Short answer: for the mortgage you provide ID, proof of income (an employer's statement, werkgeversverklaring, and a payslip, or as a self-employed person an income statement or your annual accounts), the purchase agreement (koopakte) and a validated valuation report (taxatierapport). The notary asks for ID, a completed questionnaire, a PEP declaration and a statement of the origin of your own funds (verklaring herkomst eigen middelen), with proof: where does the money you put in yourself come from? Both have to ask under the Wwft, the Dutch anti-money-laundering act. Start gathering documents as soon as your offer is accepted: the deadline of your financing condition is often just a few weeks away.
Two parties, two lists
When you buy, two parties want to see paperwork:
- the lender (through your mortgage adviser): can you afford the loan, and is the apartment worth the money?
- the notary: who are you, and does the money you pay with come from a legal source?
The questions overlap, but they are two separate checks. The bank having seen your money doesn't mean the notary will skip it.
What the bank asks for
The exact list differs per lender. For a mortgage with Nationale Hypotheek Garantie (NHG, the Dutch mortgage guarantee) the requirements are fixed, and most banks ask for roughly the same:
| Document | Why | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Passport or ID card | who you are | a driving licence usually isn't enough |
| Employer's statement and payslip | your income as an employee | for NHG at most 3 months old at the binding offer, on the NHG model form |
| Or: UWV insurance statement (verzekeringsbericht) and payslip | your income as an employee, alternative route | not if you've been employed for less than 3 months |
| Income statement or annual accounts and tax returns | your income if self-employed | for NHG an income statement from a designated expert; you must have been self-employed for more than 12 months |
| Bank statements | your own funds and fixed costs | shows the money is really there |
| Purchase agreement | what you buy and for how much | the signed koopovereenkomst |
| Valuation report | what the apartment is worth | validated by a recognised validation institute, for NHG at most 6 months old |
The bank also checks the BKR, the Dutch credit register, for other loans or payment arrears. A running loan, including a credit card or a private lease car, lowers what you can borrow.
For an apartment the bank may also ask about the VvE, the owners' association. Every VvE must be registered with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK), and banks check this. If it isn't, or if it's a dormant VvE, your application can be delayed.
If you've recently moved to the Netherlands, expect to need a BSN (citizen service number) and, for most lenders, a Dutch bank account and Dutch income before they'll lend. Ask a mortgage adviser early what your lender requires.
What the notary asks for
Under the Wwft the notary carries out client due diligence (article 3): who you are, what the transaction is for and where the money comes from. The notary does this even if the money comes from a Dutch bank account: they have their own duty to investigate, separate from the bank's. You'll usually receive:
- a questionnaire with your personal details and marital status. If you're married or in a registered partnership with a prenuptial or partnership agreement, the notary asks for a copy.
- a request for a copy of your ID. Bring the original when you sign.
- a PEP declaration: are you, or someone close to you, a politically exposed person? Think of a member of parliament, minister, judge of a supreme court or ambassador, now or in the past twelve months. Partners, children, parents and close business associates of such a person count too. For most buyers the answer is no.
- a statement of the origin of your own funds: how much of your own money you put in, and where it comes from.
Origin of your own funds
This is the form that surprises buyers most. You tick where your own money comes from, with an amount per source, and send proof. Common sources and the proof a notary asks for:
| Source | Proof |
|---|---|
| Savings from your salary | income tax return, bank statements |
| Sale of your previous home | the notary's statement of account from that sale |
| Profit from your business or a dividend from your company | annual accounts, tax return, the dividend resolution |
| A loan, for example from family | the loan agreement |
| Sold investments or crypto | statements from the broker or exchange, and the transfer to your own bank account |
| A gift | the gift agreement and the gift tax return |
| An inheritance | the certificate of inheritance or the estate's statement of account |
How far the notary digs depends on the risk. Money that comes neatly from a savings account is dealt with quickly. Money from abroad, from investments or crypto, or a large gift from someone who isn't family raises more questions. If the notary can't complete the check, they must refuse to execute the deed (article 5 Wwft) and may report to FIU-Nederland, the Dutch financial intelligence unit (article 16).
Cash is practically out: under their professional rules notaries don't accept cash above €2,500.
A gift from your parents?
If your parents give you money for the purchase, put it in a gift agreement (schenkingsovereenkomst) and keep the bank statements. In 2026 Dutch parents can give their child €6,908 free of gift tax. If you're between 18 and 40, a one-off increased exemption of €33,129 is possible. A separate, higher exemption for the own home no longer exists since 1 January 2024. Above the exemption you file a gift tax return, and the notary will ask for it. These amounts are Dutch gift tax rules; a gift from parents abroad may also fall under their country's rules.
If you borrow from your parents instead, the notary wants to see the loan agreement, and the bank counts the interest and repayments in your housing costs.
When do you provide what?
- After your offer, before you sign: your mortgage adviser makes a first calculation based on your income.
- Right after signing the purchase agreement: order the valuation and gather the documents for the bank. The deadline of your financing condition starts running, often a few weeks.
- A few weeks before the transfer: the notary sends the questionnaire, the PEP declaration and the statement of origin of funds. Shortly before the transfer the draft deeds and the statement of account follow.
- Before the transfer: your own money is in the notary's client account (derdengeldenrekening).
- At the transfer: bring your original ID.
Don't leave the notary's documents until the last week. If you need proof of an inheritance or an old sale, getting it can take weeks.
Buying to let
If you buy an apartment to rent out, you need an investment mortgage rather than a regular home mortgage, often from a specialist lender. They ask the same questions about your own funds, but also look at the rental income and sometimes have you fill in a questionnaire to check you understand what letting involves.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the notary ask where my money comes from?
Because the Wwft requires it. When you buy a house or apartment, the notary must establish who you are and whether the money comes from a legal source. That applies even when the money comes from a Dutch bank account.
What happens if I can't prove where my money comes from?
Then the notary may not execute the deed, and may report to FIU-Nederland. Get your proof ready in time: bank statements, a gift agreement or a certificate of inheritance.
What is a PEP declaration?
A statement that you are not a politically exposed person, or a family member or close business associate of one. If the answer is yes, the notary has to look further into the source of your wealth and funds.
Can I pay my own contribution in cash?
In practice, no. Under their professional rules notaries don't accept cash above €2,500, and they must report cash payments of €10,000 or more to FIU-Nederland.
Want to know what's in the VvE documents of your apartment? Do the VvE check before you buy: the free scan shows within a minute where the warning signs are.
Sources (in Dutch)
- Wet ter voorkoming van witwassen en financieren van terrorisme (Wwft), articles 1a, 3, 5, 8 and 16 (consulted 27 October 2026)
- KNB: Cliëntenonderzoek en meldplicht in het notariaat (version March 2022)
- NHG: Voorwaarden en normen and dossier checklist
- NHG: Een hypotheek voor ondernemers
- Belastingdienst: Tot welk bedrag is een schenking belastingvrij in 2026?