Company setup in Netherlands

Start with the right structure

Explore legal entity forms and registration sources for Netherlands. Use the local terminology below when discussing your application with the relevant authority.

Detailed foreign-investor rules for this jurisdiction have not yet been independently reviewed here. The registry sources below are the starting point for confirming the available formation route.

Company & entity types

Listed forms include commercial companies and other legal entities. A listing is not confirmation that a foreign founder can establish that form. Local names are preserved to avoid misleading legal translations.

Find a legal form or sub-jurisdiction

21 legal forms listed

vereniging met volledige rechtsbevoegdheid

NetherlandsELF 33MN

eenmanszaak

NetherlandsELF 4QXM

besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid

NetherlandsELF 54M6BV;bv;B.V.;b.v.

Europees Economisch Samenwerkingsverband

NetherlandsELF 5WU6EESV;E.E.S.V.

vennootschap onder firma

NetherlandsELF 62Y3VOF;vof;V.O.F.;v.o.f.

vereniging met beperkte rechtsbevoegdheid

NetherlandsELF 8VFX

maatschap

NetherlandsELF 9AAK

publiekrechtelijke rechtspersoon

NetherlandsELF A0W7

naamloze vennootschap

NetherlandsELF B5PMNV;nv;N.V.;n.v.

Europese naamloze vennootschap (Societas Europaea)

NetherlandsELF BBEBSE;S.E.

commanditaire vennootschap

NetherlandsELF CODHCV;cv;C.V.;c.v.

onderlinge waarborgmaatschappij

NetherlandsELF DEO1OWM;owm;O.W.M.;o.w.m.

rechtspersoon in oprichting

NetherlandsELF EZQWrp io;RP io;R.P. io

vereniging van eigenaars

NetherlandsELF GNXTVvE;VVE;V.v.E.;V.V.E.

fonds voor gemene rekening

NetherlandsELF JHK5

kerkgenootschap

NetherlandsELF L7HX

Overige Privaatrechtelijke Rechtspersoon

NetherlandsELF M1IZ

coöperatie

NetherlandsELF NFFHcoöperatie;coöp

rederij

NetherlandsELF UNJ2

stichting

NetherlandsELF V44D

Societas Cooperativa Europaea

NetherlandsELF Y3ZBSCE;S.C.E.

Source: GLEIF ELF v1.6, February 2026 ↗. Active codes only; language variants grouped by code. The source is not an exhaustive list of all available legal forms.

What to confirm before applying

These are planning questions, not verified Netherlands requirements.

Foreign ownership & activity

Ask whether your nationality, ownership percentage and proposed business activity require investment approval, a local partner or a sector licence.

Directors & local presence

Confirm the required directors, shareholders, registered office, local representative and any residency or company-secretary rules.

Capital & incorporation costs

Obtain the current minimum capital, filing fees, notarisation costs, translations and annual renewal or service charges for the selected legal form.

Tax & ongoing compliance

Verify corporate tax, VAT or sales tax, withholding, beneficial-ownership reporting, accounting, audit and annual-return obligations.

Banking & immigration

Check bank onboarding and source-of-funds evidence separately. Company registration should not be treated as approval for banking, residence or work permission.