Tax and self-employment

This page tells you more about the taxes you pay in the Netherlands if you are self-employed.  

What does self-employed mean? 

Someone who is self-employed works for themselves and does not have any staff. You have your own business and you work for different clients. A self-employed person is called a ‘zelfstandige zonder personeel’, or ‘zzp’er’, in Dutch. 

Paying tax if you are self-employed 

If you are self-employed in the Netherlands, you have to pay taxes. You file a tax return with Belastingdienst every year. You pay tax on: 

• your income (income tax), 
• your revenue (VAT), and
• your profit. 

In some cases you also pay municipal or environmental taxes. 

There are also tax breaks, such as: 

• the self-employed person’s tax deduction, and
• tax relief for new businesses. 

These reduce the amount of tax you have to pay. 

Registering with Belastingdienst 

If you are starting out as a self-employed person in the Netherlands or you are starting your own business, you must first register with the Chamber of Commerce. You will then appear in the Trade Register.