The short answer
The three process verbs are prepare (opmaken), adopt (vaststellen) and file (deponeren). Annual accounts (jaarrekening) combine a balance sheet (balans), profit and loss account (winst-en-verliesrekening) and notes (toelichting). The terms below retain their Dutch spelling so you can match them to forms and the Business Register.
Updated 6 October 2026
How to use this glossary
Dutch Civil Code (DCC) Book 2 Title 9 uses words with procedural consequences, not just vocabulary differences. A document the management board has prepared may still await adoption by the general meeting. A file submitted to the Chamber of Commerce (KVK) may be a limited publication copy rather than all information the directors reviewed. Translate the stage before interpreting a date or a signature.
Each linked Dutch term opens a longer explanation in Dutch. The English glosses are practical reading aids; where a contract, audit or filing depends on an exact meaning, refer to the Dutch legal text and the entity's documents. For a route through the whole process, start with the English overview.
Terms from records to filing
| Dutch term | English | Meaning in context |
|---|---|---|
| jaarrekening | annual accounts | The entity's statutory annual financial statements. |
| balans | balance sheet | Assets, liabilities and equity at a particular date. |
| balansdatum | balance sheet date | The date on which the balance sheet position is measured. |
| boekjaar | financial year | The reporting period to which the accounts relate. |
| gebroken boekjaar | non-calendar financial year | A financial year ending on a date other than 31 December. |
| verslagperiode | reporting period | The start-to-end interval shown by the statements. |
| winst-en-verliesrekening | profit and loss account | Income and expenses producing the year's result. |
| toelichting | notes | Explanations of policies, amounts and required disclosures. |
| bestuursverslag | management report | The management board's narrative about performance, risks and prospects. |
| opmaken | prepare | The management board draws up the annual accounts before adoption. |
| vaststellen | adopt | The competent corporate body formally adopts the accounts; this is not the same as discharge (decharge). |
| deponeren | file | Submit the required public documents to the register. |
| publicatiestukken | publication documents | The subset of annual reporting documents made public. |
| publicatieplicht | publication duty | The legal obligation to make specified accounts public. |
| deponeringsplicht | filing duty | The obligation to submit financial statements to KVK. |
| saldibalans | trial balance | Ledger account balances used as a starting point for reporting. |
| proefbalans | trial balance | A debit-and-credit check on general ledger totals. |
| kolommenbalans | working trial balance | A multi-column account overview used during closing. |
| grootboek | general ledger | The detailed accounts holding the entity's postings. |
| journaalpost | journal entry | A recorded debit-and-credit transaction. |
| RGS | reference chart of accounts | Dutch standard codes that can support account mapping. |
| grondslagen | accounting policies | The recognition and measurement choices explained in the notes. |
| activa | assets | Resources shown on the asset side of the balance sheet. |
| passiva | liabilities and equity | The financing side of the balance sheet. |
| eigen vermogen | equity | Residual interest after liabilities are deducted from assets. |
| vreemd vermogen | liabilities (debt) | Provisions and debts owed to creditors, as opposed to equity. |
| vaste activa | non-current assets | Assets held for use over more than one year. |
| vlottende activa | current assets | Assets normally realised in the operating cycle. |
| materiële vaste activa | property, plant and equipment | Tangible long-term assets such as machinery. |
| immateriële vaste activa | intangible assets | Non-physical long-term assets recognised under the rules. |
| financiële vaste activa | financial fixed assets | Long-term investments, loans and similar financial assets. |
| debiteuren | trade receivables | Amounts customers owe for billed goods or services. |
| crediteuren | trade payables | Amounts owed to suppliers for purchases. |
| kortlopende schulden | current liabilities | Debts normally due within one year. |
| langlopende schulden | non-current liabilities | Debts generally due after more than one year. |
| voorziening | provision | A liability estimate for an obligation with uncertain amount or timing. |
| afschrijving | depreciation | Allocation of an asset's cost over its useful life; Dutch law uses the word for tangible and intangible assets alike. |
| amortisatie | amortisation | Systematic allocation of an intangible asset's cost. |
| boekwaarde | carrying amount | The amount at which an item appears in the accounts. |
| netto-omzet | net turnover | Income from goods and services after discounts and turnover taxes; one of the three size criteria. |
| resultaat | result | Profit or loss for the reporting period. |
| resultaatbestemming | appropriation of result | The decision or proposal for distributing or retaining profit. |
| dividend | dividend | A distribution to shareholders subject to Dutch legal tests. |
| deelneming | participating interest | An investment held to maintain a lasting link. |
| consolidatie | consolidation | Combining a parent and controlled entities in group accounts. |
| geconsolideerde jaarrekening | consolidated accounts | Financial statements for a group as one economic unit. |
| enkelvoudige jaarrekening | company-only financial statements | The legal entity's own financial statements. |
| 403-verklaring | 403 liability declaration | A parent's filed acceptance of liability within group relief. |
| groepsvrijstelling | group exemption | Conditional relief linked to group reporting requirements. |
| controleplicht | statutory audit duty | The legal requirement for an independent audit. |
| controleverklaring | auditor's report | The auditor's formal opinion attached where required. |
| samenstellingsverklaring | compilation report | An accountant's compilation statement, not an audit opinion. |
| groottecriteria | size criteria | Assets, turnover and employee tests for reporting classes. |
| Richtlijnen voor de Jaarverslaggeving (RJ) | Dutch Accounting Standards | Professional reporting guidance alongside the statutory framework. |
| Dutch GAAP | Dutch generally accepted accounting principles | The Dutch financial reporting framework applied to the entity. |
| SBR | Standard Business Reporting | The structured electronic reporting route used for filing. |
| XBRL | eXtensible Business Reporting Language | The tagged data format used in SBR reports. |
| Nederlandse Taxonomie | Dutch Taxonomy | The reporting definitions used to structure XBRL data. |
| Digipoort | Digipoort | The government gateway through which SBR messages pass. |
| Kamer van Koophandel (KVK) | Chamber of Commerce (KVK) | The organisation operating the Dutch Business Register. |
| KVK-nummer | KVK number | The register number identifying the filing entity. |
| kasstroomoverzicht | cash flow statement | A report of cash movements by activity. |
| gebeurtenissen na balansdatum | events after the balance sheet date | Later events that may need adjustment or disclosure. |
| continuïteit | going concern | The assumption that the entity can continue operating. |
| Burgerlijk Wetboek (BW), Boek 2 Titel 9 | Dutch Civil Code (DCC), Book 2 Title 9 | The statute on annual accounts; English auditor's reports often say Part 9 of Book 2. |
| bestuur | management board | The directors (bestuurders), who prepare and sign the annual accounts. |
| algemene vergadering | general meeting | The shareholders' or members' meeting, which adopts the accounts. |
| statuten | articles of association | The entity's constitution; it can change who adopts and how. |
| Handelsregister | Business Register | KVK's public register, where annual accounts are filed. |
| Belastingdienst | Netherlands Tax Administration | The tax authority; tax returns go here, not to KVK. |
| accountant | auditor or chartered accountant | A protected title (RA or AA) in the Netherlands, not any bookkeeper. |
| balanstotaal | total assets | The balance sheet total, one of the three size criteria. |
| decharge | discharge | Release of directors from liability; ordinary adoption alone does not grant it, but adoption by signatures can (art. 2:210(5) DCC). |
A short example using the words
A BV closes its 2025 grootboek and exports a saldibalans. The management board uses that source to prepare a jaarrekening: a balans at 31 December, a winst-en-verliesrekening for the twelve-month period, and a toelichting explaining the grondslagen. Once the general meeting has vastgesteld the accounts, the entity must deponeren the size-appropriate publicatiestukken with KVK. In the micro class, the public copy is much narrower than the internal set. This chain is why 'trial balance', 'annual accounts' and 'filed financial statements' should not be treated as synonyms.
An English-speaking parent may ask for the geconsolideerde jaarrekening, while KVK asks about the Dutch subsidiary's enkelvoudige jaarrekening or its statutory exemption. Likewise a controleverklaring is an auditor's opinion, whereas a samenstellingsverklaring reflects a different engagement. Reading the exact Dutch term helps the foreign adviser ask for the correct document. The BV guide covers group relief, and the size guide shows which documents become public.
Check words against the actual filing
- Match the KVK-nummer to the Dutch entity rather than a parent's group identifier.
- Read whether the accounts were vastgesteld or filed as not yet adopted.
- Identify the boekjaar and balansdatum before comparing two documents.
- Check whether a public copy omits a profit and loss account because the size class permits it.
- Keep SBR, XBRL and Digipoort distinct: reporting system, data format and gateway.
If you need to submit rather than interpret a filing, see how to file with KVK. The deadline guide explains why the date of adoption matters. For choosing preparation software, the software guide lists the questions worth asking before importing data.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is jaarverslag the same as jaarrekening?
No. Jaarrekening means annual accounts; jaarverslag can refer more broadly to annual reporting and is sometimes used loosely. Check the exact document requested.
Does vastgesteld mean that KVK has received the accounts?
No. Vastgesteld means adopted. Deponeren is the subsequent filing step, normally due within eight days.
Are SBR and XBRL interchangeable terms?
No. SBR is the reporting system and process, while XBRL is the structured data format used in it.
Is a Dutch accountant the same as an English accountant?
Not quite. In the Netherlands accountant is a protected title for a registeraccountant (RA) or Accountant-Administratieconsulent (AA). Only an auditor with the required authority can sign the statutory auditor's report (controleverklaring). A bookkeeper is a boekhouder.
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