Law Library · Netherlands

Dutch law in English, with the official text alongside

Dutch company, tax and registry law in English, translated from the official Dutch, with the Dutch under every paragraph.

12 acts publishedOriginal: DutchFree, no sign-up

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Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 1: general provisions (Arts. 2:1–25)

Rules for all legal persons: directors’ duties and liability, records, resolutions, dissolution and liquidation, groups. 38 articles.

Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 4: the NV (Arts. 2:64–174a)

The public limited company in six parts: formation and minimum capital, shares, capital and distributions, general meeting, directors, large and listed NVs. 161 articles.

Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 5: the BV (Arts. 2:175–284a)

The complete BV title in six parts: formation, shares, capital and distributions, general meeting, directors, large BVs. 144 articles.

Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 6: foundations (Arts. 2:285–307)

The Dutch stichting: no members, no distributions to insiders, governance and the court’s powers. 30 articles.

Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 7: mergers and divisions (Arts. 2:308–334yy)

Legal mergers and divisions in four parts, domestic and cross-border under the Mobility Directive. 99 articles.

Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 7a: cross-border conversions (Arts. 2:335–335p)

Moving the registered seat of an NV or BV in or out of the Netherlands under the Mobility Directive. 17 articles.

Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 8: disputes, inquiry, public offers (Arts. 2:336–359d)

Expulsion and exit of shareholders, inquiry proceedings before the Enterprise Chamber, squeeze-out after a public offer. 36 articles.

Company lawCivil Code, Book 2, Title 9: annual accounts (Arts. 2:360–455)

Dutch accounting law in six parts: balance sheet, P&L and valuation, audit and filing deadlines, size exemptions, the 403 group exemption, banks and insurers. 116 articles.

UBO, AML and registersTrade Register Act 2007 (Handelsregisterwet 2007)

Registration with the Chamber of Commerce, the UBO register, who can see UBO data since 2025, and enforcement. 89 articles.

Corporate taxCorporate Income Tax Act 1969 (Wet Vpb 1969)

Dutch corporate income tax in nine parts: liability, profit, participation exemption, fiscal unity, interest limits, losses, rates, transfer pricing. 170 articles.

Corporate taxDividend Tax Act 1965 (Wet op de dividendbelasting 1965)

15% dividend withholding tax: what counts as a dividend, exemptions for Dutch and foreign parents, refunds, beneficial ownership. 29 articles.

Corporate taxWithholding Tax Act 2021 (Wet bronbelasting 2021)

Conditional withholding tax on interest, royalties and dividends to affiliated entities in low-taxed jurisdictions. 27 articles.

What we are translating

We publish in waves: company law first, then corporate tax, registers and residence, then treaties. Want an act moved up the list? Tell us.

Company law

Corporate tax

UBO, AML and registers

  • Trade Register Act 2007 (Handelsregisterwet 2007) — published
  • Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (Wwft) — selected parts: customer due diligence and the UBO definition
  • Trade Register Decree 2008 — detailed rules on UBO data, documents and access

Residence

  • Aliens Act 2000 and Aliens Decree 2000 — selected parts: self-employed residence permits, highly skilled migrants, start-up visa

Tax treaties

  • Selected Dutch double tax treaties — many are authentic in English: we publish the English text with the Dutch where one exists

How to read the translations

EnglishOur translation, paragraph by paragraph, with the original one click away under each paragraph.
Side by sideEnglish on the left, the official text on the right, aligned paragraph by paragraph.
OriginalThe official text alone, as consolidated, with our English headings hidden.

Sources and language

Dutch is the only authentic language of Dutch legislation. The government publishes the consolidated text of every act on wetten.overheid.nl, dated to the day; our pages state the version date we translated. Many Dutch tax treaties are authentic in English, so for treaties we often publish the English text itself.

Official source: wetten.overheid.nl.

Unofficial translations by BCA EU, for information. Only the official texts have legal force. Not legal or tax advice.

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