Switching a business account in the Netherlands, how the switch works

Snapshot

The Netherlands has a bank switching service, the Overstapservice, run through the Dutch Payments Association. It supports business payment accounts on the same terms as personal accounts, it is free of charge, and it runs for 13 months, forwarding incoming payments and direct debits to your new account. It works between participating Dutch banks, so confirm both providers take part. As of 13 March 2026.

Switching service: The Overstapservice, free of charge, forwards incoming payments and direct debits for 13 months between participating Dutch banks
Business accounts: Supported on the same process and terms as personal accounts. International providers may fall outside it. Verify with the provider.
What moves: Incoming payments and direct debits, plus notice of the new IBAN to the payers and collectors you list
What you do: Open the new account first, then set up standing orders again from the list your old bank sends

Fees and features as of 13 March 2026Last reviewed 13 March 2026

General information, not financial, legal, or tax advice. Verify current terms and eligibility with the provider before applying.

The Netherlands runs a bank switching service called the Overstapservice, organised through the Dutch Payments Association. As of 13 March 2026 it supports business payment accounts on the same process and terms as personal accounts, it is free of charge, and it runs for 13 months. You open the new account first, then submit a switch application to the new bank. Incoming payments and direct debits for the old account are forwarded automatically, and the payers and collectors you list are told the new IBAN. Standing orders are not moved automatically, so the old bank sends a list for you to set them up again. The service works between participating Dutch banks, so an international provider or a foreign IBAN may fall outside it. Confirm both providers take part.

How switching works in the Netherlands

The Overstapservice lets you move to another Dutch bank without losing incoming payments. You open the new account, submit the switch application to the new bank, and for 13 months your incoming payments and direct debits are forwarded from the old account to the new one. The payers and collectors you list are notified of the new IBAN. The service is free of charge and is supported for business payment accounts on the same terms as personal accounts, between participating Dutch banks. As of 13 March 2026.

What this means for a business account

Because the Overstapservice works between participating Dutch banks, a switch from one Dutch business account to another follows the standard process. An international provider, or an account that uses a foreign IBAN, may sit outside the service, in which case you arrange the move yourself. Before you switch, confirm that both your old and new provider take part, and that the service covers your account type. As of 13 March 2026.

A practical checklist for a business switch

Beyond the forwarding, a business has its own updates to make, and the 13 months give you time to do them. Plan for the items below, and keep both accounts open briefly so nothing is missed. Verify with the provider

Update the IBAN on your invoices, your website and any contracts that quote bank details.
Recreate standing orders on the new account from the list the old bank sends, since these are not moved automatically.
Update the account held by the Dutch Tax Administration, the Belastingdienst, and by payroll and any platforms or gateways.
Confirm the remaining balance has moved and close the old account once nothing else is due.

Compare business accounts available in the Netherlands

These providers accept business customers in the Netherlands. Fees and eligibility shown as of 13 March 2026. Confirm whether the provider takes part in the Overstapservice and the current terms before applying.

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Questions about switching in the Netherlands

Is there a bank switching service in the Netherlands?

Yes. The Overstapservice, run through the Dutch Payments Association, helps you move to another Dutch bank. It is free of charge and runs for 13 months, forwarding incoming payments and direct debits to your new account and notifying payers and collectors of the new IBAN. It works between participating Dutch banks. Confirm your bank takes part before you start. As of 13 March 2026.

Does the Overstapservice cover business accounts?

The Overstapservice supports business payment accounts on the same process and terms as personal accounts, between participating Dutch banks. International providers and accounts with a foreign IBAN may fall outside it. Confirm whether both your old and new provider take part before you rely on it. As of 13 March 2026.

How does the Dutch switching service work?

You first open the new account, then submit a switch application to the new bank. Incoming payments and direct debits for the old account are forwarded automatically for 13 months, and the payers and collectors you list are told the new IBAN. Standing orders are not moved automatically, so the old bank sends you a list to set them up again. As of 13 March 2026.

Does switching a business account cost money?

The Overstapservice itself is free of charge. The new account may carry its own monthly fee, and an international provider outside the service may charge differently. Confirm any costs with both the old and new provider, and note that you may run both accounts for a short period. As of 13 March 2026.

Fees, features, and eligibility change and vary by region. This page was last reviewed on 13 March 2026. Confirm current terms with the provider before applying.