The real cost of setting up a Dutch BV

The first question investors ask about setting up a BV in the Netherlands is usually the same: “What does it cost in total?” The honest answer is not a single figure but a list. What you pay on the day of formation and what it costs to keep the company running for a year are two different things, and it is hard to build a sound budget without seeing both.

This article walks through the cost categories one by one, separates one-off from recurring items and points out the expenses that are most often left out. The figures below are indicative values as of 2026 and can change from year to year; in a tailored assessment we provide current numbers for your situation.

One-off costs at formation

The first group consists of expenses you pay once, when the company is incorporated.

• Notary fee: In the Netherlands a BV can only be incorporated by a deed executed before a civil-law notary. The fee depends on the complexity of the deed and on whether you sign in person or by power of attorney; for a standard formation expect roughly € 1,050, paid directly to the notary.
• KVK registration: The Chamber of Commerce charges a one-off fee of € 85 for entering the company in the trade register. The UBO (ultimate beneficial owner) registration is part of the same process.
• Advisory: Structure analysis, document preparation, correspondence with the notary and the KVK, tax registrations and the bank application file. Exonn Advisory packages are fixed at € 495 (Starter), € 950 (Launch) and € 1,650 (Structure); prices exclude VAT and the notary and KVK fees.
• Translation and apostille: Sworn translations and apostilles for identity and company documents from Türkiye rarely appear in a first budget, yet they are needed in almost every file; the amount depends on the number of documents and the language, and we clarify it together with the document list in the intro call.
• Share capital: The legal minimum is symbolic. The real question is how much you need to finance the first months of activity, and how that money will be documented when it arrives from Türkiye.

Recurring costs that keep the company running

The second group consists of expenses that return every year for as long as the company is active. Over the long run this group usually matters more than the formation cost.

• Bookkeeping and filings: Periodic VAT returns, the annual corporate income tax return and ongoing record keeping. The amount depends on transaction volume; in a tailored quote we present it as a fixed annual figure.
• Annual accounts: Every BV must prepare annual accounts at the end of its financial year and file them with the KVK. Small companies may use a simplified format, but the obligation itself does not go away.
• Registered address: If you have no physical office in the Netherlands, you will need a registered-address service; the annual fee varies by provider.
• Bank account: Dutch banks charge monthly fees for business accounts. For companies with foreign shareholders the onboarding involves additional checks and can take time; we prepare your file and support you throughout the process.
• Insurance and small fixed costs: Business and professional liability insurance are added depending on your activity; small but regular items such as bookkeeping software also belong here.

The effect of the DGA salary

The Netherlands has a customary salary rule (gebruikelijk loon) for a major shareholder who works in their own company (the DGA). This is not a fee you pay at formation, but it directly affects the company’s cash flow, its payroll obligations and your personal tax position.

The DGA salary requires the company to run a payroll, file wage tax returns and actually pay the salary. The position can be different for shareholders who continue to live in Türkiye, which is why we always treat this item in a tailored assessment.

What is most often forgotten, and why fixed prices help

In our experience the items most often missing from a first budget are: sworn translations and apostilles, the time spent coordinating with your financial adviser in Türkiye, temporary payment solutions in case the bank account is delayed, and the growing volume of bookkeeping from the second year onwards.

With costs this scattered, the value of a fixed-price package lies less in the amount than in its predictability. Knowing before you start what is included, what is not, and how work outside the scope will be handled removes surprise invoices. In our packages the notary and KVK fees are kept separate: you pay the notary fee to the notary and the KVK fee to the KVK directly, so advisory fees and third-party costs never get mixed up. A practical formation budget is therefore: package price + roughly € 1,050 notary + € 85 KVK. Recurring costs should then be planned as a separate line.

Conclusion

The real cost of a Dutch BV is not limited to what you pay on formation day; recurring items such as bookkeeping, annual accounts, the registered address, the bank and the DGA salary shape the overall picture. Seeing one-off and recurring costs as two separate lists is the first step towards a sound budget. We are happy to go through a cost overview for your situation in a free intro call.