Trade Registry Translation for the Netherlands

Matching the fields to the KvK uittreksel

Every business in the Netherlands is entered in the register of the Kamer van Koophandel (KvK), and when a recipient says “send us your registration document”, that extract is what is meant. Submitting the certificate of activity together with the TTSG notice supplies the three things a KvK extract gives: whether the company is active, who represents it and what its line of business is. Matching the fields to their Dutch counterparts lets the document be read quickly, and adding the signature circular completes the picture on representation. A tax registration certificate is no substitute; it shows the tax registration and nothing else.

Before delivery it is worth going through the following:

• Confirm that the Rbtv registration number appears on the declaration page of the translation.
• Check that the abbreviation for the company type has not been turned into “NV” or “BV”.
• Confirm that the MERSIS and trade registry numbers have been carried across exactly.
• Make sure the certificate of activity bears a current date.

The false-equivalent trap: an A.Ş. is not an “NV”

A frequent mistake is to translate the abbreviation for the company type into a Dutch one. Writing “NV” for an A.Ş. or “BV” for a Limited Şirketi equates it with a different form of legal person, and these forms do not map onto one another exactly. In translation the abbreviation is left as it stands, with an explanation in brackets where one is needed. Translating the type creates a false legal expectation on the other side; hesitation creeps into supplier approval in particular if the rules on capital and liability that govern a BV are taken to be the same as those for a Turkish limited company.

Capital, currency and the activity (SBI) terms

The amount of capital and its currency (Turkish lira) stay exactly as they are in the translation; they are not converted into euros, because what the document shows is the registered legal capital. In the Dutch register the field for a company’s activities is classified by SBI code, but tying the objects stated in the Turkish document to an SBI code is not the translator’s job. The objects are carried across without any change of scope; the classifying is done by the KvK. Sector-specific terms need their Dutch counterparts, chosen without distorting the meaning.

The QR-coded certificate of activity, MERSIS and the gazette details

Most certificates of activity are now issued through e-Devlet or the trade registry directorate with a QR code and electronic verification. The translation records that the QR code and the electronic verification wording are there, using the notes [QR code] and [electronic verification], and leaves the content of the code alone. Because the MERSIS number and the trade registry number are the key data identifying the company, they are carried across digit for digit; one wrong figure and the Dutch recipient will be unable to verify the document. From the Turkish Trade Registry Gazette notice, the publication date and issue number are kept, since they show when the change in question was registered. Which of the two versions is wanted – electronic, or printed with a wet signature – differs from body to body, so keeping both ready is the safest course.

Telling the current position apart from past changes matters as well: the certificate of activity shows the company as it is today, whereas the gazette notices form a chronological record. When a Dutch registrar, tendering body or supplier registration desk asks for a current record, sending the latest registration notice together with a currently dated certificate of activity is more complete than a single old copy, and it makes a request for further documents less likely.

Rbtv registration, current dates and common mistakes

A translator producing an official translation in the Netherlands is expected to be entered in the register of sworn translators (Rbtv), and the registration number is visible on the declaration page of the translation. Where the translation is produced in Türkiye, a sworn translator signs it, a notary public notarises it and an apostille is added; the Netherlands is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and you should confirm the current position from the official HCCH list. Tender and supplier registrations call for a registry record of current date, and an older copy may not be accepted. The most frequent mistakes are translating the type abbreviation, delivering a translation that carries no Rbtv number, and submitting an old copy. You can see the level of certification other documents need in our document guide, look at the cost on our pricing page and upload your document for a quote. This page is for general information; confirm the current requirements with the body you are applying to.