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Glossary termPublished inWki

Zelfstandige zonder personeel

Also known as Self-employed person without staff

What does "Zelfstandige zonder personeel" mean in the Besluit kwaliteit incassodienstverlening?

persoon die zelfstandig en zonder personeel buitengerechtelijke incassowerkzaamheden verricht of aanbiedt

Defined in / by

Last updated: 14 October 2026.

Two roles in one person

A zelfstandige zonder personeel does the collection work and runs the business. The Besluit kwaliteit incassodienstverlening sets the training bar at the operational leader's level: at least level 4 of the European Qualifications Framework (Article 2.2(2)), with the yearly course and the yearly meeting on social norms (Article 2.2(3)). Someone who has offered or done collection work for less than six months is exempt from the yearly requirement (Article 2.2(4)).

The Regeling kwaliteit incassodienstverlening combines both roles. The legislation a zelfstandige zonder personeel must know is the operational leader's list (Article 2(2)); the communication knowledge is the same as for collection staff, because the zelfstandige zonder personeel talks to debtors and creditors directly (Article 2(3) and the explanatory note); and the skills are those needed to apply that knowledge working alone (Article 2(6)).

Registration and fees

A zelfstandige zonder personeel needs a registration like any other collector, unless working as a gerechtsdeurwaarder or advocaat (Article 4 Wki). The application costs €2,200 (Besluit, Article 7.1). The annual supervision fee depends on legal form, not on staff: €1,800 for a collector that runs an eenmanszaak and €7,400 for every other collector (Article 8.1). A zelfstandige zonder personeel working through a private limited company therefore pays the higher fee.

The temporary leniency

The one-year transition in Article 10.1 of the Besluit also covered zelfstandigen zonder personeel who collected before 1 April 2024. On 29 June 2026 the government reported that the formal training requirement caused practical problems and was exploring whether the diploma requirements could change (Kamerstuk 35 733, nr. 19).

Questions and answers

Does a self-employed debt collector need to register under the Wki?

Yes, when collecting consumer debts out of court for a third party or after assignment. Article 4 of the Wki prohibits that work without a registration, with exemptions only for gerechtsdeurwaarders and advocaten on the tableau. The application costs €2,200 under Article 7.1 of the Besluit kwaliteit incassodienstverlening.

What does Wki supervision cost a self-employed debt collector?

€1,800 a year when the collector runs an eenmanszaak, and €7,400 a year for any other collector, under Article 8.1 of the Besluit kwaliteit incassodienstverlening. The fee is due on registration and every year after (Article 8.2) and is not refunded.

Glossary

  • Operationeel leidinggevende

    persoon die leiding geeft aan het verrichten of aanbieden van buitengerechtelijke incassowerkzaamheden

  • Incassodienstverlener

    degene die buitengerechtelijke incassowerkzaamheden als bedoeld in artikel 1 van de Wet kwaliteit incassodienstverlening verricht of aanbiedt

Regulations

  • Wet kwaliteit incassodienstverlening (Wki)

    The Wki (Wet kwaliteit incassodienstverlening) regulates out-of-court debt collection from consumers in the Netherlands. Collectors working for a third party or on bought claims must be in the Justis register. Since 1 October 2026 a debtor owes no collection costs or interest to an unregistered collector.

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