A quick update on licensing requirements in 2026
This piece accompanies our pillar Escort work and Dutch law: guide 2026 and goes deeper into what changes in 2026 regarding the municipal licensing requirement for commercial sex premises — and what that means for self-employed providers who work without a fixed commercial location.
A brief summary for those who have not read the pillar first: the Wet regulering prostitutie (WRP) governs the basis for commercial sex premises. Municipalities have latitude within those frameworks to set additional rules. The big four (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht) each operate their own licensing policy; beyond that, stringency varies considerably by municipality.
What is a "commercial sex premises"?
The legal concept covers three categories:
1. Brothel or sex club — a fixed location where multiple providers work simultaneously for a rotating clientele. 2. Window prostitution — a specific sub-category with its own licensing requirement and geographic zoning. 3. Intermediary agency — an organisation that arranges appointments between clients and providers and receives a commission for doing so.
A self-employed escort working from their own home or a rented flat does not automatically fall under the licensing requirement. In practice the situation is more nuanced: some municipalities apply a broader definition whereby structurally commercial use of a rented property for incall appointments — for example daily or weekly over an extended period — may fall under the licensing requirement.
What changes in 2026
The WRP itself came into force in 2014 and has been revised on several points since then. In 2025 the Ministry of Justice and Security published a proposal for a new Wet Seksuele Dienstverlening (WSD) intended to replace the WRP. The position as of early 2026:
- The bill is before the House of Representatives but has not yet been adopted. For 2026 the current WRP remains the applicable basis.
- The replacement act, should it be adopted, would among other things introduce a national registration requirement for self-employed providers — a subject that is controversial within the sector.
- Until the act is actually adopted, little changes at national level for self-employed providers in 2026.
At municipal level there are concrete changes that have been announced:
Amsterdam. The municipality announced at the end of 2025 that it would revise the erotic business licensing framework. The proposed changes relate primarily to window prostitution and the relocation of part of it to an out-of-centre location ("Erotic Centre"). For self-employed escorts not working from a commercial location, little changes.
The Hague. Since January 2026 the municipality has applied a revised fee structure for sex-business licences. No impact for self-employed escorts.
Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven. No changes announced for 2026.
Smaller municipalities. Varies by municipality; in case of doubt, contact the municipal prostitution inspectorate or the Licensing department.
WSD status: a more detailed overview for 2026
For those who want to follow the WSD development closely, a more detailed picture of the position as of early 2026:
- Draft act submitted to the House of Representatives. December 2025. No debate date scheduled as of early 2026.
- Sector consultation completed. PMW, Soa Aids Nederland and sex-work advocacy organisations have been consulted; some parts of the draft act have been amended on the basis of that input.
- Main points of controversy. National registration requirement for self-employed persons, mandatory health advice, and transitional arrangement for existing providers. The sector argues that the first two elements could make providers more vulnerable to stigmatisation and enforcement pressure.
- Expected adoption date. Somewhere in 2026 or 2027 is the general expectation — but there is no firm timetable.
Mini-overview 2026 municipal changes
For those who only want to see the current municipal changes:
| Municipality | 2026 change | Impact on self-employed escort |
|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Erotic Centre relocation (window prostitution) | No direct impact |
| The Hague | New fee structure for sex-business licence | No direct impact |
| Rotterdam | No changes announced | n/a |
| Utrecht | No changes announced | n/a |
| Eindhoven | No changes announced | n/a |
What to do as a self-employed provider
In practice it comes down to a few concrete steps:
1. Register with the Chamber of Commerce. Mandatory as soon as you work on a structural basis. SBI code 9609 or 9329. No licence required at national level for the Chamber of Commerce registration itself. 2. Check your working location. Are you working from your own home, a rented flat, or doing outcall only? In most cases no municipal licence is required. If in doubt — for example if you are structurally using a rented flat for incall — contact the municipal prostitution inspectorate. 3. Register with the Belastingdienst. Mandatory; see our piece on VAT and self-employment. 4. With questions, make an appointment with PMW. Prostitutie Maatschappelijk Werk offers free advice on legal and business questions.
What we do not know
An honest caveat: we do not ourselves keep statistics on the number of self-employed providers who in any given year have fallen under the municipal licensing requirement because their working arrangement was interpreted as too commercial. Based on what providers tell us during onboarding, this is a rare situation, but that observation is anecdotal — not statistically substantiated.
In our first twelve months on the Dutch market we have seen two cases in which a provider indicated after a municipal inspection that their work flat had been placed under the licensing requirement. In both cases the matter was resolved after consultation with the municipality — no fines, but an adjustment to the working pattern. Two cases are not sufficient to derive a general rule, but it does confirm that the situation does occur in practice.
Further reading
- Escort work and Dutch law (the pillar) — the general legal frameworks
- VAT and self-employment — the fiscal side
- In case of doubt about a specific situation: make an appointment with PMW or with a social-law solicitor.
We are monitoring the WSD legislation and will update this piece as soon as the act is adopted or definitively rejected. The current position as of mid-2026 is stated above.