dutch holding company

A holding B.V. with exempt dividends and exit gains from 5%.

SPVs and joint ventures

One B.V. per deal, with the shareholder rules in its articles.

Director, address, accounting

A Dutch address, bookkeeping and annual filings through licensed providers.

Before you pay out

The 25.8% rule most structures were not built for

Since 2021 the Netherlands withholds 25.8% on interest and royalties paid to related companies in countries with a profit tax below 9% or on the EU blacklist. Since 1 January 2024 the same applies to dividends.

Payments to normally taxed countries and to unrelated parties are not affected. If your group has a UAE, offshore or similar parent, we plan the top of the structure before the B.V. pays anything.

Dutch vehicles

Six vehicles, and the B.V. does most of the work

Every corporate form is set up by a Dutch civil-law notary and entered in the trade register (KVK). Only the N.V. has a real capital requirement.

VehicleWhat it isCapitalTypical use
B.V.Private limited companyEUR 0.01Holdings, SPVs, operating companies. The default.
N.V.Public limited companyEUR 45,000A wide or listed shareholder base
CVLimited partnershipNoneFund and joint-venture structures
FGRMutual fundNoneContractual fund for collective investment
CoöperatieCooperativeNoneMember-based vehicle in investment chains
STAKTrust office foundationNoneSeparates economic ownership from voting control
Is the Netherlands right for you?

A Dutch B.V. beats Luxembourg more often than people think

Choose the Netherlands if

  • ✓

    You own companies and may sell stakes early

    The exemption starts at 5% with no holding period.

  • ✓

    Your parent is in the US or Australia

    Dutch treaty and domestic rates can beat Luxembourg for these owners.

  • ✓

    You want low running costs

    No minimum capital and no net wealth tax.

Look at Luxembourg if

  • ✕

    You are raising a fund

    Investors expect a Luxembourg SCSp or RAIF.

  • ✕

    Your parent sits in a low-tax country

    25.8% conditional withholding applies to related payments.

  • ✕

    Your owners are individuals planning an exit by liquidation

    Dutch liquidation surpluses are taxed as dividends.

Luxembourg services →
How it works

Your Dutch B.V. in four steps

1Day 1

Tell us what you need

Use the finder above or send us two sentences on WhatsApp.

2Day 1–2

Get a fixed quote

Price, timeline and document list after a short call.

3Week 1

Identify and sign

Online ID check and a power of attorney signed at home.

4Weeks 1–3

Registered in the Netherlands

Notarial deed, KVK number, tax numbers and a bank-ready file.

FAQ

Netherlands questions, answered

How much does it cost to set up a Dutch B.V.?+

It depends on the notary work, the structure and whether you need a Dutch address and bookkeeping. We send a fixed quote after a short call, and it does not change once we start.

Do I need to travel to the Netherlands?+

No. Identity checks are done online and you sign a power of attorney at home. The Dutch notary executes the deed for you.

How long does it take?+

One to three weeks from a complete file to registration with the KVK. The bank account runs in parallel and often takes longer.

What is the corporate tax rate in the Netherlands?+

19% on the first EUR 200,000 of profit and 25.8% above. Dividends and gains from subsidiaries held at 5% or more are exempt.

Does the director have to live in the Netherlands?+

Not by law. For treaty benefits, rulings and banks, a Dutch-resident director and real decisions in the Netherlands help a lot. We arrange this through licensed providers.