# Electronic money institution licence (Vergunning elektronischgeldinstelling) (Netherlands)

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/netherlands/

The Electronic money institution licence (Vergunning elektronischgeldinstelling) is issued by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) under Directive 2009/110/EC on the taking up, pursuit and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions (EMD2). It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The legal decision period is 3 months from receipt of a complete application. The application fee is EUR 6,800. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.

## At a glance

| Official name | Electronic money institution licence (Vergunning elektronischgeldinstelling) [1] |
| --- | --- |
| Also known as | EMI · Elektronischgeldinstelling · Dutch EMI licence · DNB EMI licence · Netherlands e-money institution licence |
| Issued by | [De Nederlandsche Bank](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/dnb-netherlands/) |
| Jurisdiction | [Netherlands](https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/netherlands/) |
| Licence family | [Electronic money institution (EMI)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/) |
| Legal basis | Directive 2009/110/EC on the taking up, pursuit and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions (EMD2) [2] |
| Passporting | EU/EEA passport available |
| Application fee | EUR 6,800 [3] |
| Statutory decision time | 3 months from receipt of a complete application [4] |

## What it lets you do

| [Issuing electronic money](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/e-money-issuance/) | Issuing monetary value stored electronically against funds received, redeemable at par and accepted by third parties as payment. |
| --- | --- |
| [Execution of payment transactions](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/payment-execution/) | Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account. |
| [Money remittance](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/money-remittance/) | Receiving funds from a payer solely to transfer them to a payee or another provider, without opening payment accounts. |
| [Issuing payment instruments and acquiring payment transactions](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/card-issuing-acquiring/) | Issuing cards or other payment instruments to payers, and acquiring card and other payment transactions for merchants. |
| [Payment initiation services](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/payment-initiation/) | Initiating a payment order at the user's request from an account held with another provider, as in open banking. |
| [Account information services](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/account-information/) | Providing consolidated online information on one or more payment accounts the user holds with other providers. |

## Where it is valid

_Issued in Netherlands (gold); can be passported to the other EU/EEA states (blue) by notification._

## Cost

_Regulatory costs from the official sources above. Professional fees, staff, office and audit come on top and depend on the business model._

## How long it takes

Statutory: 3 months from receipt of a complete application [4]. Observed: not published. The statutory clock usually starts only when the regulator treats the application as complete, and pauses while it waits for answers to its questions.

## Buying a company that already holds it

**Prior approval required.** Under Section 3:95 Wft and MiCA Articles 41 and 83, acquiring, increasing, or disposing of a qualifying holding (direct or indirect holding of 10% or more of voting rights or shares, or exercising significant influence) in a payment institution, EMI, or ART issuer requires a prior Declaration of No-Objection (DNO / VVGB) from DNB (the ECB assesses banks). Threshold bandwidth upper limits are set at 20%, 30/33%, 50%, or 100%. The statutory decision period is 60 working days from receipt of a complete application, extendable once by up to 30 working days for RFIs, governed by lex silencio positivo. [5]

## EMI in other countries

| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Czech Republic](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/czech-republic-small-scale/) | Small-scale Electronic Money Issuer authorisation | CNB |: | CZK 10,000 | ~1 mo |
| [Czech Republic](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/czech-republic/) | Electronic Money Institution licence | CNB |: | CZK 50,000 | ~3 mo |
| [Estonia](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/estonia-exception/) | Electronic money institution operating with an exception | FI |: |: |: |
| [Estonia](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/estonia/) | Operating licence as an electronic money institution | FI |: |: | ~3 mo |
| [Germany](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/germany/) | Electronic money institution licence | BaFin |: |: | ~3 mo |
| [Ireland](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/ireland/) | Electronic Money Institution Authorisation | CBI |: |: |: |
| [Latvia](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/latvia-registered/) | Registered electronic money institution | LB |: | EUR 2,500 | ~1.7 mo |
| [Latvia](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/latvia/) | Authorised electronic money institution licence | LB |: | EUR 5,000 | ~3.7 mo |
| [Lithuania](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/lithuania-restricted/) | Electronic money institution licence for restricted activity | LB |: |: |: |
| [Lithuania](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/lithuania/) | Electronic money institution licence for non-limited activity | LB | EUR 350,000 | EUR 1,463 | ~3 mo |
| [Luxembourg](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/luxembourg/) | Electronic money institution authorisation | CSSF |: | EUR 30,000 | ~3 mo |
| [Malta](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/malta/) | Electronic money institution licence | MFSA |: | EUR 15,000 | ~3 mo |
| Netherlands | Electronic money institution licenceElectronic money institution licence (Vergunning elektronischgeldinstelling) | DNB |: | EUR 6,800 | ~3 mo |
| [Poland](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/poland/) | Electronic Money Institution licence | KNF |: | EUR 1,250 | ~3 mo |
| [Slovakia](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/slovakia/) | Electronic money institution licence | NBS |: |: |: |
| [Spain](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/spain/) | Electronic money institution authorization | BdE |: |: | ~3 mo |
| [United Kingdom](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/united-kingdom-semi/) | Small Electronic Money Institution (SEMI) Registration | FCA |: | GBP 1,130 |: |
| [United Kingdom](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/emi/united-kingdom/) | Authorised Electronic Money Institution (AEMI) | FCA |: | GBP 5,640 | ~3 mo |

Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.

## Variants of this licence

### Exempt electronic money institution registration (Vrijstelling elektronischgeldinstelling) [6]

Valid in this country only. Legal basis: Directive 2009/110/EC on the taking up, pursuit and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions (EMD2) [2].

- [Issuing electronic money](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/e-money-issuance/)
- [Execution of payment transactions](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/payment-execution/)
- [Money remittance](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/money-remittance/)
- [Issuing payment instruments and acquiring payment transactions](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/card-issuing-acquiring/)
- [Payment initiation services](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/payment-initiation/)
- [Account information services](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/account-information/)

## Laws behind it

- [Directive 2009/110/EC on the taking up, pursuit and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/eu-emd2-2009-110/): Directive 2009/110/EC

## Sources

1. [dnb.nl: authorisation as an electronic money institution overview](https://www.dnb.nl/en/sector-information/open-book-supervision/open-book-supervision-sectors/electronic-money-institutions/authorisation-as-an-electronic-money-institution-overview/): retrieved 2026-09-24
2. [EUR-Lex: CELEX 32009L0110](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32009L0110): retrieved 2026-09-24
3. [wetten.overheid.nl: 2024 12 30](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0041647/2024-12-30): retrieved 2026-09-24
4. [dnb.nl: how long will it take to consider my application for authori](https://www.dnb.nl/en/sector-information/open-book-supervision/open-book-supervision-sectors/electronic-money-institutions/authorisation-as-an-electronic-money-institution-overview/how-long-will-it-take-to-consider-my-application-for-authorisation/): retrieved 2026-09-24
5. [dnb.nl: dno application time frame](https://www.dnb.nl/en/sector-information/open-book-supervision/open-book-supervision-themes/declaration-of-no-objection/dno-application-time-frame/): retrieved 2026-09-24
6. [dnb.nl: exemption from the authorisation requirement](https://www.dnb.nl/en/sector-information/open-book-supervision/open-book-supervision-sectors/electronic-money-institutions/authorisation-as-an-electronic-money-institution-overview/exemption-from-the-authorisation-requirement/): retrieved 2026-09-24

Last verified 2026-09-24 · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.