You can always communicate online with the government

Published by:
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO
Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO
< 1 min read
Nederlandse versie
Effective date: 1 January 2026

What changes?

Do you want to request products or services from your municipality, province, or water authority? You have the right to send official notices, such as applications for permits or objections, to the administrative body digitally.

Dutch administrative bodies are obliged to designate a digital channel through which entrepreneurs can reach them for each formal message. You can always choose between electronic communication and communication on paper, unless a special law prescribes electronic communication.

The administrative bodies must provide safeguards such as:

  • leniency in the event of malfunctions
  • mandatory acknowledgement of receipt of a message
  • mandatory notification of a message in systems such as MijnOverheid

For whom?

  • all entrepreneurs

When?

This Electronic Administrative Communication Modernisation Act will change section 2.3 of the General Administrative Law Act (Algemene wet bestuursrecht). This change in law will come into force on 1 January 2026.

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Questions relating to this article?

Please contact the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO