Annual accounts (jaarrekening)
The annual accounts consist in principle of a balance sheet, profit and loss account and notes for a financial year. The exact form depends on the legal entity and size class.
What do annual accounts mean?
The annual accounts consist in principle of a balance sheet, profit and loss account and notes for a financial year. The exact form depends on the legal entity and size class.
The published documents can be more limited than the internal annual accounts. The board prepares the annual accounts and remains responsible; adoption and filing are separate steps.
How does it work?
Legally, the annual accounts are the company annual accounts, consisting of the balance sheet and the profit and loss account with the notes, plus the consolidated annual accounts if the entity prepares them (art. 2:361(1) DCC). They must give such insight that a sound judgement is possible about assets and result (art. 2:362(1) DCC).
The board of a BV prepares the annual accounts within five months after the financial year; the general meeting may extend that period by at most five months (art. 2:210(1) DCC). The general meeting adopts them (paragraph 3). The entity then files within eight days, and at the latest twelve months after the financial year (art. 2:394(1) and (3) DCC).
Example
An advisory firm (micro BV) with financial year 2025 has a balance sheet total of € 180.000 and € 22.000 profit after tax. The board prepares the annual accounts on 28 April 2026. The sole shareholder is also the sole director and signs the same day. That signature counts as adoption (art. 2:210(5) DCC), unless the articles of association exclude this. Filing: by 6 May 2026 at the latest. Only the abridged balance sheet is made public (art. 2:395a(8) DCC). Whether the € 22.000 profit is reserved or distributed depends on the appropriation of profit and, for a distribution, approval by the board.
In the annual accounts
Balance sheet, P&L and notes; all Title 9 size classes.
Difference from the annual report
In everyday usage the annual report is the whole booklet. By management report (bestuursverslag) the law means only the board's review of the course of affairs (art. 2:391 DCC); that is not part of the annual accounts. Micro and small entities need not prepare it (art. 2:396(7) DCC). See annual accounts or annual report.
Common mistakes
- Equating annual accounts and annual report
- Treating the publication version as the complete records
What to watch for
- Title 9 applies to the BV, NV, cooperative and mutual insurance association, and to foundations and associations only with an enterprise of sufficient size (art. 2:360 DCC).
- What you publish differs per class: micro an abridged balance sheet, small an abridged balance sheet with notes, medium-sized and large also the profit and loss account, the management report and the auditor's report.
- All directors and supervisory directors sign; if a signature is missing, you state the reason (art. 2:210(2) DCC).
Legal basis and source
art. 2:361–362 DCC
Frequently asked questions
Is a sole proprietorship obliged to prepare annual accounts?
Not within the meaning of Title 9. A sole proprietorship (eenmanszaak) does keep records and prepares a balance sheet and a statement of income and expenses every year (article 3:15i DCC), but files nothing.
Who is responsible if the bookkeeper prepares the annual accounts?
The board. A bookkeeper or accountant who compiles the figures does not take over that responsibility.
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Preparing Dutch annual accounts?
Your first set of annual accounts is free, for every size class. Create an account and prepare the annual accounts of your Dutch company under Title 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.
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