Opening a hospitality business in Amsterdam: which permits do you need?
To run a hospitality business in Amsterdam you will almost always need an exploitatievergunning (operating permit). If you serve alcohol, an alcoholvergunning (alcohol licence) under the Alcoholwet is required as well. If you want a terrace, that needs a separate terrasvergunning. Every application involves a Bibob check: an integrity screening by the gemeente into the operator and the financing. Gemeente Amsterdam decides on all three permits.
Which permits apply to your situation?
What you need depends on exactly what you are going to do. The most common situations:
| Situation | Permits | Note |
|---|---|---|
| New venue without alcohol (coffee bar, lunchroom, takeaway) |
| An operating permit is required even without alcohol. |
| New venue serving alcohol (café, restaurant, bar) |
| These are usually applied for together; the managers must meet the social hygiene requirements. |
| Venue with a terrace |
| The terrace permit comes on top of the operating permit and requires a terrace plan. |
| Taking over an existing business |
| Existing permits do not transfer automatically: as the new operator you apply again. |
| Renovation or a changed layout |
| Building work that changes the layout calls for a new or amended application. |
In what order should you tackle it?
The order determines how quickly you can open. This is the route we follow for our clients:
- 1
Establish which permits you need
Pin down what you are going to do — alcohol or not, terrace or not, new build or takeover. That determines the whole process.
- 2
Check the premises
Is the property suitable for hospitality use under the bestemmingsplan (zoning plan)? This is one of the first things the gemeente assesses.
- 3
Gather the documents
Proof of identity for every manager, a recent KvK (Chamber of Commerce) extract, the lease or purchase agreement, and a floor plan with surface areas.
- 4
Complete the Bibob questionnaire
Evidence of how you are financing the business belongs here. Incomplete Bibob paperwork is one of the most common causes of delay.
- 5
File the applications together
Submitting the operating permit and alcohol licence at the same time saves time, because the gemeente can handle them together.
Important to know
We are a private service provider, not the gemeente Amsterdam. We prepare the application and guide the process; the gemeente decides. Permit requirements, processing times and leges (municipal fees) change regularly — always verify amounts and deadlines with the gemeente Amsterdam.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need an operating permit if I do not serve alcohol?
- Yes. The exploitatievergunning applies to running a hospitality business open to the public, whether or not you serve alcohol. The alcohol licence is only added when you do serve.
- Can I take over the previous owner’s permit?
- No. Existing permits do not transfer automatically in a takeover. The permit is issued in the name of the operator and the premises, so as the new operator you apply again.
- What is the Bibob check, and do I always get one?
- The Bibob check is an integrity screening through which the gemeente assesses, among other things, the origin of your financing. For hospitality applications it is a standard part of the process.
- Can I open while the application is still running?
- No. Without a valid operating permit you may not open or continue to run your hospitality business.
Read more per permit
Want to know what your situation needs?
Tell us about your venue. We will determine, free of charge, exactly which permits you need and what it costs — upfront, with no surprises.
Request a free intake