Experiences involving alcohol in Amsterdam
These information pages can help you get started in learning about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your experiences on Airbnb. These pages include summaries of some of the rules that may apply to different sorts of activities, and contain links to government resources that you may find helpful.
Please understand that these information pages are not comprehensive, and are not legal advice. If you are unsure about how local laws or this information may apply to you or your Experience, we encourage you to check with official sources or seek legal advice.
Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*
I plan to serve or provide alcohol as part of my experience - do I need any licences for that?
Yes. The sale, purchase and consumption of alcohol is tightly regulated in The Netherlands.
Hosts who sell or otherwise offer alcohol to their guests are likely to need a Liquor and Catering Act license (unless they take their guests to a licensed bar or restaurant). In addition, when people sell alcohol in The Netherlands, they have to have a Social Hygiene Certificate.
You can find more information on the Social Hygiene Certificate on www.svh.nl. You can find courses on the subject here. We are not in a position to endorse these courses so please check out for yourself what courses may be the best courses for you in your specific situation.
You can find more information on the sale of alcohol here and the Liquor- and Catering Act here. In order to obtain a Liquor and Catering Act license you need to be at least 21 years old and the place in which you serve the alcohol must, amongst others, meet the following requirements:
- It must have two completely separate and lockable toilet facilities with handwashing facilities in the immediate vicinity;
- It must have mechanical ventilation with the vent being connected to the outside;
- It must have electricity, drinking water and a telephone connection.
For Amsterdam, the online application form to obtain a license can be found here.
If you sell alcohol without a license, you may receive an official warning or be subject to fines. More information on these fines can be found here.
If you work with staff, they need to be at least 16 years old to serve alcohol and a supervisor who obtained her or his so-called social hygiene certificate should be at the premises.
Offering “free” or complimentary alcohol would be in breach of the Dutch Alcohol Advertising Code.
Is there a minimum drinking age? Is there a minimum serving age?
Yes, there is. In the Netherlands, hosts are not allowed to serve or sell alcohol to people who are younger than 18. As stated above, waiters who serve alcohol have to be minimum 16 years old. The Netherlands has pretty strict rules in this respect. Here is a helpful FAQ.
Is there anything else I should think about?
If your experience will also involve serving or providing food, we recommend that you take a look at our information about [Experiences Involving Food]. If your experience will involve combining alcohol with another activity (for example, a guided tour of an area), please take a look at our other information sections to work out if any other rules might apply to your activity.
If you’re in any doubt, we recommend you get in touch with your accountant or legal advisor to find out whether you’re operating as a business.
You should be aware of potential criminal offences for selling alcohol without the required licenses or serving alcohol to underaged persons, which may include financial penalties and the possibility of a custodial sentence.
*Airbnb is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).