# Payment institution licence (Vergunning betaalinstelling) (Netherlands)

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/netherlands/

The Payment institution licence (Vergunning betaalinstelling) is issued by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) under Directive (EU) 2015/2366 on payment services in the internal market (PSD2). 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 | Payment institution licence (Vergunning betaalinstelling) [1] |
| --- | --- |
| Issued by | [De Nederlandsche Bank](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/dnb-netherlands/) |
| Jurisdiction | [Netherlands](https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/netherlands/) |
| Licence family | [Payment institution (PI)](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/payment-institution/) |
| Legal basis | Directive (EU) 2015/2366 on payment services in the internal market (PSD2) [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

- [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/)

- **Execution of payment transactions.** Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account.
- **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.** Issuing cards or other payment instruments to payers, and acquiring card and other payment transactions for merchants.
- **Payment initiation services.** Initiating a payment order at the user's request from an account held with another provider, as in open banking.
- **Account information services.** 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]

## Laws behind it

- [Directive (EU) 2015/2366 on payment services in the internal market](https://protegra.io/licensing/laws/eu-psd2-2015-2366/): Directive (EU) 2015/2366

## Sources

1. [dnb.nl: licensing requirement for payment service providers overview](https://www.dnb.nl/en/sector-information/open-book-supervision/open-book-supervision-sectors/payment-institutions/licensing-requirement-for-payment-service-providers-overview/): retrieved 2026-09-24
2. [eur-lex.europa.eu: HTML (32015L2366)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32015L2366): 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: application process timeline](https://www.dnb.nl/en/sector-information/open-book-supervision/open-book-supervision-sectors/payment-institutions/licensing-requirement-for-payment-service-providers-overview/application-process-timeline/): 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

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.