Freelancing in the Netherlands
Broadstreet can help you with all kinds of aspects
of starting a business in the Netherlands.
Freelancers, in Dutch known as ZZP’ers, are self-employed expats or Dutch entrepreneurs who are not committed to an employer by an employment contract.
Freelancers often prefer their employment situation because of the flexibility and the opportunity to work for and from wherever they prefer. However, there are a few administrative requirements that you must keep in mind when working as a freelancer.
Before anything, make sure you have a valid residence permit which makes it possible for you to live and work in the Netherlands. Also, you must register your business with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Because being a freelancer is no official legal business form in the Netherlands, you must choose a legal form closest to your preferences. The most used business form is an eenmanszaak (sole trader, known as a one-person business). If you have investors or a bigger turnover, you might find the BV better suited for you.
When you register your business with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK), you will also be registered with the Dutch tax office, which automatically issues your company with a VAT number. In the Netherlands, all products and services are filed with VAT, which is a standard of 21%. There are some exemptions to this 21% VAT.
For freelancers, there are a few things to keep in mind concerning VAT.
Having your administration up to date is important for freelancers, as you are required to not just keep up with your invoices and bills, but you must also record the number of hours worked. Keeping track of your hours is important because it might make you eligible for tax breaks. From a minimum of 1.225 hours a year, you are eligible for the ‘zelfstandigenaftrek’.
Have Broadstreet help you with any administrative related matter. We have multiple years of experience in supporting freelancers with their administration and tax related matters.
There are a lot of questions around freelancing in The Netherlands. At Broadstreet, we receive questions about this subject on a daily basis. We have gathered the most frequently asked questions we have had the past couple of months.
Yes, you can work as a freelancer in the Netherlands. You can start your own business in the Netherlands or you can carry out a temporary assignment in the Netherlands even when you are based in another country.
Before anything, make sure you have a valid residence permit which makes it possible for you to live and work in the Netherlands. Also, you must register your business with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.
Yes, whether you are a freelancer or a remote worker in the Netherlands, you are under the employment laws of the country you are working and living in. You become a tax resident in the Netherlands after spending 183 days in the country.
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