KVK number on Google Business Profile: required or not?

You have your KVK number neatly in the footer of your website. Good. But the next question: does it also belong on your Google Business Profile? And if so, where? Google has no dedicated field for a KVK number.

The short answer: technically there is no specific legal obligation for Google Business Profile. Practically it is a smart thing to do. This guide explains why, and how to do it within Google's rules. Want to first check whether your KVK number is correctly listed on your website? Run a free scan in two minutes.

What does Dutch law actually say?

Article 27 of the Handelsregisterwet 2007 requires you to display your KVK number on "all outgoing documents." That is a broad formulation. Letters, invoices, emails and your website clearly fall under it.

Google Business Profile is a grey area. It is an online presence that you maintain. That makes it look like outgoing communication. But it is not a classic "document" in the legal sense, and the Kamer van Koophandel has issued no specific guidance on it.

Article 3:15d of the Burgerlijk Wetboek goes further. This article implements the E-Commerce Directive and requires identifying information to be "easily, directly and permanently accessible" to recipients of an online service. That article clearly covers your website. Whether it also covers a third-party platform like Google Business Profile has not been resolved in case law.

Our conclusion: you comply with the law if your KVK number is on your website. Adding it to your Business Profile is strongly recommended, not legally required.

For the basics on your own site, see our guide on KVK numbers on your website.

Why you want it there anyway

Three reasons. The first two are about trust; the third is technical and relatively new.

1. Customers check it. For a potential customer, "looking up the KVK number" is a fast trust check. If it's in your profile, that's a plus. If it isn't, the customer first has to look you up in the KVK register, and that extra step makes people drop off.

2. AI Overviews and chatbots read your profile. Since 2024, Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity actively use Business Profiles as a source. When someone asks "which plumber is reliable in Utrecht", they increasingly get a direct AI answer. The AI pulls information from your profile. A KVK number in the description gives the AI a verifiable signal that you are a real registered business. That helps how you are described.

3. You cover the legal grey area. If a court ever rules that a Google Business Profile does count as "outgoing documents", you're covered. The effort to add it is zero. The downside is zero. The upside is a cleaner compliance position.

Where to place the KVK number on your Business Profile

Google does not have a dedicated field for the KVK number. So you put it in an existing field. The description is the best place.

The description field

The "Business description" field (the one you write, not the AI-generated version) accepts up to 750 characters. The first 250 characters show directly in search results; the rest appears behind a "More" click.

Important Google rules for this field:

• No URLs or HTML
• No offers or prices
• No phone numbers (those are already elsewhere in your profile)
• Allowed: factual information about your business

A KVK number fits this. It is factual business information.

Example: description with KVK

For a fictional plumber:

K. de Vries Plumbing has worked in Utrecht and surroundings since 2008. Repairs, boiler installation, bathroom renovations. 24/7 emergency service for leaks and blockages. Certified installer (Erkend Sanitair). KVK 12345678.

That's 233 characters. Fits in the visible part, meets Google's rules and contains the KVK number.

For a sole proprietor the same approach works:

Marketing Steven helps Dutch SMEs with SEO and web content. 15 years of technology consulting experience. Long-term clients in hospitality, retail and B2B services. Service area: all of NL (online), Utrecht and Amsterdam (on-site). KVK 87654321.

What if your description is already full?

Many businesses have used their 750 characters on story and service descriptions. Two options:

• Tighten elsewhere. Adding the KVK costs about 15 characters. Cut 15 characters elsewhere.
• Rewrite the closing line. Replace a generic closer like "Contact us today!" with "KVK 12345678. Call or email for a quote."

What else makes your profile verifiable?

The KVK number is a start. The broader trust question for customers is wider. Some elements that strengthen your profile:

The website field matters. It links your Business Profile to your own domain. Your own domain hosts your complete business information, including your imprint, privacy policy and terms. Google Business Profile references; your website delivers the proof.

What does NOT belong on your Business Profile

A few things people sometimes cram in, but that don't belong in a Google Business Profile description:

• Your BTW-ID. Belongs on your website and invoices, not on your public profile. No added value for visitors viewing the profile.
• Your IBAN. Not a place for a bank account number. Keep that for invoices.
• Long legal texts. Privacy policies and terms belong on your website.
• Links to your website or social media. Google does not allow URLs in the description field and may reject your profile for it.

What if you don't have a Business Profile?

Not every business has a Google Business Profile. For pure-online businesses (digital service providers with no physical location or service area) Google often does not accept a profile. That's not a KVK-compliance issue, because compliance attaches to your website, not to Google.

If you do have a physical location or a clear service area, a Business Profile is generally worth having. Without one you miss visibility in Maps, in local search results and increasingly in AI answers.

Decision matrix: where to display your KVK number

The pattern: in everything you create and control, the KVK number belongs. On third-party platforms it is legally grey, but practically always a good idea.

Five-minute setup

1. Open Google Business Profile and sign in.
2. Go to your Business Profile and click "Edit profile."
3. Open the "About" section, then "Description."
4. Add "KVK 12345678" to the end of your description (use your own eight-digit number).
5. Click Save. Google usually reviews the change within 10 minutes.

The same is recommended for LinkedIn and Facebook, on the "About" page of your company.

Check your website alongside your profile

Your Google Business Profile is correct? Good. But the real legal obligation sits on your website. That's where the KVK number must appear, alongside your BTW-ID, contact details and privacy policy.

Run a free scan and see within two minutes whether all required elements are present. We check the footer, contact page, privacy policy, cookie banner and 30+ other compliance points. No account required.

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This article is technical analysis, not legal advice. Consult a lawyer for advice tailored to your situation.