Netherlands company search: KVK Handelsregister (kvk.nl)

TL;DR. The Dutch Trade Register (Handelsregister) is operated by KVK (Kamer van Koophandel). https://www.kvk.nl is online. The search path https://www.kvk.nl/zoeken/, titled Zoeken bij KVK, loads its search form in the browser rather than in the page itself, and so does the English version at https://www.kvk.nl/en/search/, titled Search KVK. No extract price and no payment methods appear on those pages, so fees here read unknown rather than free; confirm at source. KVK publishes API documentation at https://developers.kvk.nl/documentation, the KVK Developer Portal. The FATF site at https://www.fatf-gafi.org is online.

What is the official Netherlands business registry?

The KVK Handelsregister (Business Register) is the official Dutch company registry, operated by the Kamer van Koophandel (KVK) under the Handelsregisterwet 2007. The hub is https://www.kvk.nl. The search path is https://www.kvk.nl/zoeken/, titled Zoeken bij KVK, which loads its form in the browser rather than in the page itself, so this guide does not walk through the search screens behind it; confirm at source.

Every business and legal entity in the Netherlands is required to register in the Handelsregister before commencing operations. This includes Dutch private limited companies (BV, Besloten Vennootschap), public limited companies (NV, Naamloze Vennootschap), sole traders (eenmanszaak), partnerships (VOF), and foundations (stichting). The registry is overseen by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK).

KVK also maintains two related statutory registers: the UBO Register (for beneficial ownership data, required under the EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive) and the LEI Register (Legal Entity Identifier, for entities active in financial markets). These registers share the same registration number system but are accessed through separate portal sections.

What can you search?

KVK Zoeken (the search form loads in the browser):

The page is titled Zoeken bij KVK and refers to the kvk-nummer. Its search inputs load in the browser, so older descriptions of partial-name, RSIN and vestigingsnummer fields are not confirmed here; confirm at source.

Paid extract (no price published on the page):

The product page https://www.kvk.nl/producten-bestellen/uittreksel-handelsregister-kamer-van-koophandel/ is titled KVK uittreksel opvragen and describes an Uittreksel Handelsregister as an official document carrying company name, address, activities, incorporation date, and director or owner names. It shows no price and no payment methods. A “gratis” sentence on that page is about checking your own data in Mijn KVK, not about public search.

UBO Register:

KVK also maintains a UBO Register under EU AML rules. No public beneficial ownership search appears on the zoeken page, and what such a search would show is not confirmed here; confirm at source.

How much does it cost?

No euro figures appear on the zoeken or extract pages, so the table above reads unknown rather than free; confirm at source. No payment methods are published on those pages either.

Do you need a local account or ID?

The zoeken page loads its search form in the browser, so no account-free search form is confirmed on the page itself. A login is linked from the English navigation (/en/login/). Whether guest checkout or DigiD applies is not confirmed here; confirm at source.

Is the website in English?

Yes. https://www.kvk.nl/en/ and https://www.kvk.nl/en/search/ are in English, the latter titled Search KVK. Its search fields also load in the browser. The language of extract documents themselves is not confirmed here; confirm at source.

What’s the turnaround time?

Unknown. No turnaround is published on those pages; confirm at source.

Is there an API?

Yes. https://developers.kvk.nl/documentation is the KVK Developer Portal’s API documentation. Per-query euro amounts reported in older copy are not confirmed there; confirm at source.

What you legally cannot do

The KVK terms of use (Gebruiksvoorwaarden) restrict:

• Commercial redistribution of registry extracts or bulk data without a separate data agreement with KVK
• Automated scraping of the kvk.nl search interface (the API is the sanctioned bulk access route)
• Using extract data to build a competing commercial registry or data product without a data license
• Reselling individual extracts as if they were original documents

For compliance purposes, using KVK data for customer due diligence (CDD), UBO verification, anti-money laundering (AML) screening, and counterparty risk assessment is within the permitted scope of the registry terms, provided the stated purpose is documented.

The UBO Register has a separate legal framework under the Wet ter voorkoming van witwassen en financieren van terrorisme (Wwft) and associated AML directives. Full UBO data beyond the public tier is restricted to designated competent authorities.

Practical tips for foreign users

• KVK number is the primary identifier. The KVK number (kvknummer) is an 8-digit identifier, the canonical reference for Dutch companies. Use it to anchor all due diligence records. It does not change after incorporation. The RSIN (Rechtspersonen en Samenwerkingsverbanden Informatienummer) is a separate 9-digit number assigned by the Dutch tax authority (Belastingdienst); both appear on the extract.
• BV vs NV disclosure differences. A Besloten Vennootschap (BV, private limited) does not have publicly traded shares, and shareholder identity is not in the Handelsregister extract. A Naamloze Vennootschap (NV, public limited) has different disclosure requirements. For private BVs, the UBO Register is the only public route to ownership data beyond the director list.
• Stichting (foundation) structures. The Netherlands has a large number of stichtingen (foundations) used as holding entities and operational structures in complex group arrangements. A stichting does not have shareholders; it has a board. The Handelsregister shows the board members but not the economic beneficiaries. Treat foundation structures with additional scrutiny and use the UBO Register.
• Dissolved entities. Dissolved (ontbonden) and liquidated companies have been reported to stay in the Handelsregister with their filings and dissolution date. That is not confirmed here, because the zoeken page loads its form in the browser; confirm at source.
• Annual accounts in the register. Most BVs and NVs are required to file annual accounts (jaarrekening) with the Handelsregister. These are accessible as a separate product. Smaller companies (kleine rechtspersoon) may file abbreviated accounts, limiting the financial data visible.
• The Netherlands FATF listing is not confirmed here. The Netherlands has been reported as a FATF member with a Mutual Evaluation in 2021; check the current lists at fatf-gafi.org.

Alternatives if you cannot access the registry directly

kvk.nl is online and carries an English section at kvk.nl/en/. Its search screens load in the browser, so this guide does not walk through them. Where barriers exist (language in extract documents, time zone, or the need for layered risk data), the following options are available:

• Local data suppliers (see section below): Altares Dun & Bradstreet and CompanyInfo.nl both provide packaged reports that layer credit risk data on top of the Handelsregister record.

Local data suppliers

If you need a packaged report rather than a raw KVK extract, the Netherlands has an established set of providers:

• Altares Dun & Bradstreet (altares.nl). Exclusive partner of the Dun & Bradstreet Worldwide Network in the Benelux and France. Provides D-U-N-S-linked company reports, D&B Finance Analytics for credit portfolio management, the indueD compliance and due diligence platform, and API-based data integration (Data Blocks). Covers over 600 million companies worldwide with Benelux as a core market.
• CompanyInfo.nl (companyinfo.nl). Netherlands-based company information covering the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Portal access, KYC.app, API integrations, and UBO identification are listed by the vendor. Subscription prices are not published here; confirm at source.

Use the KVK Handelsregister for the authoritative legal filing. Use a credit bureau such as Altares when you need payment behavior, litigation indicators, or credit scoring layered on top of the registry extract. graydon.nl would not load securely when last checked and is not a working supplier site.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Dutch Trade Register without a Dutch identity?

The KVK hub and its English section are reachable. The zoeken page loads its search form in the browser, so an account-free search form is not confirmed on the page itself, and whether extract checkout works without DigiD is not confirmed here; confirm at source.

What is the KVK number and how is it different from the RSIN?

The KVK number (kvknummer) is the 8-digit identifier assigned by KVK to each registered entity at the time of incorporation. The RSIN (Rechtspersonen en Samenwerkingsverbanden Informatienummer) is a 9-digit number assigned by the Dutch tax authority (Belastingdienst) and used for tax administration. Both appear on the Handelsregister extract. For compliance purposes, the KVK number is the standard counterparty identifier because it maps directly to the registry record. The VAT number (BTW-nummer) typically contains the RSIN as a component (NL + RSIN + B + two digits).

What information is in a Dutch company extract?

The KVK product page for the Uittreksel Handelsregister is online. The field inventory given in earlier copy (legal name, trade names, KVK number, RSIN, address, incorporation date and place, legal form, share capital, SBI codes, directors and signing authority, status) is not confirmed from that page here; confirm at source. Shareholder names for private BVs are not part of the extract; annual accounts, where filed, are a separate product.

Where do I find the beneficial owner (UBO) of a Dutch company?

No public beneficial ownership search appears on the zoeken page. KVK’s product navigation links a UBO extract product; what its public tier shows is not confirmed here.

Is the Netherlands on the FATF grey list?

The Netherlands’ current listing is not stated here. It has been reported as a FATF member with a Mutual Evaluation in 2021; check the current lists at https://www.fatf-gafi.org.

How current is the Handelsregister data?

Registered companies are legally required to report changes to KVK within one week of the event (director changes, address changes, etc.). KVK processes registrations on business days. The extract reflects the record as of the date and time of issue. An extract purchased today reflects today’s registered data, not last month’s. KVK documents a Mutatieservice for change notifications on the developer portal (developers.kvk.nl/documentation); its latency is not published there, so confirm at source.

Can I get Dutch company data in bulk?

Yes, through the KVK Developer Portal (developers.kvk.nl). KVK provides open data bulk downloads for basic company information and financial statements. For targeted API access, the subscription APIs (Basisprofiel, Vestigingsprofiel) are the standard route. Commercial redistribution of bulk data requires a separate data license agreement with KVK.

Last verified: 2026-09-04. Sources: kvk.nl; kvk.nl/zoeken and kvk.nl/en/search, whose search forms load in the browser; the uittreksel product page, which publishes no price; developers.kvk.nl/documentation; and fatf-gafi.org.