UBO registration required for Dutch companies -Netherlands KVK
Quick Summary
Registering and maintaining your UBO at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) is a legal requirement for all Dutch BV companies. As a non-resident director, you cannot do this online — you must complete a UBO-opgave form and send it by post with supporting documents.
Any change in beneficial ownership must be reported within 7 days. Our All-in-One Company secretarial Package handles the entire process for you — no surprises, no paperwork on your side.
What does UBO stand for?
UBO stands for Ultimate Beneficial Owner — a natural person who owns or controls a company or asset. In the case of a Dutch BV, this means any individual holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, or anyone who effectively controls the company.
Why is it important to identify who the UBO is?
The obligation to register UBOs stems from the Dutch implementation of the EU’s Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive. Dutch companies must identify their UBOs, maintain accurate records, and submit this information to the KVK. Furthermore, any changes in beneficial ownership must be reported within 7 days.
What is the obligation required of a Dutch company?
In the Netherlands, the obligation to identify and report the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) of a company is regulated by the Dutch implementation of the European Union’s Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive.
Dutch companies are required to identify their UBOs and maintain accurate and up-to-date records of their ultimately beneficiary information.
This information must be submitted to the Kamper van Koophandel (Netherlands chamber of commerce) and made publicly available.
Kamer van koophandel UBO register
If there is any changes in beneficial ownership or control, the Netherlands chamber of commerce requires that dutch companies update their UBO information within 7 days.
Failing to comply with the UBO disclosure requirements can result in administrative penalties or fines. In serious cases, criminal sanctions may apply.
What if there is no 25% of the shares or voting rights or individuals controlling the company?
If this is the case, a natural person who holds the title of a senior official will be deemed a pseudo-UBO. All managing directors will be regarded as a pseudo-UBO.
How to register or update a UBO as a non-resident director
This is where it gets complicated for non-resident directors. Unlike Dutch resident directors — who can update their UBO information online via the KVK website — non-resident directors must:
- Complete a UBO-opgave form
- Gather the required attachments (such as a company structure chart)
- Send everything by post to the KVK with proof of delivery
In some cases, the KVK may request additional supporting documents beyond the structure chart. It is therefore important to review the full ownership structure at every level before submitting.
This process is time-consuming and easy to get wrong. One missing document or incorrect filing can delay compliance and trigger follow-up requests from the KVK.
Would UBO information become public information?
Not all UBO information will be made public; only their first and last name, nationality, country of residence, month and year of birth, and the importance and scope of their interest in the organization will be shown at Dutch Chamber of commerce.
However, as of today post, UBO data is temporarily not public due to a ruling by the European Court of Justice.
Non-public UBO information
There is also non-public UBO information.
Dutch authorities may request the place of birth, birthday, residential address, BSN and TIN, copy of the identity document, and documents showing the importance and scope of this interest on a need basis such as to investigate money laundering or other suspected criminal offence.
Why keeping internal UBO records matters
Many Dutch BV companies run into difficulty when filing a UBO change — not because the process is complicated, but because they have no internal records of what was registered in the first place.
Consider this common example: when a BV is incorporated, there are two directors who are also shareholders and UBOs, each holding 50%. One director later resigns. Without internal records, the remaining director may not know what percentage was originally registered, what was filed at the KVK, or what needs to change. As a result, the UBO filing is incomplete or incorrect — and the KVK will reject it and issue a deadline to resubmit.
Furthermore, if the KVK rejects your filing, you are now working against a deadline under pressure. Getting it wrong a second time can trigger administrative fines.
This is why maintaining accurate internal UBO records from the moment your BV is incorporated is not optional — it is essential. Every change in shareholding, directorship, or control must be documented internally before it can be reported correctly to the KVK.
If you do not have someone keeping track of these changes, our company secretarial package ensures your records are always up to date — so that when a UBO change is needed, the information is ready and the filing is correct first time.
Don't wait until a filing goes wrong.
Our company secretarial package keeps your UBO records up to date from day one — so when a change is needed, the information is ready and the filing is correct first time.
Find out more about our company secretarial package →Confused with all the information available online?
Frequent Asked Questions
What is a UBO in the Netherlands?
A UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner) is any natural person who owns more than 25% of the shares or voting rights in a Dutch company, or who effectively controls it. If no one meets this threshold, all managing directors are registered as pseudo-UBOs.
Do I need to register a UBO for my Dutch BV?
Yes. All Dutch BV companies are legally required to register their UBOs with the KVK. This is a mandatory obligation under the Dutch Anti-Money Laundering Act, which implements the EU's Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive.
How quickly must I update my UBO registration?
Any changes in beneficial ownership or control must be reported to the KVK within 7 days
Can I register my UBO online as a non-resident director?
No. Dutch resident directors can update UBO information online via the KVK website. However, non-resident directors must complete a UBO-opgave form and send it by post to the KVK, together with the required supporting documents.
What documents do I need to submit a UBO registration?
At minimum you will need a completed UBO-opgave form and a company structure chart. In some cases the KVK may request additional supporting evidence, such as shareholder agreements or identity documents, to verify the ownership structure at every level.
Is UBO information publicly available?
Only limited information is publicly visible at the KVK — first and last name, nationality, country of residence, month and year of birth, and the nature and extent of the beneficial interest. Sensitive information such as residential address and identity documents is only accessible to Dutch authorities. Note: as of the time of writing, UBO data is temporarily not publicly accessible following a ruling by the European Court of Justice.
How much does your UBO registration service cost?
Our UBO All-in-One Package is a fixed fee of €700 + VAT. This covers the full process — from identifying your UBOs and completing the forms, to posting the documents to the KVK.
What happens if I get the UBO filing wrong?
An incorrect or incomplete filing will be rejected by the KVK, who will set a deadline for you to resubmit the correct information. In most cases, the problem is not the filing process itself — it is that Dutch BVs no longer know who their UBOs are or what percentage they hold, particularly when employees, directors or shareholders have changed over time and no internal records were kept. This is why it is important to review the full ownership structure before submitting — or to engage a specialist to do it for you.