Setting up a BV: the step-by-step plan from click to KvK

Setting up a BV sounds like a complicated process with appointments, paperwork and an afternoon at the notary's office. It doesn't have to be. In this step-by-step plan for setting up a BV we go through the whole route: from creating your account to registration with the KvK. It is deliberately short and concrete, so you know in advance exactly what will happen and what you need to do yourself.

The starting point: at Digital Notary you incorporate your BV entirely online, with a real, recognised civil-law notary in the loop. Not a cut-and-paste construction, but a legally valid deed. Since 2024 you never have to visit the notary in person for it: the deed can be executed remotely.

The plan in five steps

The whole incorporation breaks down into five clear steps. You do most of them yourself, at your own pace, from your laptop or phone.

1. Account and details. You create an account and fill in your BV's details: name, registered office, shareholders and board. This is also the moment to switch on the holding toggle if you want a holding structure. The onboarding takes about twenty minutes.
2. Digital identification. We verify who you are through a digital identity check: an ID photo, a liveness check and a background check. This is part of the legal obligations around identity, which the WWFT article explains in more detail.
3. Signing (QES). You sign the documents with a Qualified Electronic Signature: a qualified digital signature under eIDAS. It is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature throughout the EU. The article on eIDAS explains exactly how that works.
4. Execution of the deed. The notary checks the file and executes the deed. This is the step that makes the difference between something that looks like a BV and a BV that is legally sound.
5. KvK registration. After the deed is executed, your BV is registered with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK). Your company then officially exists and you get your KvK number.

What you mainly do yourself is in the first three steps: filling in details, identifying yourself and signing. We arrange the execution of the deed and the registration for you, together with the notary.

The notary as a quality mark, not a hurdle

The notarial deed is a legal requirement for a BV. Setting up a BV without a notary simply doesn't exist; that isn't our choice, but the law's. It may sound like an obstacle, but in practice it is actually a safeguard.

The notary checks whether your articles of association are correct, whether the structure is legally sound and whether anything is missing. That is exactly the kind of check that saves you a lot of hassle later, for example when an investor comes in or when you transfer shares. So you aren't paying for a stamp, but for certainty. You can read more about what that costs in the article on notaris-kosten.

Lead time: 4 to 7 working days

From the moment you have supplied all your details to registration with the KvK, count on 4 to 7 working days. Most of that time isn't in your actions, but in the careful check by the notary.

Want to know exactly where those days go, and how to speed up the process by supplying everything correctly in one go? That is worked out in the article on lead time. The biggest delay is almost always caused by missing documents, so go through the document checklist beforehand.

Before you start: is a BV the right form?

A step-by-step plan only really helps if you are sure a BV suits you. The rule of thumb: the tipping point from sole proprietorship to BV lies roughly around €90,000 to €120,000 annual profit, depending on your situation. Below that threshold a sole proprietorship is often more tax-efficient.

Also factor in the customary salary (gebruikelijk loon) for you as director-major shareholder (DGA). The guideline for 2026 is €58,000. Still torn between legal forms? Read bv-of-eenmanszaak. Thinking of a holding structure? wanneer-een-holding will help you further.

What it costs and what you get

The KvK charges €85.15 for registration (2026 rate). If you want to incorporate a holding company as well, you switch on the toggle: Pro plus Holding costs €300 extra, one-off, and the holding company is incorporated in the same process. The Pro package includes the onboarding of up to five shareholders.

After incorporation you keep a monthly fee. That isn't a software subscription, but the operational and legal layer underneath: your shareholder register, your file and the notarial infrastructure. Your register runs on the regulated infrastructure of Nxchange, an AFM-regulated investment firm, and is audit-proof. You can read more about this under aandeelhoudersregister and maandelijkse-fee.