Official letters from the Netherlands, explained in English

Many Dutch offices can send their letters to your online Berichtenbox in MijnOverheid, so check it often — you log in with DigiD. If you disagree with a decision, you can usually object in writing (bezwaar) within 6 weeks of the date on the letter.

Offices that write to you

Belastingdienst — Tax office. The national tax office. It handles income tax, VAT for the self-employed and car tax.
Dienst Toeslagen (Belastingdienst/Toeslagen) — Allowances office. Pays allowances that help with the costs of health insurance, rent and childcare: zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag and kindgebonden budget.
CJIB (Centraal Justitieel Incassobureau) — Fines collection agency. Collects fines for the government, for example speeding fines. It sends the payment letters and the reminders.
Gemeente — Town hall. Your town or city. It registers your address (BRP), collects local taxes and helps with income support (bijstand) and debt problems.
Waterschap / hoogheemraadschap — Water board. A regional office that looks after dikes, water levels and cleaning waste water. Every household gets a yearly water board tax bill.
UWV — Employee insurance agency. Pays unemployment benefit (WW), sickness benefit and disability benefit, and helps you find work.
IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) — Immigration and naturalisation service. Decides on residence permits, visas for long stays and Dutch citizenship.
SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank) — Social insurance bank. Pays child benefit (kinderbijslag) and the state pension (AOW).
DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) — Education executive agency. Handles student finance, student loan repayments and the civic integration exams (inburgering).
Zorgverzekeraar (CZ, VGZ, Zilveren Kruis, Menzis…) — Health insurance company. Your health insurer. Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must have basic health insurance (basisverzekering).
CAK — Care contributions office. Collects your own contribution (eigen bijdrage) for care at home or in a care home. It also collects a higher premium from people with large health insurance debts.
Gerechtsdeurwaarder — Bailiff. A legal officer who delivers court papers and collects debts. With a court decision or a dwangbevel, a bailiff can seize your wages, bank account or goods.
Incassobureau — Debt collection agency. A company that collects unpaid bills for someone else. It can’t seize anything itself — only a bailiff can, usually after a court decision.
Rechtbank / kantonrechter — Court. A court. The kantonrechter handles rent, work and smaller money claims. Letters from a court are always important — never ignore them.
Verhuurder / woningcorporatie — Landlord or housing association. The owner of your home, a letting agent, or a housing association that rents out social housing.
Energieleverancier (Eneco, Vattenfall, Essent…) — Energy supplier. The company that sells you electricity and gas. You usually pay a fixed amount each month and get a yearly bill.

Common kinds of letters

Dwangbevel — Enforcement order. An official order to pay a tax or fine you didn’t pay. Extra costs are added. If you still don’t pay, they can seize your wages, bank account or goods.
Beslag / beslaglegging — Seizure. They have taken, or will take, money or goods to pay a debt — for example part of your wages, benefit or bank account.
Boete / beschikking CJIB — Fine. A fine, for example for speeding or wrong parking. The CJIB usually collects it. If you pay late, the amount goes up.
Terugvordering — Request to pay money back. They believe they paid you too much — for example a toeslag or a benefit — and want the money back.
Aanmaning — Payment demand. You haven’t paid on time. Extra costs are often added, and the next step can be a dwangbevel or a bailiff.
Herinnering — Reminder. A reminder that you haven’t paid or answered yet. Often there are no extra costs yet — but they may follow if you wait.
Uitnodiging / afspraak — Appointment. They want you to come to an appointment. If you don’t come without a good reason, it can affect your benefit or your application.
Verzoek om informatie — Request for information. They need papers or information from you. If you don’t send them in time, they may stop a payment or not handle your application.
Afwijzing — Rejection. Your application was turned down. You can usually object if you think this is wrong.
Aanslag — Tax assessment. A tax bill from the Belastingdienst, your gemeente or your water board. It shows how much tax you pay or get back. You can object (bezwaar) within 6 weeks after the date on the letter.
Voorlopige aanslag — Provisional tax assessment. An advance tax bill or refund, based on an estimate of your income. It is often paid in monthly parts. The final amount comes later.
Toekenning — Approval. Your application was approved. The letter shows what you get, how much and from when.
Opzegging / huuropzegging — Termination notice. A contract is being ended, for example your rental contract, your job or an insurance.
Jaarafrekening — Yearly bill. The yearly bill for energy, or your landlord’s yearly bill for service charges. It compares what you used with what you already paid. You pay extra or get money back.

Dutch office words

aanslag, voorlopige aanslag, beschikking, bezwaar, beroep, zienswijze, termijn, dagtekening, aanmaning, dwangbevel, beslag, beslagvrije voet, deurwaarder, dagvaarding, incassobureau, betalingsregeling, uitstel van betaling, kwijtschelding — see all 50 words.

Reply templates in Dutch

Questions

How long do I have to answer an official letter in the Netherlands?

It depends on the letter. Look for words like “termijn”, “uiterlijk”, “binnen” — they mark the deadline. In the Netherlands, the time to object usually starts the day after the date on the letter (dagtekening), not the day it arrives. So count from the date on the letter. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“bezwaar”, “beroep”, “verzet”).

Can I understand a Dutch letter without speaking Dutch?

Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It reads the Dutch text on your device, explains it in plain English, finds deadlines and amounts, and can translate the whole letter.

Is my letter uploaded anywhere?

No. Briefly runs completely in your browser. The letter never leaves your device, there is no account, and it works offline after the first visit.