Please note! Not all the points listed below are taken from the 2027 Tax Plan. Some changes had already been decided upon, but adjustments have since been made to them.
From 2027, the government will be scaling back various tax benefits for entrepreneurs.
The entrepreneur’s allowance reduces the profit on which an entrepreneur pays income tax. From 2027, further cuts will apply to various components of this allowance.
Please note! This scheme applies to self-employed people who do not meet the 1,225-hour criterion but do meet the reduced 800-hour criterion and are entitled to incapacity benefit.
The cessation allowance and the rates for the co-worker allowance will cease to apply at the start of the third calendar year following the year in which the reduction takes effect. As the changes come into force in 2027, the schemes will therefore cease to apply on 1 January 2030.
As of 1 January 2028, another tax benefit for business owners will be abolished: the discretionary depreciation scheme for start-ups.
Start-up business owners, those planning to cease trading within a few years, and business owners with a co-working partner will be particularly affected. The choice between a sole trader, a general partnership (VOF) or a private limited company (BV) therefore once again requires a calculation based on actual profits and personal circumstances.
Please note!If there are significant changes to your profits, business partnerships or business succession, have a fresh assessment carried out to determine which legal form is best suited to your business.
Tip! Due to the higher aggregate income, benefits may also change. You should therefore check your estimated income for benefit purposes in good time for 2027 and 2028.
Employers may, with retroactive effect up to and including 1 January 2026, reimburse a maximum of €0.25 per business kilometre tax-free. This was previously €0.23. The increase also applies to commuting. The government is now enshrining this increase in law with retroactive effect.
Please note!The increase does not automatically mean that every employee is entitled to €0.25 per kilometre. This depends on the employment contract, the collective labour agreement and the employer’s own mobility policy. For employers, a higher allowance may lead to higher wage costs.
This relaxation is offset by a tightening of the work-related expenses scheme (WKR). The targeted exemption for sector-specific products is being abolished. Until now, employers were permitted to grant employees a 20 per cent staff discount, tax-free, on the market value of the product, up to a maximum of €500 per year. This exemption is being abolished. From 2027, however, the discount may still be charged to the ‘free space’. If you exceed the free space, you will pay 80 per cent final levy on the amount above that threshold.
The discretionary allowance on the first €400,000 of the taxable wage bill will increase from 2% to 2.16% with effect from 1 January 2027. This will give you a maximum of €640 extra discretionary allowance per year. This increase was adopted earlier and is therefore not part of the 2027 Tax Plan.
Tip! Update your staff handbook, expense claim policy and payroll administration in good time, and assess whether a higher mileage allowance is desirable from both a financial and employment conditions perspective. Does your organisation offer staff discounts on sector-specific products? If so, consider what the end of this exemption will mean. This will mainly affect the retail and manufacturing sectors.
If, as an employer, you make a passenger car with emissions available to an employee for private use from 2027 onwards, you will be subject to a pseudo-final levy of 12 per cent of the list price. This levy is in addition to the employee’s additional tax liability and must not be passed on to the employee. Transitional provisions apply to cars made available before 1 January 2027.
The pseudo-final levy was already adopted last year, but following consultation, four amendments are being proposed.
The ‘youngtimer’ scheme will be scaled back more gradually than previously stipulated, and the changes will be less far-reaching. The additional tax liability will continue to be based on the market value, but the age limit will rise from 16 years to 17 years in 2027 and to 20 years from 2028 onwards. The previously planned rapid increase to 25 years from 2027 will therefore not go ahead.
Transitional provisions apply to cars that have already been made available by 31 December 2025 at the latest and which will be 17 years old in 2027. These cars may continue to benefit from the youngtimer scheme throughout 2027. From 1 January 2028, the scheme will only apply to cars older than 20 years.
For employers, the decision to provide a company car is becoming increasingly important, particularly due to the ‘pseudo-final levy’. The contract term, drive type and the date on which a car is first made available can have significant tax implications. As a result, an existing lease plan may turn out to be much more expensive or, conversely, much more attractive.
Tip! Before making any new leasing decisions, carefully assess the total employer costs, the employee’s additional tax liability, the lease term and the transitional tax rules.
Normally, the thresholds for tax bands and various tax credits in Box 1 rise in line with inflation. This means that the tax burden normally remains the same as income rises, in line with inflation.
In 2027 and 2028, the government will apply the inflation adjustment only partially. Without this measure, the inflation adjustment for 2027 would amount to 2.6 per cent. Of this, 48 per cent will be applied. As a result, tax band thresholds and tax credits will rise less in line with inflation. Incidentally, the 48 per cent is not applied to the second tax bracket threshold, which therefore remains the same in 2027 as in 2026. The first tax bracket threshold rises from €38,883 to €39,247. The second tax bracket threshold remains at €78,426.
At the same time, the Box 1 rates are changing. For taxpayers under the state pension age, the rate in the first tax bracket will rise by 0.48 per cent: from 35.75 per cent in 2026 to 36.23 per cent in 2027. The rate in the second tax bracket will rise by 0.60 per cent: from 37.56 per cent to 38.16 per cent. The rate in the third tax bracket remains at 49.50 per cent.
Due to the increase in rates and limited indexation, the tax burden in Box 1 will rise. This effect is mitigated for homeowners who can also deduct their mortgage interest at the higher rate of up to 38.16%.
Please note! Always assess your salary, dividends and profits in conjunction with one another. The tax burden may in fact be unexpectedly higher, as the general tax credit depends on your aggregate income. This may therefore also fall as a result of a dividend payment.
Box 3 taxes private assets, such as savings, investments and a second home. Under the current system, the tax authorities calculate the return largely using flat-rate figures. If your actual return is lower, you can provide evidence to the contrary, subject to certain conditions.
The Government has provisionally deferred consideration of the ‘Actual Return on Box 3’ Bill. It will present a new proposal in the 2027 Spring Memorandum. Consequently, the intended introduction on 1 January 2028 will not take place, or at the very least, this date remains uncertain. The Government is re-examining whether a capital gains tax would be more appropriate than a capital appreciation tax.
Under a capital appreciation tax, even an unrealised increase in value is taken into account annually. Under a capital gains tax, tax is only levied upon, for example, the sale of an asset. For entrepreneurs and directors/major shareholders with investments, let property or other assets that are difficult to sell, this makes a significant difference.
Please note!Until a new system comes into force, it remains important to keep accurate records of interest, dividends, rent, costs and changes in value. This information is required for the rebuttal scheme and for weighing up whether to invest privately or through a private limited company.
Tip! Do not wait for the new system. Record the actual return on each asset annually and retain the supporting documents.
The government is making various tax schemes for investment and innovation more attractive. For example, the energy investment allowance will rise from 40% to 45.5% with effect from 1 January 2027. Are you investing in qualifying energy-efficient business assets? If so, you’ll be able to deduct a larger portion of your investment from your profits.
The tax relief for research and development work is also being extended. The flat-rate hourly wage will rise from €29 to €33. This scheme reduces the payroll tax you, as an employer, pay when your employees are working on technically new products, processes or software.
Does your business make use of the innovation box? This scheme is also being made more attractive. From 1 January 2027, the maximum flat-rate amount will rise from €25,000 to €100,000 per year. The flat rate remains capped at 25% of profit. The current three-year application period will also remain unchanged. This allows you to have a larger proportion of your profit taxed at the lower Innovation Box rate.
Tip! Do you wish to make use of the energy investment allowance? Before entering into any commitments, check whether the business asset is included on the energy list. Then submit your application to RVO within the applicable three-month deadline.
To stimulate innovation and growth in specific young enterprises, the government is introducing an attractive tax scheme for employee share options at start-ups and scale-ups.
In principle, the employee pays tax when they actually sell the shares acquired through the options. After deducting the exercise price attributable to the shares, only 65 per cent of the benefit is taxed as income, subject to certain conditions. If the employee sells the share option right rather than the shares themselves, this lower tax base does not apply. The employee may also opt in writing for earlier taxation at the time the option right is exercised or as soon as the shares become tradable.
The scheme applies only to companies that qualify as start-ups or scale-ups and hold a decision from RVO. This decision is valid for eight years from the date of issue. Subject to certain conditions, you may extend the decision in five-year increments, up to a maximum total duration of 23 years. In addition, in principle, there must be a minimum period of two years between the grant of the share option and the sale of that option or the shares resulting from it. If the employee sells earlier due to a sale following the company’s initial public offering (IPO), an exception applies and the rule does apply.
The scheme is due to come into force on 1 January 2027. The definitive date of entry into force will be determined by Royal Decree. Share option rights granted on or after 17 April 2025 may also be eligible for the scheme. For this to apply, the share option rights must not yet have been included in payroll tax as at 31 December 2026, and the other conditions must be met. In that case, your company must apply to the RVO for the decision by 31 December 2027 at the latest.
Tip! Check in good time whether your company is eligible for an RVO decision. Also consider whether employee participation can help you attract, reward and retain talent.
Employers must also pay a so-called ‘freedom contribution’ to fund rising defence expenditure. The government intends to collect most of this additional burden through an increase in the contribution to the Disability Fund (Aof). According to estimates, this increase will generate €1.5 billion in additional contribution revenue in 2027. From 2028 onwards, this will amount to €1.7 billion per year on a structural basis.
The high and low Aof contribution rates have not yet been finalised. The contribution rates will be announced at a later date, alongside the annual contribution rates for employees’ insurance schemes. As a result, it is not yet clear exactly how much your employer’s contributions will increase.
Tip! Allow for higher employer’s contributions in your 2027 staff budget. Adjust your payroll cost calculations as soon as the high and low AOF contribution rates for 2027 have been officially set.
Are you buying a property in which you will not be living yourself on a long-term basis? If so, you will pay transfer tax at the standard residential rate. This applies, for example, to a let property or a holiday home. From 1 January 2027, this rate will fall from 8% to 7%. The 2% rate for a property in which you will be living yourself and the first-time buyer’s exemption remain unchanged.
Please note! This reduction does not apply to commercial premises. In the case of mixed-use properties, conversions and property development projects, there may be some debate as to which part qualifies as a residential property. The use and condition of the property at the time of acquisition play an important role in this regard.
Due to the rate reduction, it may be worth reconsidering the timing of the transaction. You should also take other factors into account, such as financing, return on investment, VAT and the legal structure.
Tip! Before signing the purchase agreement, have an assessment carried out to determine which rate applies to your situation. In doing so, investigate whether it is sensible and feasible to postpone the transfer of title at the solicitor’s office until after 1 January 2027.
Certain non-reimbursed healthcare costs are currently tax-deductible under specific conditions. These include specific medicines, medical aids, dietary costs, transport and additional family care. The relief only applies after any reimbursements and an income-related threshold have been taken into account.
The Government is abolishing the deduction for specific healthcare costs with effect from 1 January 2028. The associated scheme for reimbursement of specific healthcare costs, the TSZ scheme, will also be abolished. For people with a chronic illness, the Government is working on a targeted compensation scheme. The bill does not include any transitional provisions. The measure primarily affects people with a chronic illness, a disability or structurally high, non-reimbursed healthcare costs. Entrepreneurs and directors/major shareholders may also face higher net personal tax liabilities as a result. The financial impact varies greatly, as not every out-of-pocket healthcare expense is currently tax-deductible.
Tip! Make a list of your recurring deductible healthcare costs. This will show which tax benefits may be lost from 2028 onwards and to what extent a future compensation scheme will cover them.
The entrepreneur’s allowance comprises the self-employed person’s allowance (in Dutch: zelfstandigenaftrek), the allowance for research and development (in Dutch: aftrek voor speur- en ontwikkelingswerk), the co-worker’s allowance (in Dutch: meewerkaftrek), the start-up allowance in the event of incapacity for work (in Dutch: startersaftrek bij arbeidsongeschiktheid), and the cessation allowance (in Dutch: stakingsaftrek). These allowances may be deducted from business profits for the purposes of income tax.
Foreign taxpayers are taxed in the Netherlands to the extent that they receive Dutch income. Dutch income includes, amongst other things, the profit generated by a foreign entrepreneur’s permanent establishment in the Netherlands. The question is whether the entrepreneur’s allowance may be deducted in full from the profit of this permanent establishment or whether a different allocation must be made?
For the portion of the foreign entrepreneur’s profit that is taxable in the Netherlands, the letter of the law first requires the global profit to be determined, i.e. the foreign entrepreneur’s total profit, including profit earned outside the Netherlands. The Tax and Customs Administration states that the entrepreneur’s allowance and the SME profit exemption (in Dutch: mkb-winstvrijstelling)are deducted in full from these worldwide profits. The profit taxable in the Netherlands is that part of the worldwide profit, after deduction of the entrepreneur’s allowance and the SME profit exemption, which is attributable to the Dutch permanent establishment.
The business allowance is therefore not deducted in full from the profits of the permanent establishment, but in proportion to the ratio of Dutch profits to total worldwide profits.
The Tax and Customs Administration states that the portion of the SME profit exemption that may be charged against the profit taxable in the Netherlands must be determined in the same way as for the entrepreneur’s allowance.
Please note! According to the Tax and Customs Administration, the fact that the entrepreneur’s allowance and the SME profit exemption must be determined in the manner described above also follows from a 2010 ruling by the Supreme Court (in Dutch: Hoge Raad).
In principle, the Tax and Customs Administration has eight weeks to process your VAT refund claim. If this takes longer, you are entitled to compensation for tax interest provided that the VAT refund relates to a previous year and 1 April has already passed.
Example
The Tax and Customs Administration receives your request for a VAT refund for the fourth quarter of 2025 on 20 January 2026. If you have not yet received a refund decision from the Tax and Customs Administration by 1 April 2026, you are entitled to compensation for tax interest from 1 April 2026.
The period over which tax interest is calculated begins on 1 April or eight weeks after receipt of your claim (if this is later than 1 April). The period runs until fourteen days after the date of the refund decision.
Continuation of example
If the Tax and Customs Administration issues a refund decision dated 15 June 2026, it must reimburse 5% tax interest for the period from 1 April 2026 up to and including 29 June 2026.
Has the Tax and Customs Administration wrongly rejected your VAT refund claim? If so, you must lodge an objection in good time, i.e. within six weeks of the date of the rejection notice. If the Tax and Customs Administration subsequently grants the VAT refund, you are also entitled to reimbursement of tax interest.
Please note! In response to enquiries on this matter, the Tax and Customs Administration has stated that there is no entitlement to reimbursement of tax interest if the original application for a VAT refund was submitted too late and/or if the appeal against the rejection notice was lodged too late.
It is laid down in law that taxpayers have the right to inspect their own tax files held by the Tax and Customs Administration. In the letter, the State Secretary sets out how the implementation of this right of access to tax files will take shape in the coming years, what the intended timetable is and what exceptions will be made to the right of access.
At present, the Tax and Customs Administration does not yet have a centralised file system: the information in the tax file remains highly fragmented across dozens of unlinked systems. To facilitate the right of access to tax files, the Tax and Customs Administration will therefore need to implement a change in its working methods. The aim is to achieve a structured, externally oriented and accessible filing system, according to the State Secretary. The documents in the tax file will be made available digitally in stages over the coming years.
Under the ‘Keuze digitaal’ programme currently being implemented within the Tax and Customs Administration, decisions, invitations, reminders and submitted documents will gradually become available on MijnBelastingdienst (Business) by 2030. This will later be expanded to include standard letters and automated messages, followed by information from individual files, for example regarding the processing of a tax return.
The letter also sets out a provisional timetable, which includes the planned introduction of the right of access to tax records:
For Customs, the right of tax inspection would only apply to excise duties and consumption taxes. However, the State Secretary is excluding these levies from the right of tax inspection. The State Secretary points out that this does not mean that Customs is not committed to further improving the information position and legal protection of taxpayers.
Legislation passed at the end of 2024 already stipulates that the first bracket of the WKR’s discretionary allowance will rise from 2% to 2.16% with effect from 1 January 2027. However, following an evaluation of the WKR covering the years 2019–2024, SEO Economic Research (SEO) has recommended that the first bracket of the discretionary allowance should be abolished altogether. It is likely to become clear on Prinsjesdag 2026 whether the government will adopt this recommendation.
It will also become clear then whether the government will adopt the following recommendations from SEO:
It is expected that, at the very least, the targeted exemption for discounts and allowances on products from the company’s own business will be abolished.
The reimbursement rate under the expat scheme (formerly the 30% scheme) will be reduced from 30% to 27% with effect from 1 January 2027. At the same time, higher salary thresholds will also apply. These changes have already been incorporated into the legislation. The government has indicated that it does not intend to make the expat scheme any more restrictive.
As previously announced – and having already come into force with retroactive effect from 1 January 2026 – the tax-free allowance for travel expenses has been increased from €0.23 to €0.25. This increase applies to the tax-free travel allowance that an employer pays to their employee, and to the deductible business travel expenses of a self-employed person or a person receiving income from a business for income tax purposes. From the 2026 income tax return onwards, you may also take this higher amount into account when calculating deductible medical expenses.
Please note! The increase to €0.25 is currently set out in a decree, but will also be incorporated into law as part of the 2026 Prinsjesdag tax package.
From 2027, an employer who makes a passenger car available to an employee – i.e. a company car – will be required to pay a 12% pseudo-final levy to the Tax and Customs Administration on the list price of the passenger car, including VAT and BPM. This proposal was already adopted last year, but amendments are expected on Prinsjesdag 2026, such as an exemption from the pseudo-final levy for replacement cars in the event of damage, repairs and maintenance, and an exemption from the levy for driving school cars.
The government is considering not raising the age limit under the youngtimer scheme from 16 to 25 years in one go on 1 January 2027. A company car covered by the youngtimer scheme is subject to an additional tax liability of 35 per cent of its market value, rather than the standard additional tax liability that applies to newer cars. The government is considering an alternative phasing-out approach instead of the increase to 25 years with effect from 1 January 2027.
The government is considering introducing a new tax relief scheme for electric cars between five and eight years old. This scheme is expected to be named the ‘Greentimer’ scheme.
There is a plan to introduce a tax relief on payroll tax for benefits arising from share options for employees of start-ups and scale-ups. The tax relief will take the form of limiting the tax base for benefits from share options to 65 per cent, so that tax is levied on a lower benefit amount. The effective payroll tax rate will then be approximately 32 per cent, which is roughly equivalent to the tax rate on share options in box 2.
The government has previously indicated its intention to present the relevant bill to the House of Representatives in September 2026. The aim is for the reduced payroll tax on share options to come into force on 1 January 2027.
With regard to tax relief options for entrepreneurs, the following changes are expected in the tax package:
For private individuals, the deduction for specific healthcare costs is likely to be abolished with effect from 1 January 2028. Furthermore, on Prinsjesdag, various amendments are expected to the ‘Actual return on investment in Box 3’ bill, which is still under consideration by the Senate. There are several options for this, on which the government will take a decision in August.
The general residential rate for transfer tax is likely to be reduced from 8% to 7% with effect from 1 January 2027. This rate applies to the acquisition of residential properties which the purchaser does not intend to use as their main residence.
For transfers of residential properties between housing associations within the social housing sector, there is likely to be an exemption from transfer tax.
The plan to increase the VAT rate on floricultural products from 9% to 21% with effect from 1 January 2028 is also expected to feature in the tax packages announced on Prinsjesdag 2026.
For example, an online consultation on the ‘Appropriate Tenancy Agreements’ (in Dutch: Passende huurcontracten) Bill is running from 2 July to 28 August 2026. The aim is, on the one hand, to offer tenants rent protection more quickly, whilst, on the other hand, to provide students and migrant workers with the option of entering into a temporary tenancy agreement.
Under the bill, short-stay lettings are limited to a maximum of 30 days. This means that short-stay lettings without rent protection can effectively only be used for holiday lettings.
Students, however, will be given the option to enter into a temporary tenancy agreement for a maximum of two years. This is already possible if a student moves to another municipality to study. If the bill is passed without amendment, this will also apply to students who already live within the municipality. It will also become possible to enter into a temporary tenancy agreement of up to two years with a migrant worker.
Please note! The government is open to resolving other issues that have arisen following the entry into force of the Fixed-Term Tenancy Agreements Act (in Dutch: Wet vaste huurcontracten) on 1 July 2024. In response to the online consultation, anyone can submit ideas on this matter.
To make letting rooms more attractive, a legislative amendment has been tabled in the House of Representatives to encourage the letting of rooms (in Dutch: hospitaverhuur). The aim is to make it possible, with effect from 1 January 2027, to:
Owners of rental properties are obliged to improve the sustainability of their properties so that, by 1 January 2029 at the latest, they have at least energy label D. Rental properties may then no longer have energy labels E, F or G. The draft decree setting out these statutory minimum energy performance requirements for rental properties was sent to the House of Representatives and the Senate on 10 July 2026.
Please note! As a private landlord, you can apply for the Subsidy Scheme for the Sustainability and Maintenance of Rental Properties (SVOH) (in Dutch: Subsidieregeling Verduurzaming en Onderhoud Huurwoningen) to make your rental property more sustainable.
The government intends to make it legally easier for local authorities to facilitate the addition of extra storeys, the subdivision of properties and shared accommodation in existing buildings, and to remove obstacles. This should make the planning permission processes less complex and time-consuming.
Please note!The government has stated that local authorities do not need to wait for the legal implementation of this proposal. Local authorities can already obtain support through the National Centre of Expertise for Housing Construction (NEW) (in Dutch: Nationaal Expertisecentrum Woningbouw).
The introduction of the legal presumption does not mean that every contractor working at an hourly rate below €38 is automatically employed by the company. It does, however, mean that the presumption of an employment relationship is accepted. The contractor may rely on this presumption, but the company has the option to demonstrate that no employment contract exists.
If the company fails to prove this, the contractor is entitled to all the protection afforded by employment law. This includes continued payment during holidays and sick leave, and protection against dismissal
The contractor may rely on the legal presumption, but it has effect only under civil law. This means that the UWV, the Tax and Customs Administration and the Labour Inspectorate will not assess this legal presumption. They will continue to carry out their own investigations based on the elements of work, pay and a relationship of authority.
The legal presumption will come into force immediately on 31 December 2026. Do you have a contractor who is already carrying out work for you before 31 December 2026 at an hourly rate of less than €38? And will that contractor still be doing so from 31 December 2026 onwards? If so, from 31 December 2026 there will be a presumption that this contractor is employed by you.
Solvit is a body established by the European Commission that mediates in disputes regarding the correct application of EU law. Solvit’s services are free of charge.
The issues you can bring to Solvit are diverse. These include problems related to visas, child benefits, or pensions. For businesses, issues concerning trade and services, the recognition of professional qualifications, and VAT refunds are particularly relevant.
Please note!You cannot use Solvit if you have a problem with another business, if you have a problem as a consumer, or if you are seeking compensation. Solvit also cannot help if your case has been brought before a court.
A complaint or problem can be submitted online. You must indicate the nature of the problem and which government agency you wish to report the issue to. You may also attach relevant documents, such as correspondence. After submission, the Solvit center in your own country will contact you to prepare your case and then forward it to the Solvit center in the country to which your complaint relates. The goal is to resolve a problem within ten weeks.
On the Solvit website, you’ll find numerous examples of cases that have been resolved with Solvit’s help. These include, for example, the failure to refund VAT or delays in doing so. Another case involves the refusal to issue a certificate of inheritance. Yet another example involves the refusal to allow a product onto the French market, even though it complied with European regulations.
Solvit can also be contacted if you need advice on your EU rights. If necessary, you will be referred to services that can provide better assistance. Requests for advice are answered within a week.
Starting July 1, 2026, truck owners will pay a toll per kilometer driven on nearly all highways and a number of other roads (the Dutch truck toll). The amount of the toll depends, among other things, on CO2 emissions and averages €0,191 per kilometer. Due to the reduction, the truck toll will average €0,148 per kilometer. The reduction will be in effect from September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.
Let op! The government intends to use this measure to compensate the transportation sector for the sharp rise in fuel prices resulting from the conflict in the Middle East. The reduction amounts to a tax relief of €80 million.
Starting July 1, 2026, the Road Transport Agency (RDW) will check whether you are paying the truck toll. This will be done at fixed locations, for example using cameras above the road, but also with mobile devices.
Please note!Enforcement is largely carried out by the RDW, but partly by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) and the Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB). The Truck Toll Enforcement Plan sets out how the government monitors compliance with the truck toll.
Business owners can expect hefty fines if they fail to pay the truck toll in full or in part. The truck toll is recorded and collected electronically. Business owners who have not signed a contract with a provider for a toll box can expect a fine of €800. Until January 1, 2027, there is still some leniency, and this fine amounts to €400.
Please note! If you haven’t yet signed a contract with a provider for a toll box, be sure to do so before May 31, 2026, so you have enough time to receive and install the device before July 1, 2026.
Fixed fines also apply for errors with the toll boxes that record the truck toll. If the toll box is turned off, not working (properly), or if you are driving with a toll box that belongs to another truck, the fine is €500. Here too, some leniency applies until January 1, 2027, with a lower fine of €250.
Please note! You can receive a maximum of one fine within a 24-hour period. If there is more than one violation, only the highest fine amount will be imposed.
Employers may provide their employees in the Netherlands with a tax-free travel allowance of €0,25 per kilometer retroactively effective January 1, 2026. Until now, this tax-free amount was €0,23 per kilometer in 2026.
This amount applies to commuting and business travel. It does not matter which mode of transportation the employee uses. The allowance therefore applies to travel by car, bicycle, on foot, or by public transportation.
Please note!The government is encouraging employers to utilize this maximum tax-free travel allowance, but an employer is not required to actually reimburse the employee €0,25 per kilometer. The amount of the allowance is and remains an agreement between the employer and the employee.
Tip! If an employee travels by public transportation, an employer may also choose to reimburse the actual costs of public transportation tax-free. This was already possible and has therefore not changed.
Tip! Employers who make use of the retroactive effect may use correction notices to incorporate the increase in the tax-free travel allowance into the 2026 payroll-tax returns already filed.
The increase from €0,23 to €0,25 also applies to entrepreneurs subject to income tax (IB) and profit-sharing participants. They will be able to claim deductible business travel expenses at a rate of €0,25 per kilometer in their 2026 income tax return for the entire year 2026.
A volunteer who waives their right to a travel allowance may also include €0,25 per kilometer for their mileage throughout 2026 when calculating their charitable donation deduction on their 2026 income tax return.
Please note! Only the amount has changed from €0,23 to €0,25 per kilometer. The other conditions for this deduction remain unchanged. You must therefore still meet these conditions before you are eligible for the deduction..
Individuals can also claim €0,25 per kilometer for the entire year in their 2026 income tax return. This applies to:
Please note!Additional conditions also apply to these deductions. These have not changed, so you must still meet them to be eligible for the €0.25 per kilometer deduction.
The approval to reimburse €0,25 instead of €0,23 tax-free is included in a policy decision. On Prinsjesdag 2026, this will be included in a bill. The increase from €0,23 to €0,25 is not just for 2026, but is structural. This means that the €0,25 rate will still apply after 2026.
The government is exploring further measures to mitigate the impact of high fuel prices. For example, there is a proposal to offer unlimited train travel during off-peak hours (weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., and all day on weekends and holidays) for €49 per month. This would be available from June 21 to September 1, 2026.
Please note! A similar product for unlimited travel during off-peak hours with NS already exists. It is called Flex Dal Vrij and currently costs €127.95 per month. During the period from June 21 to September 1, 2026, this would cost €49 per month.
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