Belastingdiensts

Belastingdienst, officially the Belastingdienst (Tax and Customs Administration), is a Dutch government agency responsible for collecting national taxes, administering the tax system, and enforcing compliance. It operates under the Ministry of Finance and is tasked with ensuring the proper collection of taxes and duties and implementing tax laws and customs rules. In Dutch, the agency is named Belastingdienst; Belastingdiensts is not the standard form.

Its core duties include the collection of income tax, corporate tax, value-added tax (VAT), payroll taxes, and customs duties; processing tax returns and issuing tax assessments; conducting audits, imposing penalties, and pursuing debt collection. It also administers select social benefits and allowances financed by tax revenues and provides information and support to taxpayers, businesses, and institutions. The Belastingdienst offers guidance, online filing, and dispute resolution processes to help users comply with obligations.

Public services are accessible via online portals such as Mijn Belastingdienst, where individuals and employers file taxes, view notices, and manage accounts using DigiD authentication. The agency operates through regional offices and centralized services to handle inquiries, audits, and enforcement actions, and it collaborates with other government bodies on cross-cutting programs.

The Belastingdienst is a central part of the Dutch tax system and, as a large government agency, its work affects many aspects of public finances, business compliance, and residents’ eligibility for certain allowances. For more information, see taxation in the Netherlands and Dutch public administration.