Dutch office words from the Netherlands, explained
The words you see in official letters in the Netherlands, in plain English.
- aanmaning
- Formal payment demand. You paid late, and costs are often added.
- aanslag
- Tax assessment. A letter that says how much tax you must pay or get back.
- afvalstoffenheffing
- Waste tax. The gemeente charges it for collecting household rubbish. Tenants pay it too.
- AOW
- State pension. You build it up for each year you live or work in the Netherlands.
- automatische incasso
- Direct debit. They take the money from your bank account automatically.
- Berichtenbox
- Your digital mailbox in MijnOverheid. Offices can send official letters there instead of by post.
- beroep
- Appeal. Usually the next step after a bezwaar, at a court. In other letters, beroep can also mean ‘profession’.
- beschikking
- Official decision by an office about you, for example about a benefit or a permit. Also called besluit.
- beslag
- Seizure of money or goods to pay a debt, for example part of your wages.
- beslagvrije voet
- The part of your income that can’t be seized, so you can live on it.
- betalingskenmerk
- Payment reference. Type it in the payment reference field when you pay, exactly as written.
- betalingsregeling
- Payment plan. You pay a debt in monthly parts.
- bezwaar
- Objection. A letter to the office saying its decision is wrong, asking it to look again.
- bijstand
- Income support from your gemeente if you don’t have enough money to live on.
- borg
- Rental deposit. You get it back when you move out, minus costs for any damage.
- BRP
- The national register of residents (Basisregistratie Personen). Your gemeente records your address in it.
- BSN
- Citizen service number (burgerservicenummer). Your personal number for all government offices.
- dagtekening
- The date on the letter. The time to object usually starts the day after this date.
- dagvaarding
- Court summons. Someone has started a court case against you. It says when the case starts.
- deurwaarder
- Bailiff. A legal officer who delivers court papers and can seize money or goods.
- DigiD
- Your digital ID for logging in to government websites, like Mijn Belastingdienst or MijnOverheid.
- dwangbevel
- Enforcement order. With it, an office can collect a tax or fine by force, without going to court.
- eigen risico
- The part of your care costs you pay yourself each year before the insurance pays. Visits to your GP don’t count.
- huurtoeslag
- Rent allowance. It helps pay your rent if your income is low.
- incassobureau
- Debt collection agency. A company that collects unpaid bills for someone else.
- IND
- Immigration and Naturalisation Service. It decides on residence permits and Dutch citizenship.
- inschrijving
- Registration, for example of your address in the BRP. When you first register, you get a BSN.
- jaarafrekening
- Yearly bill. It compares what you used with the advance payments you made.
- Juridisch Loket
- Free legal advice service for people with a low or middle income.
- kinderbijslag
- Child benefit. Money from the SVB to help with the costs of children under 18.
- kwijtschelding
- Cancellation of a tax or debt because your income is too low to pay it.
- machtiging
- Authorisation. Permission for someone to act for you, or for a company to take money from your account.
- MijnOverheid
- The government’s personal website. You see your data and your digital post (Berichtenbox) there.
- opzegtermijn
- Notice period. The time between giving notice and the end of a contract.
- OZB
- Property tax (onroerendezaakbelasting). Owners of a home pay it to the gemeente.
- schuldhulpverlening
- Free debt help from your gemeente. They help you get an overview and make a plan with the people you owe.
- servicekosten
- Service charges paid with the rent, for example for cleaning or lighting in shared areas.
- termijn
- Time limit or deadline. In payment letters, a termijn can also be one instalment.
- terugvordering
- Claim to pay money back, because you got too much.
- toeslag
- Allowance. Money from the government to help with costs like health insurance, rent or childcare.
- uitstel van betaling
- More time to pay.
- UWV
- Employee insurance agency. It pays unemployment, sickness and disability benefits.
- verblijfsvergunning
- Residence permit. It lets you live in the Netherlands for a reason, like work, study or family.
- voorlopige aanslag
- Provisional tax assessment. An advance tax bill or refund based on your expected income.
- voorschot
- Advance payment. Money paid before the final amount is known, for example for energy or a toeslag.
- waterschapsbelasting
- Water board tax. It pays for dikes, water levels and cleaning waste water.
- WW
- Unemployment benefit (Werkloosheidswet). You may get it for a while if you lose your job.
- zienswijze
- Your view. Your chance to react in writing before the office makes its decision.
- zorgtoeslag
- Health care allowance. It helps pay your health insurance if your income is low.
- zorgverzekering
- Health insurance. Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must have basic health insurance (basisverzekering).