Renting without a BSN: what you can and cannot arrange

Do you need a BSN to rent a room?

No. A tenancy agreement for a room does not need a citizen service number (BSN). A landlord may verify your identity and ask for a copy of your passport or ID, but the BSN itself is not required to sign. Do not confuse this with registering at the address: that is between you and the municipality, not something the landlord arranges for you.

In practice it all connects. You need an address to register, and that registration gives you a BSN automatically. You then need that BSN to be allowed to work, to apply for DigiD and to arrange your health insurance and any benefits.

How do you get a BSN when you have just arrived?

You do not apply for a BSN separately: you receive it automatically once a municipality registers you in the Personal Records Database (BRP). Which route you take depends on how long you stay.

• •Staying longer than 4 months: register as a resident with your municipality within 5 days of arrival. This is possible with Dutch nationality, that of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, or a valid residence permit.
• •Staying shorter than 4 months: register as a non-resident at an RNI municipality (one with a counter for non-residents). You also get a BSN, which matters for temporary work or study.
• •Bring a valid ID to your appointment and, if you have one, a tenancy contract or proof of address. If your partner or children come along, they often need to attend too.

What may a landlord ask for without a BSN?

A reliable landlord checks who you are and whether you can pay, but stays within the rules. Since the Wet goed verhuurderschap (Good Landlord Act) there are clear limits, including for people who have just arrived.

• •Allowed: verifying your identity, asking about income or an employer's statement, and a reasonable deposit (at most two months' base rent).
• •Not allowed: tying your tenancy to your employment contract so you lose the room if you stop working. This has been prohibited since 1 July 2023.
• •Not allowed: charging double agency fees when the landlord hired the agent.
• •Important: information about the rent must be given in a language you understand. Ask for this if anything is unclear.

What if you do not have a registration address yet?

Without an address where you can register, you get stuck: no registration means no BSN, and without a BSN you cannot work officially. Some landlords do not allow registration. That is a serious drawback, because you need registration for almost everything involving the government.

So always ask before signing whether you may register at the address. If not, weigh carefully whether the room is worth it. If you get housing through an employer or temp agency, first read our guide on housing through a temp agency, because separate rules and risks apply.