Everyday services in the Netherlands

Municipality or national agency: the task decides who deals with it

In the Netherlands most everyday paperwork starts at the municipality, the gemeente, while some tasks run through national agencies instead. Choose a task such as registering your address, applying for a passport or exchanging a foreign driving licence to see who it is for and which local offices deal with it.

Browse offices by citySearch guides

You do not need to know the Dutch name for it

What do you need to arrange?

Each service explains who it is for and where in your city it is handled, whether that is registering after a move, ordering a birth certificate, getting a passport or ID card, or swapping a foreign driving licence. A plain description of your task is enough to recognise the right one.

Passports in the Netherlands

For Dutch citizens renewing a passport and for residents without a passport from their own country: who can apply and what to prepare.

205 offices · 81 cities

Help with DigiD and online government

Get a hand with applying for or activating DigiD, and with the online forms, messages and allowances that depend on it.

149 offices · 77 cities

Social assistance for basic living costs

See who can apply for income support, what a municipality takes into account and where to get advice if the application is difficult.

148 offices · 77 cities

Applying for a Dutch ID card

For Dutch citizens who need a new or replacement ID card: who can apply, what to bring and how collection works.

109 offices · 80 cities

Renew or replace a driving licence

For holders of a Dutch licence: how renewal works online or at the counter, how to replace a lost licence and where to collect it.

101 offices · 80 cities

Register after moving to the Netherlands

For newcomers and returning residents: what registering at the town hall means, who it applies to and what to prepare before your appointment.

99 offices · 79 cities

Birth, marriage or death certificate

For anyone who needs an official Dutch civil status document: which municipality to ask, who may request it and what the options are.

88 offices · 80 cities

Proof of your registered address

For when someone asks for official proof that you live at a Dutch address: the versions available, who can ask and where to start.

86 offices · 78 cities

Exchange a foreign driving licence

For newcomers with a licence from another country: who can exchange, what to bring and what happens if an exchange is not possible.

86 offices · 78 cities

Moving house in the Netherlands

For anyone changing homes inside the Netherlands: how a move is reported, online or at the counter, and which proof of address to bring.

82 offices · 79 cities

Deregister when you move abroad

For people leaving the Netherlands: when deregistration applies, what happens to your BSN, which organisations are told, and how to start.

81 offices · 79 cities

Proof of a registered partnership

Find out where to order an official certificate of your Dutch registered partnership: online, at a counter or by post.

77 offices · 66 cities

Register life events from abroad

For residents whose birth, marriage or divorce took place outside the Netherlands: which documents the municipality asks for and where to hand them in.

68 offices · 63 cities

Registering as a jobseeker in the Netherlands

See how jobseeker registration works, what to have ready and which Werkplein can help with your search, training or a change of career.

42 offices · 38 cities

Vehicle registration and ownership transfer in the Netherlands

Work out whether you need an RDW inspection for an imported vehicle or only a change of owner for a car on Dutch plates, then find a counter that takes your case.

22 offices · 21 cities

Non-resident registration and BSN

Register at a municipal desk to receive your BSN without a Dutch home address, and see how this differs from registering as a resident.

20 offices · 19 cities

Fingerprints, photo and residence card pick-up

For people who applied for a Dutch residence permit: what the biometrics visit involves, when you can book and where to collect the finished card.

17 offices · 14 cities

Unemployment benefit after losing your job

Find out how a WW claim with UWV works and where you can get advice or help with the application in your area.

7 offices · 4 cities

Residence registration for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens

Check whether the IND step applies to you, then see where approved cards can be collected. Most newcomers only register at their municipality.

7 offices · 7 cities

Basic health insurance and help with premiums

Understand the compulsory basic insurance and find insurer service points and municipal schemes that support people on a low income.

6 offices · 4 cities

Cities

Offices in each city

Choose your city to see its offices and how to arrange a visit.

Browse offices by city

Guides

Guides that help with this

Netherlands

Housing

Buying a Home in the Netherlands

Budget, due diligence and notarial transfer

Build a safe budget, verify the property, protect your offer, secure finance and complete the purchase through the notary.

buying a home NetherlandsDutch mortgage
11 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Residence permits

Dutch Residence Permit Guide

Routes, MVV, and IND steps

Learn how to navigate the Dutch residence permit process, from selecting your IND purpose and checking MVV requirements to preparing legalised documents and tracking decision timelines.

netherlandsresidence permit
17 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Pensions

Dutch AOW Pension Planning

State Pension & Insurance History

Understand the 2% annual accrual rule, verify your SVB insurance record, and prepare your Dutch state pension application.

AOWpension
17 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Universities

Working While Studying in the Netherlands

Student Work Rules & Permits

Learn about the TWV work permit, the 16-hour weekly limit, summer work options, and how student employment affects your Dutch health insurance.

student jobsnetherlands
17 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Residence permits

Post-Graduation Work Guide

Netherlands Post-Study

Understand the transition from a Dutch student permit to an orientation year or highly skilled migrant status with clear timelines and IND requirements.

NetherlandsGraduation
20 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Benefits

Dutch Unemployment Benefit Guide

Applying for WW benefits through UWV

Understand the application timeline, eligibility criteria, and ongoing job-search obligations required to secure and maintain Dutch unemployment benefits.

WWunemployment
15 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Work

Getting Permission to Work in the Netherlands

Work-permit routes, exemptions, and employer duties

Check your right to work in the Netherlands, read residence-card endorsements, and determine whether an employer needs a TWV or GVVA.

NetherlandsWork Permit
19 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Universities

Netherlands International Student Guide

Admissions, visas, and housing

Prepare to study in the Netherlands by comparing higher-education options, checking accreditation, meeting visa rules, budgeting, and finding housing.

NetherlandsHigher Education
19 min readRead guide

Netherlands

Taxes

Dutch Taxes & Social Security Guide

Payroll, Insurance, and Tax Filing

Understand the Dutch tax system. Learn how payroll deductions, social security contributions, and annual tax returns apply to expats, workers, and students in the Netherlands.

netherlandstaxes
18 min readRead guide

Other countries

Everyday services in other countries

Where to next

Local offices across the Netherlands

Town halls and city counters, city by city, with the services each one handles and how visits are arranged.

Netherlands offices

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