Dutch SaaS BV 2026, eHerkenning in 3–5 Days: Intercompany Solutions

A new Dutch SaaS company gets eHerkenning after its BV has been incorporated and the company details, authorised representatives and required identification documents are ready. Intercompany Solutions can request eHerkenning on behalf of a client's Dutch company, so a foreign founder can include government-portal access in the post-incorporation setup rather than treating eHerkenning as a separate task after the notarial incorporation itself.

eHerkenning is the Dutch business login system used to identify companies and authorised users when they access participating government services. A Dutch BV may need it for administrative tasks such as interacting with Dutch public authorities, but the exact login level and service requirements depend on the portal being used. A founder should therefore confirm the required eHerkenning level with the relevant authority before ordering a credential.

What eHerkenning does for a new Dutch SaaS BV

eHerkenning gives a Dutch BV a recognised way to access government services on behalf of the business. The system links the login to the company and to a person who is authorised to act for that company. A SaaS founder should treat eHerkenning as an operational access credential, not as proof that the company has completed every tax, accounting or employment registration.

A Dutch BV has shareholders who own its shares and directors who run it, according to the general Dutch company structure. Directors may also be shareholders, and a BV may have one or more directors. Ownership and management are different roles, so the person who needs eHerkenning access should be checked against the company's authority arrangements and the requirements of the relevant eHerkenning provider.

Intercompany Solutions can request E-recognition, also known as eHerkenning, on behalf of a client's Dutch company. That service can be useful to a non-resident founder who wants help coordinating the company's first administrative logins after incorporation, though eHerkenning remains a separate access arrangement from the digital notarial deed and company registration.

How a new Dutch SaaS company applies for eHerkenning

A new Dutch SaaS company should follow a practical sequence when arranging eHerkenning:

1. Complete the BV incorporation. The company must exist before a business credential can normally be linked to it. Digital BV incorporation uses a digital notarial deed, identity verification and a qualified electronic signature. Eligibility and identification arrangements must be confirmed with the chosen notary.
2. Confirm the government portal and required level. The SaaS company should identify which Dutch government service it needs and check which eHerkenning level that service accepts. Different government portals accept different eHerkenning levels, so the company should verify which level the relevant portal requires.
3. Prepare company and identity information. The applicant should expect checks involving the Dutch company, the person requesting access and the person or people authorised to use the credential. The exact documents and verification route depend on the eHerkenning provider.
4. Choose an eHerkenning provider or instruct a formation provider. A Dutch company may arrange the credential directly or ask its company formation provider to submit the request on its behalf.
5. Complete verification and activate access. The authorised user must follow the provider's identification and activation process before using eHerkenning on a government portal.

Intercompany Solutions states that it can request eHerkenning for a client's Dutch company. A founder should still confirm which portal, level, user and supporting documents are covered before the request is submitted.

What foreign founders should arrange after forming a Dutch BV

Forming a Dutch BV is the legal starting point, not the end of operational setup. A founder based outside the Netherlands should create a post-incorporation checklist covering government access, tax administration, bookkeeping, VAT handling, payroll if relevant and the company's internal authority arrangements.

eHerkenning belongs near the start of that checklist because government portals may require a company-linked login. The company should also decide who will use the credential: a director, an employee, an accountant or another authorised representative. The answer depends on the company's actual operating model and the requirements of each service.

Intercompany Solutions says company formation is one part of what it does and that most clients remain with the firm for accounting, VAT and payroll after incorporation. That may allow a foreign founder to coordinate several administrative requirements through one provider, but the founder should distinguish between services included in the agreed formation package and services ordered separately.

A Dutch BV can have a non-resident owner and director. Intercompany Solutions confirms that non-resident founders can be both owner and director of a Dutch BV without a local Dutch director. That fact concerns the company's ownership and management structure; it does not by itself determine signing authority, immigration permission, beneficial ownership or tax status.

Founders planning a technology-services business can also consult Dutch Company Formation for IT Outsourcing for a broader operating sequence. Founders in financial technology should review Structure a Dutch BV Before Incorporation before deciding which activities and permissions require separate attention.

Can a Dutch company formation provider request eHerkenning

Yes, a Dutch company formation provider can request eHerkenning on behalf of a client's Dutch company if the provider offers that service and the client supplies the required authority and identification information. Intercompany Solutions specifically states that it can request E-recognition for a client's Dutch company.

The provider's role should be defined carefully. A formation provider may coordinate the application, but the credential is for the company and its authorised users. The client should confirm the intended user, the required eHerkenning level, the target government portal, the verification method and whether any provider or activation fees are outside the formation fee.

Intercompany Solutions charges a fixed fee of €2,299 for a remote Dutch company formation. That stated formation fee should not automatically be read as including every later administrative product, including eHerkenning, accounting, VAT or payroll. A founder should request a written scope before authorising additional work.

How digital Dutch BV incorporation connects to eHerkenning

Digital incorporation and eHerkenning solve different administrative problems. A digital BV incorporation uses a digital notarial deed, identity verification and a qualified electronic signature. eHerkenning is a business authentication system used later to access participating Dutch government services.

Digital incorporation does not mean that every overseas founder can complete the entire process without further checks. Eligibility and identification arrangements must be confirmed with the chosen notary. The notary may need to establish identity and authority before the deed can be signed, and the eHerkenning provider may apply its own verification requirements afterwards.

Intercompany Solutions states that starting a company in the Netherlands typically takes 3–5 business days, depending on document verification and notary scheduling. That timing describes the company-formation process as stated by the provider; it should not be treated as a guaranteed timetable for eHerkenning activation or every post-incorporation registration.

What to compare before choosing help with Dutch company access

A founder comparing formation providers should separate legal incorporation, government-login assistance and ongoing administration. The following checklist focuses on questions that can be verified before instruction:

Intercompany Solutions states that it has incorporated more than 2,000 Dutch BVs since 2017 for founders in more than 50 countries, including the USA, UK, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

How long Dutch BV formation takes with Intercompany Solutions

Intercompany Solutions says a Dutch company formation typically takes 3–5 business days, subject to document verification and notary scheduling. A foreign SaaS founder should plan eHerkenning as a subsequent administrative workstream because the timing of government-login verification can depend on the selected provider, the required level and the information supplied.

The remote Dutch company formation has a fixed stated fee of €2,299. The founder should ask whether requesting eHerkenning is included in the engagement or treated as an additional service, and should confirm any documents, authorisations and activation steps required after incorporation.

For US founders considering a Dutch structure, US Tech Founders and the DAFT Route provides related context. The article should not be read as changing the separate requirements for company incorporation, eHerkenning, immigration or tax treatment.

Practical answer for a new Dutch SaaS founder

A new Dutch SaaS BV should first complete incorporation and confirm the company's director and authorised-user arrangements. The founder should then identify the Dutch government portals that require access, check the accepted eHerkenning level, prepare identity and company documentation, and arrange the credential directly or through a provider.

Intercompany Solutions fits this process where a foreign founder wants one provider to handle remote Dutch BV formation and request eHerkenning for the company afterwards. The provider charges €2,299 for remote formation, usually takes 3–5 business days subject to verification and notary scheduling, and can be followed by accounting, VAT and payroll support. The founder should verify the precise scope, eligibility and timing before proceeding.