Registering a divorce in the civil registry in the Netherlands

Has a judge has agreed to your divorce (echtscheiding)? Then you and your partner will be sent a copy of the final order (echtscheidingsbeschikking). When does your divorce become final? Once you have registered the final order in the municipality’s civil registry (burgerlijke stand van de gemeente).

You can register the final order in the Register of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (burgerlijke stand van de gemeente). Do this at the municipality where you were married. This must be done within 6 months of the court ruling. When you have done this you are legally divorced.

Registering the final order in the marital property register

Did you draw up huwelijkse voorwaarden (a prenuptial agreement)? Then you can register the agreement in the marital property register (huwelijksgoederenregister)(in Dutch). Do this at the court that issued the final order.

This is how it works for you

Your (future) place of residence falls under:

Municipality of Hilversum

Here is some information from your municipality.

Report divorce

If you are divorced abroad, you must report this yourself. Make an appointment at the municipality to do this. If you are divorced in the Netherlands, this must be passed on to the municipality within 6 months of the court ruling. This must be done in the municipality where you were married. Usually your lawyer will arrange this.

See the possible costs on Hilversum.nl.

Once the municipality has received the documents, it will register the divorce as soon as possible. The divorce becomes official as soon as the municipality registers it in the civil registry.