Water permit

You are required to submit a notification if you perform activities in surface water or using groundwater in the Netherlands. In some cases you will need a water permit (watervergunning), including when:

• discharging waste water directly into surface water;
• extracting groundwater;
• conducting activities near civil engineering structures (e.g. motorway, viaduct, tunnel, bridge, inland waterway, dike);
• constructing water storage facilities;
• filling in waterways.

How to apply

You report to or apply for the water permit via the Omgevingsloket online (using eRecognition) or by using he Dutch-language water permit application form (Aanvraagformulier Watervergunning) through your local municipal authority or the responsible body directly (e.g. Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat), the Water Board or your provincial authority).

Dispensation for filling in a roadside ditch

If you intend to fill in a ditch along a provincial road, you may need to apply for dispensation from the provincial authority.

Online application procedure via Message Box

The application for a water permit and for dispensation regarding filling in a roadside ditch can also be made online via Message Box.