Company House Netherlands versus Companies House UK

In the Netherlands, the company house is also known as Kamer van Koophandel “KVK”, which functions like the Companies House in the UK.  

You can search for information on Dutch companies such as Dutch BV companies, cooperative organizations, and foundations.

UK companies house

At the UK Companies House, you can find information about companies, their directors, their annual accounts, memorandum and Articles of associations and their ultimate beneficial owners “UBOs” in a few clicks.

Netherlands Company house/KVK Netherlands

The chamber of commerce Netherlands unfortunately does not provide free access to most of its information and documents.

There are many reasons why a businessperson might want to search for information about a Dutch company. This post on how to search for information about a company in the Netherlands may give you some insights.

The most common type of document that is searched and downloaded in the Company House Netherlands is a KVK extracts.

What information does KVK extracts contains?

  • name of dutch company
  • the registered office address
  • KVK number which is similar to company number in the UK 
  • its scope of business
  • The date of incorporation
  • Share capital and paid-up capital
  • Name of director and his/her authority to represent the Dutch company
  • Name of the sole shareholder

There is no particular equivalent of this at the UK company’s house; rather, it is a combination on a Certificate of incorporation and a Memorandum of Association.

The common use of KVK extracts

  • An extract is one of the documents that a bank requires if you want to open a virtual bank account in the Netherlands.  
  •  This document proves that a Dutch company has been registered with the Dutch chamber of commerce.
  • Before entering into a contract with a Dutch supplier or customer, it may be a good idea to confirm that the person you have been in contact with is authorized to enter into and sign the contract on behalf of their company
  • The extracts can be used to determine whether this individual is authorized to sign. 
  • Having this information at hand is very helpful in avoiding future disputes if, unfortunately, things do not proceed according to the plan.
  • You may receive requests from companies outside the Netherlands, such as Amazon or the German tax authority if you sell online in Germany

Commonly ordered documents by foreign companies include those needed in various scenarios, such as:

  • expressing an interest in a Dutch company,
  • verifying its existence,
  • understanding its financial figures,
  • confirming whether a director has the authority to sign contracts,
  • determining if a power of attorney can represent a Dutch company and its limitations.

FAQ

How can I check if a dutch company is legally registered at KVK Netherlands?

The easier way is go to the KVK Netherlands website  and check whether the dutch company exist.  If no result is found, this indicates that the company is not registered.

How can I check a dutch company registration number in the Netherlands?

You can go to Netherlands companies house and enter  the name of the company, you will then be able to find the KVK number (which is company number), what kind of the legal entity and its registered address. 

What is the procedure of appointing or removing a director of a dutch B.V.?

If the new director is not a Dutch resident, the procedure will require a bit more paper work, please check out this post : appoint and resign director of a Dutch company. 

Is it possible to get a certified extracts from KVK Netherlands?

Yes, please contact us for details.