Starting a hospitality business

Rates for 2025

• €998.90 for a license to start a hospitality business with or without alcohol
• €421.60 for a change in the form of the business
• €20.15 is the hourly rate for a change in the nature of the facility.
• €421.60 for a catering establishment offering takeaway food without alcohol
• €160.40 for adding the first manager
• €102.05 for adding each subsequent manager

Rates for 2026

• €1,024.85 for a license to start a hospitality business with or without alcohol
• €432.55 for a change in the form of the business
• €20.65 is the hourly rate for a change in the nature of the facility.
• €432.55 for a catering establishment offering takeaway food without alcohol
• €164.55 for adding the first manager
• €104.70 for adding each subsequent manager

You have a hospitality business if you serve food and/or (alcoholic) beverages. Examples of hospitality businesses include cafés, restaurants, snack bars, discos, community centers, clubhouses, canteens, hotels, and takeaway centers.

If you are going to start, take over, or relocate a hospitality business, you will need a hospitality operating license. If you also intend to serve alcohol in the business, you will also need an Alcohol Act license.

New manager:

• You do not need to apply for a new Alcohol Act license if you hire a new manager. 
• There is a new procedure for registering other managers in hospitality businesses. Use the manager registration form.
• For an overview of the changes, please visit the Ondernemersplein website.

New entrepreneur:

Apply for a new permit in good time and before the change to change the entrepreneur(s). You may only arrange the change after the permit has been approved. 

• You need permits to start a hospitality business. 
• The operator and managers must comply with the municipality's (behavioral) requirements.
• The establishment itself must comply with requirements (environmental and establishment requirements in terms of hospitality regulations).
• Managers must be 21 years of age or older. Managers must be 18 years of age or older in order to hold a hospitality business license. If both a license based on the Alcohol Act and a hospitality business license are required, the minimum age limit of 21 years applies.
• Managers must not engage in bad behavior.
• The establishment of a new hospitality business must comply with the municipality's zoning plan.
• The permit is in the name of the owner and is valid indefinitely. The owner cannot transfer the permit to anyone else.
• The license is no longer valid if operations cease, the legal form changes, or if there are changes regarding the owner(s) (for example, a partner leaves, a new partner joins, or another person takes over the business).
• The municipality may conduct a Bibob investigation. For more information, see Bibob investigation.

The municipality has eight weeks to make a decision and may extend this decision period once. The decision period may be postponed under the General Administrative Law Act.

You can object to the decision on your application. Do this within 6 weeks. If you disagree with the decision on the objection, you can lodge an appeal with the court.

Information about the operating license for a hospitality business

Step-by-step plan for starting a hospitality business

Entrepreneurs' House