You landed your first Dutch client as a freelancer, congratulations. Now you have to send a factuur (invoice), and here is the catch nobody mentions: a Dutch invoice is a legal document with required fields. Leave one out and it can be invalid, which means delayed payment and an annoyed accountant. Here is exactly what goes on it.
The required fields
This is the heart of it. As the official KVK guide to making an invoice lays out, and as ZZP invoicing checklists confirm, a valid Dutch factuur must include:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| btw-identificatienummer | your VAT ID |
| KVK-nummer | your Chamber of Commerce number |
| factuurdatum | invoice date |
| factuurnummer | a unique invoice number |
| omschrijving | clear description of goods/service |
| btw-tarief | VAT rate (0%, 9% or 21%) |
| btw-bedrag | VAT amount |
Plus both parties’ name and address, and the total. Miss a required field and the invoice can be rejected, so treat this as a checklist, not a suggestion.
The BTW line
The BTW (VAT) part trips up beginners. You apply the rate that matches what you sell, 21% (standard), 9% (reduced, e.g. some food, books), or 0%, and show both the rate and the amount separately. This is the invoicing end of the wider VAT world in doing your BTW return. If you use the KOR small-business scheme (from the KVK and ZZP setup), you do not charge BTW, but you must still show your btw-id and note the invoice is “vrijgesteld van btw op grond van de KOR” (exempt under the KOR).
The payment term
State a betalingstermijn (payment term) clearly. As ZZP invoicing guides note, the legal default is 30 days, with a maximum of 60 days for business clients; many freelancers use 14 to 30. Put it on the invoice so the client knows the deadline:
- “Betaling binnen 14 dagen.” (Payment within 14 days.)
- “Gelieve te betalen voor [datum].” (Please pay before [date].)
If they pay late, you can send a herinnering (reminder) and, eventually, charge statutory interest.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| factuur | invoice |
| factureren | to invoice |
| betalingstermijn | payment term |
| herinnering | payment reminder |
| aanmaning | formal demand (after reminders) |
| incasso | debt collection |
Where it connects
Invoicing is the get-paid half of the KVK and ZZP setup, and the language of chasing payment (herinnering, aanmaning) overlaps the debt world, useful if a client goes quiet. Getting this right keeps your freelance Dutch life running smoothly from the very first client.
The bottom line
A Dutch factuur is a legal document: it must carry your btw-id and KVK-nummer, an invoice date and unique factuurnummer, a clear omschrijving, and the btw-tarief and btw-bedrag, with a stated betalingstermijn (30 days default, 60 max for business). Under the KOR you skip the VAT charge but still show your VAT ID and the exemption note. Learn the required fields, use them every time, and your first invoice gets paid instead of bounced.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the invoicing Dutch a freelancer needs, factuur, btw-id, factuurnummer, betalingstermijn by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can make your first Dutch invoice valid and paid instead of bounced for a missing field.
Frequently asked questions
What must a Dutch invoice (factuur) legally include?
The legally required elements include: your btw-identificatienummer (VAT ID) and KVK number, a factuurdatum (invoice date) and a unique factuurnummer, your and the client’s name and address, a clear description of the product or service, the BTW rate applied (0%, 9% or 21%) and the BTW amount, and the total. Missing required fields can make the invoice invalid, so use a checklist.
What is the payment term on a Dutch invoice?
By law the default payment term (betalingstermijn) is 30 days, and for business clients it can be set to a maximum of 60 days. A common practical term is 14 to 30 days. State it clearly on the invoice so the client knows when payment is due. If a client pays late, you are entitled to send a reminder (herinnering) and, eventually, charge statutory interest.
How do I invoice if I use the KOR (no VAT)?
Even under the small-business scheme (KOR), where you do not charge BTW, you must still put your btw-identificatienummer on the invoice and clearly note that the VAT is exempt under the KOR (vrijgesteld van btw op grond van de KOR). You simply leave off the BTW amount and rate as charged, but the exemption statement and your VAT ID still belong on the document.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for invoicing and freelance admin?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the invoicing Dutch a freelancer needs, factuur, btw-id, factuurnummer, betalingstermijn, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so your first Dutch invoice is valid and gets paid instead of bounced for a missing field.
