Starting
Getting DigiD as a freelancer
Without DigiD you usually cannot register your sole proprietorship with the KvK, and you cannot get into Mijn Belastingdienst Zakelijk. How you get it depends on where you are registered.
In short
DigiD is your personal login with the Dutch government. As a freelancer you need it to register your sole proprietorship with the KvK and to log in to Mijn Belastingdienst Zakelijk, the business portal of the Dutch tax office (Belastingdienst). You always need a citizen service number (BSN) to apply. If you are registered at an address with a Dutch municipality (BRP), you apply on digid.nl with your BSN, date of birth, postcode and house number; within 5 working days a letter with an activation code arrives at that address. If you live abroad and have a BSN, for example through the Non-Residents Records Database (RNI), you fill in the application form for abroad and receive a desk code by text message and email. With that code you collect your activation code within 30 days at a DigiD desk — at participating municipalities and at Schiphol, or at a Dutch embassy or consulate — or by video call with Netherlands Worldwide. Make the appointment first, then apply.
The essentials
- Always needed
- A citizen service number (BSN), a phone that can receive text messages and an email address.
- Registered in the BRP
- Apply online; letter with activation code within 5 working days at your municipal address.
- Home address abroad
- Application form for abroad, desk code by text and email, collect the activation code with a passport or ID card.
- Where to collect
- DigiD desk at participating municipalities, at Schiphol or at a Dutch embassy or consulate; or a video call with Netherlands Worldwide (not while you are in the Netherlands).
- Desk code
- Valid for 30 days. Not every country has a desk: make an appointment first.
Two routes to a DigiD
As digid.nl describes it. For the route from abroad you already need a BSN, for example from your RNI registration.
| Registered in the BRP: apply | On digid.nl with BSN, date of birth, postcode and house number; choose a username, password, phone and email |
|---|---|
| Registered in the BRP: activate | Letter with activation code within 5 working days at your address; you activate your DigiD with it |
| Home address abroad: first | Make an appointment at a DigiD desk or for a video call with Netherlands Worldwide |
| Home address abroad: apply | Application form for abroad on digid.nl; you receive a desk code by text and email |
| Home address abroad: collect | Within 30 days with the desk code, passport or ID card (not a driving licence), BSN and the same phone |
Try free for 90 days90 days free · no payment method needed · cancel monthly afterwards
What you need DigiD for as a freelancer
You register a sole proprietorship with the KvK using the online registration form; you log in to it with DigiD or European login. After that you log in with DigiD to Mijn Belastingdienst Zakelijk, where you find your VAT ID and turnover tax number under 'Btw' and file your VAT return. Mijn Belastingdienst Zakelijk also accepts eHerkenning as a login method besides DigiD.
DigiD is personal: you may not apply for it or use it on someone else's behalf. If you want someone else to handle things online for you, use DigiD Machtigen (authorisation).
If you live abroad
If you already had a DigiD before you moved abroad, you can simply keep using it. Before you leave, set up the DigiD app with the ID check and switch on text-message verification; from abroad you cannot do the ID check with a foreign identity document.
At more and more Dutch organisations you can also log in with the national login method of the European country where you live. Whether that works depends on the country and the organisation; usually you also need a BSN.
How to apply for DigiD
- You have a BSN → Registered with a Dutch municipality (BRP)?
- Registered with a Dutch municipality (BRP)? — yes → Via digid.nl; code by letter in 5 working days
- Registered with a Dutch municipality (BRP)? — no → Form for abroad; desk code by text message and email
- Form for abroad; desk code by text message and email → Collect the code within 30 days: desk, embassy or video
What the software does for you
You don't need DigiD for booxx: you create your account with your email address, and you can try it free for 90 days without a payment method. You get your bookkeeping and your VAT return ready to file in the software, in Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, English or Dutch.
You file it yourself in Mijn Belastingdienst Zakelijk, and for that you do need your DigiD. So arrange it well before your first return.
Try free for 90 days90 days free · no payment method needed · cancel monthly afterwards
Updated October 2, 2026. General explanation of the Dutch rules, not tax advice — for your own situation, decide together with your accountant or the Dutch Tax Administration.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get DigiD without a Dutch home address?
Yes, if you have a BSN, for example from a registration in the Non-Residents Records Database (RNI). You fill in the application form for abroad, receive a desk code by text and email, and collect your activation code within 30 days at a DigiD desk or by video call with Netherlands Worldwide.
What do I need for a DigiD?
A citizen service number (BSN), a phone that can receive text messages and an email address. If you are in the BRP, also your postcode and house number. If you live abroad, a valid passport or ID card; a driving licence does not count.
How long does it take to get DigiD?
If you are registered with a Dutch municipality, the letter with the activation code arrives within 5 working days. If you live abroad, it depends on when you can get an appointment at a DigiD desk or for a video call; your desk code is valid for 30 days.
Do I need DigiD to register with the KvK?
The KvK's online registration form asks for DigiD or European login. If you live abroad, you then also make an appointment at a KvK office to finalise the registration. So first arrange a BSN, then DigiD, then the KvK.
Can I use DigiD for Mijn Belastingdienst Zakelijk?
Yes, with a sole proprietorship you log in to Mijn Belastingdienst Zakelijk with DigiD. Under 'Btw' you find your VAT ID and turnover tax number, and you file your VAT return there.