Legal requirements for a Dutch business website

A good website builds trust. A website that misses legally required information does the opposite, and it can lead to complaints, warnings from regulators or disputes with customers. For international entrepreneurs, Dutch and EU rules are not always obvious, because they differ from what you may know from your home country.

This article gives a practical overview of the main legal requirements for a business website in the Netherlands in 2026. It is written for small and medium-sized businesses, including webshops. It is general information to help you check your site, not legal advice.

1. Company details: who you are

Visitors must be able to see who is behind a website. If you offer goods or services online, Dutch law (based on the EU e-Commerce Directive) requires you to show at least:

• Your business name and, if different, your legal name.
• Your visiting address. A physical address, not only a P.O. box.
• Contact details, including an email address, so customers can reach you quickly and directly. A phone number is strongly recommended.
• Your KVK number, the registration number from the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce.
• Your VAT identification number (btw-id) if you sell products or services. Note: use the VAT ID, not your VAT tax number (omzetbelastingnummer), which is only for the Belastingdienst.
• Professional details, if you work in a regulated profession (for example a lawyer, doctor or accountant): your professional body, title and the rules that apply.

Most businesses place this information in the footer and on the contact page, so it is visible on every page.

What about a home address?

Many sole traders run their business from home. The KVK can shield your residential address in the public Business Register. However, as kvk.nl points out, that does not remove your obligation to state a visiting address on your website and webshop. If you do not want to publish your home address, consider a business address or office space where you can actually be reached.

2. Privacy statement (GDPR / AVG)

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is called the AVG in Dutch. It applies as soon as you process personal data, and almost every website does: contact forms, newsletter sign-ups, customer accounts, orders, analytics and even server logs.

Your website needs a clear privacy statement that explains, in understandable language:

• who is responsible for the data (your business and contact details);
• which personal data you collect and why (the purposes);
• the legal basis for each purpose (for example performing a contract, consent or legitimate interest);
• how long you keep the data;
• with whom you share it (for example your hosting provider, payment provider, shipping company or email service);
• whether data is transferred outside the EU;
• the rights of visitors: access, correction, deletion, objection and data portability;
• the right to complain to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).

Beyond the text itself, good practice includes using HTTPS on the entire site, collecting only the data you really need, and having data processing agreements with suppliers who handle personal data for you. The Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens has guidance for businesses.

A privacy statement copied from another website is risky: it rarely matches what your site actually does. Base it on your real forms, tools and suppliers.

3. Cookie consent

Cookie rules in the Netherlands come from the Telecommunications Act (Telecommunicatiewet), on top of the GDPR. In short:

• Functional cookies, needed for the site to work (for example a shopping cart or language setting), do not require consent.
• Analytics cookies with little or no impact on privacy can be used without consent under specific conditions, for example when data is anonymised and not shared for other purposes. You still need to inform visitors.
• Tracking and marketing cookies, such as advertising pixels, social media embeds and analytics configured to share data, require prior, informed consent.

Valid consent means: the visitor actively agrees before tracking starts, pre-ticked boxes do not count, and refusing should be as easy as accepting. A banner that only says "OK" or hides the "reject" option deep in settings is not compliant. You should also document consent and allow visitors to change their choice later.

In practice, a properly configured consent management tool, plus a cookie statement listing the cookies you use, covers most of this. The most important step is technical: make sure tracking scripts really do not load until consent is given.

4. Terms and conditions

General terms and conditions (algemene voorwaarden) are not legally required for every website, but most businesses, and practically all webshops, use them. They set out the rules for delivery, payment, liability, complaints and returns.

If you use terms and conditions, you must make them available before or at the moment the contract is concluded. Online, this means offering them electronically, in a way that the customer can save and print, for example as a link in the checkout and a downloadable PDF, and referring to them in the order confirmation. If you do not provide them properly, the customer may be able to have them set aside.

For consumer sales, terms cannot take away rights that consumers have under the law. Some clauses are considered unreasonable by definition. Many sectors in the Netherlands have standard terms drawn up by industry associations, which can be a good starting point.

5. Extra rules for webshops

When you sell to consumers online, EU and Dutch consumer law adds several obligations.

Information before the order

Before the consumer orders, you must clearly show:

• the main characteristics of the product or service;
• the total price including VAT and all extra costs, such as shipping;
• payment, delivery and performance terms;
• the right of withdrawal and how to use it;
• the legal guarantee and any additional warranty;
• the duration of the contract and how to cancel, for subscriptions.

The final order button must make clear that the order involves an obligation to pay, for example "Order and pay". Pre-ticked boxes for paid extras or newsletter sign-ups are not allowed.

The 14-day right of withdrawal

Consumers can withdraw from most online purchases within 14 days without giving a reason. For goods, this period starts on the day the consumer receives the product. You must refund the purchase price and the standard delivery costs, normally within 14 days after the withdrawal. There are exceptions, for example for custom-made products, perishable goods, and sealed products that cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons once opened.

You must inform consumers about this right and provide a model withdrawal form. If you fail to inform them correctly, the withdrawal period can be extended by up to twelve months.

The withdrawal button (from 19 June 2026)

Since 19 June 2026, webshops selling to EU consumers must offer a clearly labelled withdrawal function in their online interface. The consumer must be able to start the withdrawal online, confirm it, and receive confirmation from you. It must be easy to find and available throughout the withdrawal period. If your shop runs on a standard platform, check whether your platform or a plugin already provides this.

Discounts, reviews and fair practices

• Price reductions. When you announce a discount, the "previous price" must be the lowest price you charged in the 30 days before the discount.
• Reviews. If you publish customer reviews, state whether and how you check that they come from real customers. Fake reviews are prohibited.
• Prepayment. Under Dutch law, a consumer cannot be required to pay more than half of the price in advance.

business.gov.nl has English checklists for online shops that cover these points.

6. Accessibility

Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies in the Netherlands through a Dutch implementation act. It covers, among other things, e-commerce services: webshops and online booking or ordering for consumers.

In practice this means your webshop must be usable for people with disabilities, for example people who use a screen reader or navigate by keyboard. The common technical benchmark is WCAG 2.1 level AA (through the European standard EN 301 549). Typical points are sufficient colour contrast, alternative text for images, clear form labels, keyboard navigation and a checkout that works with assistive technology.

Micro-enterprises that provide services, meaning businesses with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million, are exempt from the service requirements. Even if you are exempt, accessibility is worth investing in: it improves usability for everyone, helps SEO, and prepares you for growth beyond the micro-enterprise thresholds.

Government websites have separate, stricter accessibility obligations.

Quick checklist for your website

• Business name, visiting address, email address and phone number are visible.
• KVK number and VAT ID are shown (footer or contact page).
• A privacy statement matches your actual data processing.
• Tracking cookies only load after valid consent; refusing is easy.
• Terms and conditions are offered before the order and can be saved.
• For webshops: prices include VAT, the withdrawal right and withdrawal button are in place, and checkout wording is clear.
• The site uses HTTPS and is tested for accessibility.

Official sources

• KVK – Netherlands Chamber of Commerce: Business Register, KVK number and address shielding.
• business.gov.nl: rules for online sales, consumer rights and checklists in English.
• Belastingdienst: VAT ID and VAT obligations.
• Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens: GDPR and privacy guidance.

Please note: this article is general information, not legal advice. Laws and their interpretation change, and the requirements for your business depend on your specific situation and sector. For legal certainty, consult a lawyer or legal adviser.

Need a website that gets the basics right?

Smart Design, a web agency in Haarlem, builds websites and webshops in Dutch, English and Arabic with these practical requirements in mind: clear company details, privacy-friendly cookie handling, a clean checkout and attention to accessibility. Read more about having a website built or having a webshop built, or contact us to have your current site reviewed or to discuss a new one.