If you earn money while living in the Netherlands, you must pay taxes. The Netherlands is a socially conscious country, and higher earners can expect substantial taxation on their salary (up to 37%). However, your personal situation, type of work, residency status, and other assets and earnings (particularly from abroad) will affect your position considerably.
Furthermore, different rules apply to self-employment taxes in the Netherlands. This guide to the Dutch tax system includes the following information for internationals:
- The tax system in the Netherlands
- Dutch tax resident
- The Dutch tax system
- Federal taxes in the Netherlands
- Regional and municipal taxes in the Netherlands
- Amsterdam taxes
- Advertising tax
- Taxes on goods and services (VAT) inthe Netherlands
- Can you get a refund on VAT?
- How to claim back VAT
- Who pays tax in the Netherlands?
- Are you a resident of theNetherlands?
- Resident taxpayers
- Non-resident taxpayers
- Qualifying non-residents taxpayers
- Partial non-resident taxpayers
- The Dutch tax system for foreigners
- The 30% ruling
- Earning income from abroad
- Income tax in the Netherlands
- The three income boxes
- How to file your income tax return in the Netherlands
- Paying provisional tax
- Self-employed income tax in the Netherlands
- Tax on property and wealth in the Netherlands
- Inheritance tax in the Netherlands
- Company taxes and BTW rates in the Netherlands
- Import and export taxes in the Netherlands
- Tax advice in the Netherlands
- Useful resources
J.C. Suurmond Tax Consultants
Take the stress out of your taxes in the Netherlands by speaking to the experts at Suurmond. Their consultants provide tailor made advice and personal guidance on a range of Dutch tax matters, helping you navigate the system with ease. With over 30 years experience, their team of experts offer advice and guidance for both private individuals and companies.
The tax system in the Netherlands
The Dutch tax office (Belastingdienst) is an entity of the Ministry of Finance. The Belastingdienst is responsible for collecting taxes and social security contributions. Tax revenues largely finance government expenses. This includes subsidies for arts, culture, housing, childcare, healthcare, pensions, and social security benefits.
Dutch tax resident
When you become a Dutch resident and earn an income in the Netherlands, you need to file an income tax return and pay taxes. So what does this mean?
If you have demonstrable ties to the Netherlands (for instance, you live or work in the country), then you are a resident taxpayer from day one. As a resident taxpayer, the Dutch tax system taxes your assets worldwide. If you live abroad but receive income that is taxable in the Netherlands, you are generally a non-resident taxpayer.
Non-residents can also apply to be treated as residents for tax purposes; in order to gain access to Dutch deductible items. Those who are eligible for the 30% ruling may choose to be part of the partial non-resident taxpayers’ category.
Whatever your individual circ*mstances in the Netherlands, if you need help with your Dutch taxes, it’s a good idea to consult some professionals. There are a number of Dutch tax advisors that can provide help and guidance for expats.
The Dutch tax system
In the Netherlands, you pay tax on your income, wealth, and assets. The Dutch tax system divides different types of taxable income into three boxes, each with its own rate, into the following groups:
- 1: taxable income from profits, employment, and homeownership: wages, pensions, social benefits, and value of the owner-occupied property. This is known as the WOZ value (Waardering Onroerende Zaken – Valuation of Immovable Property), from the act that municipalities use to determine the value of homes and properties.
- 2: taxable income from substantial interest
- 3: taxable income from savings and investments
Non-resident taxpayers can claim a basic allowance in tax Box 3 when determining their benefits from Netherlands-based investments and savings. This potentially lowers their tax rate in certain situations.
A percentage of your monthly salary is automatically deducted by the Belastingdienst. However, at the end of each year, you need to file a tax return (belastingaangifte) and declare your income and assets. You will receive a final tax notice and, in some cases, get a tax rebate.
Federal taxes in the Netherlands
The Ministry of Finance (Ministerie van Financiën) works on the national tax legislation. The Belastingdienst, which is part of the Ministry of Finance, levies and collects the taxes.
Some categories of direct taxation levied by the national government are:
- Income tax
- Corporate tax
- Inheritance and gift tax
- Transfer tax
Besides the direct taxation for individuals, the Dutch government also charges some indirect taxes including the following:
- Value-added tax (BTW)
- Excise duty
- Taxes on legal transactions
- Environmental taxes
- Tax on passenger cars and motorcycles
- Import duties
- Consumption tax for non-alcoholic beverages and other products
- Tax on heavy goods vehicles
Regional and municipal taxes in the Netherlands
The Belastingdienst is the main government organization in the Netherlands that collects taxes. However, it is not the only one.
Regional water boards (waterschappen) have rates for flood protection (maintenance of dykes and control of water levels) and clean water. If you own land, buildings, or nature reserves in the Netherlands – or if you occupy or use commercial premises – you have to pay water authority tax (waterschapsbelasting) annually. This consists of:
- Water purification levy (zuiveringsheffing) – if your commercial premises discharge wastewater into the sewer
- Pollution levy (verontreinigingsheffing) – charged for discharging wastewater into surface water
- Water system levy (watersysteemheffing)
All households must pay zuiveringsheffing and watersysteemheffing, whether you own your property or are renting. The water system levy is usually a fixed rate, while the purification levy depends on how many people live in your household.
In addition to the national taxes, every resident in the Netherlands must pay local taxes to his/her city council (gemeente). In general, the municipality is responsible for the following taxes:
- Property tax
- Waste collection charges
- Street cleaning/maintenance
- Tourist tax
- Sewerage tax
- Movable property tax (e.g., houseboats, portable kiosks)
Amsterdam taxes
As in many other municipalities in the Netherlands, Amsterdam collects local taxes from its residents. In addition, the city charges hotels and other forms of tourist accommodation tax. This money goes towards municipal improvements.
Tourists in Amsterdam must pay a 7% tourist tax, plus a €3 contribution per person per night if they stay in a hotel, or €1 per person per night if they stay at a campsite.
Tourist tax for holiday rentals, bed and breakfasts, and short-stay accommodation is 10% of the turnover excluding VAT and tourist tax. If you offer paid accommodation to visitors from outside the city, you must also pay a tourist tax (toeristenbelasting).
Advertising tax
Amsterdam introduced an advertising tax, in order to reduce the amount of on-street advertising in the city. This includes window advertising, advertising on façades, flags, bus and tram shelters, and large menus. Essentially, the greater the visibility of the advertising, the higher the tax.
The advertising tax began in 2022, with businesses receiving assessments of any due tax on 1 January 2022.
Taxes on goods and services (VAT) inthe Netherlands
The Dutch name for value-added tax (VAT) is BTW (Belasting Toegevoegde Waarde). Sales tax in the Netherlands applies when you sell or buy goods or services. If you have to charge (or pay) BTW in the Netherlands, it will be one of the following tariffs:
- A 9% Dutch BTW rate, commonly known as the low tariff, applies to the sale of common products (e.g., food, drink, agriculture, medicines, books). You can find an extensive list of goods and services for this tariff in the link Tarieven en vrijstellingen (in Dutch);
- A 21% Dutch BTW rate, also called the high or general tariff, applies to all other BTW taxable activities;
- Some goods or services are exempt from BTW (0%), such as international activities. This mainly involves the supply of goods from the Netherlands to another EU country and some services related to cross-border transactions; such as services work on goods that are exported to non-EU countries.
For more information on sales tax in the Netherlands, visit the Belastingdienst.
Can you get a refund on VAT?
Some tourists and visitors may be eligible for a VAT tax refund on purchases in the Netherlands. To qualify for a refund, you must meet the following criteria:
- permanently live outside the European Union
- purchase a minimum amount of €50 per shop per day
- take your things back home yourself unused within 90 days
To claim back the VAT, you must purchase the items from a retailer that participates in the refund scheme. Not every shop does; however, the affiliated shops display a sticker on their door indicating they do.
How to claim back VAT
When you are paying for the items, you must ask the shopkeeper for the VAT form. Then you need to complete the form with your personal information and attach the original receipt.
At the airport, before boarding your flight, you must go to the customs desk with your tax-free form (with the original receipt attached to it), your documents (passport and boarding pass), and your purchases.
There, your form will be stamped and you will need to request your VAT back through the tax refund partner; which is affiliated with the shops where you made your purchases. The VAT refund can be deposited on your credit card or cashed in a currency of your choice.
If you are in a hurry or have already passed the security checkpoint, you can post the complete and stamped tax-free forms in a special mailbox. The amount will be credited to your credit card within a few weeks.
Who pays tax in the Netherlands?
Are you a resident of theNetherlands?
According to Dutch law, some personal circ*mstances will define if you are an official resident in the Netherlands or not. You need to take into consideration some parameters to determine your situation. For example, the length of your stay in the Netherlands, where your home and family are, and where you work.
The amount of tax you have to pay in the Netherlands will depend on your residency status. There are four categories in which you can fall into.
Resident taxpayers
If you are a resident taxpayer in the Netherlands, you will pay taxes on your entire income worldwide; therefore it makes no difference where in the world you earn your income. The tax office considers any business, employment, or investment earnings or income in the form of periodic benefits as taxable.
Non-resident taxpayers
If you are a non-resident taxpayer in the Netherlands, you will only pay tax on any income that may be levied in the country. This includes employment income, running a business, periodic benefits, income from real estate in the Netherlands, or part of a shareholding in a Dutch company. However, some income earned outside of the Netherlands may be also taxable.
Qualifying non-residents taxpayers
If you live outside the Netherlands, but pay taxes in the country on most of your annual income, you fall under the category of a qualifying non-resident taxpayer. If you live in an EU or EEA member state, Switzerland, or one of the special municipalities of the Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba, or Sint Eustatius), you are part of this category.
As a qualifying non-resident taxpayer, you must pay taxes in the Netherlands on more than 90% of your worldwide income. This means that you can enjoy the same deductions, tax credits, and tax-free allowances as resident taxpayers.
Partial non-resident taxpayers
If you come to live in the Netherlands and you are eligible for the 30% ruling benefit for incoming employees, you can choose the partial non-resident taxpayer status.
If you have this status, you are considered a non-resident taxpayer for part of the income tax. Essentially, if you opt for this, you pay less tax in the Netherlands.
The Dutch tax system for foreigners
When you move to the Netherlands, youwill attain resident taxpayer status. This means that you will be paying incometax and social security contributions. However, if you have specific expertise,you may be subject to special tax rules.
The 30% ruling
The 30% ruling is a tax incentive for employees from abroad who bring specific skills to the Netherlands. The fiscal benefit is calculated based on your gross annual salary. From this total amount, 30% is free from income tax. Furthermore, except for pension premiums, all your bonuses, holiday allowance, and other benefits fall under the ruling.
The Belastingdienst coordinates and supervises the 30% ruling, and your employer must agree that the 30% ruling applies to your situation before you start the application procedure.
In January 2019, the duration of the30% ruling reduced from eight to five years.
Earning income from abroad
If you live abroad but have income in or from the Netherlands, or you have possessions in the country, you can opt to be treated as if you have a resident taxpayer status for the whole year. If you use thisoption, you also state your worldwide income in the Netherlands.
Stating your income from abroad does not always mean that you have to pay income tax on this in the Netherlands. In order to avoid having to pay income tax in several countries, you can receive income tax relief in the double tax relief.
The relief from double taxation for resident taxpayers can be provided by way of an international tax treaty or under domestic rules.
It is important to be aware of the rules between your country and the Netherlands to avoid future problems with the tax departments of both countries. To reduce global tax evasion, 97 countries have signed the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), an agreement that allows the exchange of information between countries without having to request it.
Income tax in the Netherlands
Besides the wage tax that you automatically pay during the year – withheld from your gross salary every month – you will probably need to submit an annual income tax return.
Your tax return will take other aspects of your finances into account; such as a mortgage, a partner’s income, savings, investments, tax deductions like healthcare costs, and so on.
The total amount of tax payable is calculated by applying the various Dutch tax rates to the different taxable incomes in the boxes. The amount calculated is then reduced by one or more tax credits. The government provides instructions on Dutch income tax calculations.
The three income boxes
- Box 1: income from profits, employment, and homeownership. In 2022, earnings up to €69,398 are taxed at 37.07%, while earnings over the limit are taxed at 49.5%. In 2023, you will pay a reduced rate of 36.93% on income up to €73,031. All workers have a general tax credit of €3,070 (€2,888 in 2022).
- Box 2: income from substantial interest is taxed at 26.9%.
- Box 3: income from savings and investments are taxed at a flat 32% tax rate. Taxpayers have a tax-free capital limit of €57,000.
If you have a tax partner – i.e., you are married, have a registered partnership, or someone is registered at your address – this may affect the tax you have to pay, as well as any tax rebates.
Freelancers and self-employed professionals are considered entrepreneurs for the purposes of turnover tax (VAT). This means that they must charge and pay VAT on their income. If your income is low, you can apply for the small business tax scheme (kleineondernemersregeling). Some services are exempt from VAT, such as journalists and translators.
How to file your income tax return in the Netherlands
Most people can file their tax return online. However, in some cases, it is necessary to file a paper tax return. For example, this applies if you only lived in the Netherlands for part of the previous year or file a tax return for a deceased person. In both cases, you must have some personal information at hand; as well as details about your income, bank accounts, and property.
To file your tax return online you will need your DigiD or a username/password combination. Depending on your case, you will need to complete a specific form (C Form, P Form, M Form, and so on). For further information, you can visit a Belastingdienst branch office or call the BelastingTelefoon on 0800 0543.
Paying provisional tax
After you submit your tax return, you will get a provisional assessment first and, later, a final assessment. The provisional assessment is a temporary calculation based on the information you provided in your form; but which has not yet been checked by the tax administration. You can pay your provisional assessment – or receive the tax refund – into a Dutch or foreign bank account.
Once the tax office has checked the information you entered, you will be given a final assessment. If the final calculation differs from the provisional calculation, you will either get a refund or have to pay the difference. Services such as Taxback can make the process run more smoothly, by leaving the paperwork to the experts.
The fiscal year in the Netherlands runs from 1 January to 31 December. The period for submitting your annual income tax return is generally from March 1 to 1 May of the following year. If you miss the deadline, you will receive a fine.
Read more about filing your Dutch tax return.
Self-employed income tax in the Netherlands
An entrepreneur who must charge and pay VAT on their income won’t be considered an entrepreneur for the purposes of income tax automatically. For the latter, you will need to satisfy several conditions. If you don’t fulfill these criteria, and you are not employed by your customer, you are not entitled to claim certain tax deductions that are available to entrepreneurs. However, you may claim expenses related to your work.
When you are starting a business, you need to file digital tax returns. The income tax return for entrepreneurs is the same as it is for citizens. You can file digital tax returns via My Tax and Customs Administration (Mijn Belastingdienst), or via Entrepreneur login window (Ondernemers); both are only available in Dutch, however.
Tax on property and wealth in the Netherlands
Onroerendezaakbelasting (real estate tax) is a property tax in the Netherlands, which is calculated on the deemed rental value of the property. The term for this is WOZ-waarde, or immovable property tax.
Each municipality determines its own Dutch property tax rate; in general, this ranges between 0.1% and 0.3% of the property value. The municipality uses these funds for investing in community activities, education, and maintaining public areas, such as playgrounds and parks.
If you buy a house or other property, you must also pay a transfer tax (overdrachtsbelasting). This applies if you are the legal or beneficial owner of: properties, rights in real estate, or shares in immovable bodies such as buildings.
If you rent out a property in the Netherlands that you own, the value of the property – the WOZ-value – is taxed, minus the mortgage amount. Rental income is taxed in Box 3, where you state any income from savings and investments in the Netherlands. When you choose to rent your property, you no longer deduct the mortgage interest. If you live outside of the Netherlands while letting a Dutch property, not all assets fall under this category.
Inheritance tax in the Netherlands
Residents in the Netherlands may be subject to Dutch inheritance tax (erfbelasting). In this case, foreigners can opt to apply the inheritance law of their home country. Inheritance consists of all assets and debts that a deceased person leaves behind; for example, a sum of money or a precious object.
The amount of money that you can inherit before having to pay tax is dependent upon your relationship with the deceased.
The 2023 rates for inheritance tax in the Netherlands are:
- Spouse/partner: A tax-free allowance of €723,526 is available. After this, tax is charged at 10% on inheritance below €138,641 and 20% on any inheritance above the threshold.
- Children, foster children, and step-children: A tax-free allowance of €22,918 is available. After this, tax is charged at 10% on inheritance below €138,641 and 20% above the threshold.
- Grandchildren: A tax-free allowance of €22,918 is available. After this, tax is charged at 18% below €138,642 or 36% above.
- Others: In most other cases, a tax-free allowance of €2,418 is available. Tax is charged at 30% below €138,642 or 40% above.
Company taxes and BTW rates in the Netherlands
Public and private companies in the Netherlands are subject to Dutch corporate tax on their profits.
In 2023, if the taxable amount is less than €200,000 (€395,000 in 2022), a corporate tax rate of 19% applies. However, if the taxable amount is over this amount, companies are liable to pay a corporate tax rate of 25.8%.
Certain companies can apply for an exemption to access lower corporate tax rates. However, non-resident entities only have a limited tax liability concerning income from Dutch sources.
If you supply goods or services in the Netherlands you will probably need to charge BTW. You must show the amount clearly on the invoice. There are three different BTW tariffs: 0%, 9%, and 21%.
Import and export taxes in the Netherlands
If you importgoods into the Netherlands from outside the European Union (EU), you will usuallyhave to pay import duties andVAT. In some cases, you also have to pay excise duty, consumption tax, andother levies.
Import duties are levied on imported goods. The authorities collect the duty and transfer the sums collected to the EU. All member states can retain a portion of the import duties that they collect to cover collection costs. However, while customs authorities don’t levy import duties on products traded between EU member states, VAT is payable. The VAT rate is the same as that which applies to supplies of goods and services in the Netherlands.
Excise goods such as alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and mineral oils have to pay excise duty. Consumption tax is also payable on imports of non-alcoholic beverages.
In some cases, other levies are payable on imported goods – for instance, agricultural products or industrial products – to prevent products from coming onto the European market at exceptionally low prices.
Tax advice in the Netherlands
Whether you’re a new arrival or you’ve called the Netherlands home for a few years, getting to grips with the Dutch tax system can be fairly complicated. This is especially true should you be subject to any additional tax mechanisms, such as the 30% ruling or freelancer taxes.
However, thankfully there are a number of expat-friendly tax advisors in the Netherlands. These can help with a number of tax-related issues, offering advice and information in English or other languages. Expat-friendly tax advisors in the Netherlands include:
The website Business.gov.nl provides a list of several Dutch organizations that can provide information for freelancers and self-employed professionals. You can find a list of tax advisors in the Netherlands in our directory.
Useful resources
- Belastingdienst: This provides extensive information in English and offers downloadable forms and brochures about the Dutch tax system. However, e-mail queries are not possible.
- TaxLine: 0800 0543. The central information line for residents, agents only speak Dutch; Monday to Thursday: 8:00–20:00, Friday: 8:00–17:00.
- Information line for non-resident tax issues:055 538 5385 or +31 555 385 385. This covers businesses and individuals based abroad who are liable for Dutch tax, as well as those classified as non-residents.
- The Ministry of Finance: Provides details of the Dutch government’s financial policies including the 30% facility in Dutch; as well as information in English.
- Douane: Provides information regarding duties payable and procedures for individuals and businesses. If you move to the Netherlands from outside the EU, you can download an application form for exemptions on removable goods.
