Municipal Taxes in The Hague: What Newcomers Pay and When

This guide is for internationals who have just moved to The Hague, whether you rent or have bought a home, and want to understand the tax letters that arrive in your first year. After reading it, you will know which local taxes apply to you, when the bill arrives, how to pay it in full or in instalments, and where to object if something looks wrong.

• The assessment letter: what it is and when it arrives
• Waste tax: the bill every household pays
• Property tax and sewage charge for owners
• Water board tax: a separate letter
• Paying in full or in instalments
• Objections, moves and refunds
• FAQ

The assessment letter: what it is and when it arrives

The Hague sends one combined bill each year. It is called the assessment notice for municipal taxes (aanslagbiljet gemeentelijke belastingen). According to the municipality’s page on the municipal tax assessment, you receive this notice if you own or use a residential or commercial property on 1 January. It usually arrives in February, either by post or in your Berichtenbox on MijnOverheid.

Sometimes the municipality does not yet have all the information it needs, and the bill arrives later. You can check in MijnDenHaag whether your assessment has been sent. If you have not received one by 1 June and believe you should have, contact the Municipal Tax Department.

In a shared home, only one person gets the notice. It goes to the resident who has been registered at the address the longest. If all residents have been registered for the same length of time, it goes to the oldest. If you want tax mail sent to a different address, you must ask for this in a signed letter to Directeur gemeentebelastingen, Postbus 19924, 2500 CX Den Haag.

Waste tax: the bill every household pays

Every household in The Hague pays waste tax (afvalstoffenheffing). The person who uses the property pays it, so tenants pay this tax and no other municipal tax on the assessment. If you rent a room in someone else’s house, the owner pays the waste tax.

The municipality checks the Personal Records Database (BRP) to see how many people were registered at your address on 1 January. The rates are fixed and do not depend on how much rubbish you throw away. The waste tax page lists these rates:

• 1 person: €412.56
• 2 people: €463.80
• 3 or more people: €507.48

Newcomers who arrive partway through the year receive an assessment that runs from the month they moved in until December. If you have bought or rented a home to live in yourself but have not moved in or registered yet, for example because you are renovating, you still pay waste tax, at the rate for 3 people. If you plan to rent the property out and will not use it yourself, you do not pay waste tax.

Property tax and sewage charge for owners

If you own your home, your assessment includes three taxes: property tax (onroerendezaakbelastingen, OZB), waste tax and the sewage charge for owners (rioolheffing eigenarendeel). The bill also shows the WOZ value, which is the official value of your home.

The property tax page explains that OZB is a percentage of the property value. The residential rate is 0.0505%. The page lists two non-residential rates, 0.3115% and 0.2553%, for commercial property such as shops and offices. The pages covered here do not state the sewage charge rate. Your assessment shows the amount you owe.

The timing matters for buyers. OZB is based on the situation on 1 January. If you buy a property during the year, you will not receive an OZB assessment until the following year. The notary usually charges part of that year’s property tax to the new owner when ownership transfers. If you sell or move later in the year, you still pay the full assessment.

Tenants can look up a home’s value in the national government’s WOZ-waardeloket. If you need an official property value statement (WOZ-beschikking), you can request one through the Municipal Tax Department’s contact form or by letter to the Postbus address above.

Water board tax: a separate letter

Water board tax does not appear on The Hague’s combined assessment, and the municipality’s tax pages do not cover it. The regional water authority (waterschap) sends its own assessment. The water authority sets its own rates, payment deadlines, instalment options and objection procedure, and handles each case itself. Follow the instructions on that letter. For questions, contact the water authority, not the municipality.

Paying in full or in instalments

You must pay within 6 weeks of the date printed on the notice (dagtekening). The due date is stated on the assessment. You have several options:

• iDEAL: log in to MijnDenHaag and follow the instructions.
• Bank transfer: pay to IBAN NL12 BNGH 0285 1336 75 in the name of Gemeente Den Haag, and always include the payment reference. If you pay from abroad, use BIC BNGH NL2G.
• Direct debit: the municipality takes the amount from your account in parts, around the 25th of each month. Conditions are on the municipality’s direct debit page.
• Payment plan: if you cannot pay on time, apply online to spread the amount over a maximum of 12 months. You make the transfers yourself.

If you have a low income and struggle to pay, you may be able to apply for a tax waiver. The municipality assesses each application individually. The Helpdesk Geldzaken gives free help with online payments, payment plans and waiver applications. If you neither pay nor arrange a payment plan, you will receive a warning letter. The municipality’s taxes overview lists the further steps for late payment: a liability order and an impoundment notice.

Objections, moves and refunds

If you think the municipality has made a mistake, for example in the tax calculation or the property value, you can contest the assessment within 6 weeks.

Changes after you receive the bill, such as a move or a death, only take effect the following year, and you do not need to file an objection. If you move within The Hague, report the move and you will receive a waste tax bill for the new address. If you move to another municipality or move in with someone else, you can request a waste tax refund (ontheffing), so you only pay for the months you were registered at the old address. Your waste tax stays the same if someone joins or leaves your household during the year.

You can apply for a refund online through MijnDenHaag with your DigiD, or by letter to Directeur gemeentebelastingen, Postbus 19924, 2500 CX Den Haag. The letter must include your name, address, the date, the assessment reference number and type of tax, the reason, the date your situation changed and your signature. If you apply for someone else, include an authorisation (machtiging). You will receive an answer within 8 weeks.

FAQ

I rent an apartment. Which municipal taxes do I pay?

Tenants pay only the waste tax. The amount depends on how many people were registered at your address on 1 January: €412.56 for 1 person, €463.80 for 2 and €507.48 for 3 or more. If you rent a room in someone else’s house, the owner pays the waste tax.

I moved to The Hague in the middle of the year. Will I get a bill?

For waste tax, yes. You receive an assessment from the month you moved in until December. If you bought a home during the year, you will not receive a property tax assessment until the following year. The notary usually charges part of that year’s property tax to you when ownership transfers.

Can I spread the payment over several months?

Yes. You can pay by direct debit, which the municipality collects in parts around the 25th of each month. If you cannot pay on time, you can apply online for a payment plan of up to 12 months and make the transfers yourself. If you have a low income, you may be able to apply for a tax waiver.

I lost my assessment notice. Can I get a copy?

Yes. Send a letter to Directeur gemeentebelastingen, Postbus 19924, 2500 CX Den Haag. Include the name on the bill, your date of birth, full address, assessment number (aanslagnummer), telephone number and, if you have a business, your KVK number. You will receive the copy within 2 weeks of the municipality receiving your letter. You can also request a copy through the online contact form.

Official sources: denhaag.nl · denhaag.nl · denhaag.nl · denhaag.nl

Last verified: 8 October 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins. General information, not legal or tax advice.