You will receive a BKR registration for loans starting at €250 with a term longer than one month. This applies to personal loans, revolving credit, phone subscriptions with a device, private leases, and even overdrafts if the limit exceeds €250. For business loans, the limit is €1,000, but only if you are personally liable as an entrepreneur. At Dynamiet Nederland, we receive daily questions about the amount at which a BKR registration is created. Would you like to know exactly what the BKR is and how it works? Then read what the BKR is. Many people are surprised that even relatively small amounts lead to registration.
When do you get a BKR registration?
Am I BKR registered?
To find out if you are BKR-registered, you can request your BKR from the BKR for free.
The limit amounts for BKR registration explained
The same rule has applied in the Netherlands for decades: any loan from €250 with a term longer than one month must be registered with the BKR. This limit has not been adjusted for inflation since the 1990s, which means that more and more everyday purchases fall under the registration requirement. For business loans where you as an entrepreneur are personally liable, the limit is €1000.
You should not look at your current debt, but at the original credit limit. For example, if you are allowed €1000 in overdraft but are currently only €100 in overdraft, you are still registered for that full amount of €1000. This is important to understand because many people think that small amounts have no impact. All BKR registrations count when determining your borrowing capacity, even if it is a relatively small amount.
An example: you buy a new phone for €500 on a contract where you pay off the device over 24 months. Because the amount exceeds €250 and the term is longer than one month, this is registered with the BKR. Many people do not realize that such a phone contract affects their financial options, such as obtaining a mortgage.
"We regularly see people surprised that a phone subscription of a few hundred euros can cost them thousands of euros in mortgage. The €250 limit is so low that everyday purchases can already limit your financial leeway."
Deepak - Legal Specialist
What products and services are covered by BKR registration?
You get a BKR registration for all forms of credit over €250 with a term longer than one month. This includes several financial products that you might not immediately think of as credit. We list the most important ones for you:
- Personal loans and revolving loans are always registered if they exceed €250. This also applies to credit cards where you repay in installments. Your overdraft limit with your bank is also registered once it exceeds €250, regardless of whether you are actually in the red.
- Phone subscriptions with handset are an often overlooked form of credit. If you purchase a phone through your subscription and pay it off in installments, this counts as a loan. As soon as the value of the device exceeds €250, it is registered with the BKR.
- Since April 2022, private car lease contracts have been registered in full with the BKR if the monthly payment exceeds €250. Previously, this was 65%, but this tightening has a major impact on your borrowing capacity. A lease car costing €400 per month can reduce your mortgage options by as much as €45,000 to €115,000.
- 'Buy now, pay later' services such as Klarna and in3 currently do not fall under BKR registration by default as long as the payment term remains within three months and there is no formal credit agreement. However, as of Nov. 20, 2026, this will change due to the new European Credit Directive (CCD2). From that date, all BNPL services will fall under mandatory BKR registration, regardless of the amount.
Exceptions: when won't you get a BKR registration?
Not all loans are registered with the BKR, even if they are above the €250 limit. There are some important exceptions you need to know about if you want to avoid certain debts affecting your borrowing capacity.
Study debts with DUO are not registered with BKR, regardless of the amount of your study debt. This is a deliberate policy choice to keep studying accessible. However, you must report your student debt when applying for a mortgage, because it does count in your financial situation, but according to a more favorable weighting factor.
Mortgages for your own home are not automatically registered with the BKR. Only if you are at least 120 days (approximately 3 months) behind on your payments will anegative BKR registration with an arrears code.
Private loans from family or friends fall outside the registration requirement because they are not through official lenders. This can be an alternative to small loans, but be sure to make good written arrangements to avoid misunderstandings.
Credits with terms of less than one month are not registered. Therefore, a credit card where you repay the full outstanding amount each month does not lead to BKR registration, while a credit card where you repay in installments is registered.
Late payments to agencies such as the tax authorities, energy companies, housing associations or health insurance companies are not registered with BKR. However, these can end up on other registers, such as commercial debt collection lists, which can still affect your credit score.
Effects of a BKR registration from €250 on your financial situation
A BKR registration, even for a relatively small amount such as €250, can have a major impact on your financial options. Most importantly, distinguish between a positive and a negative BKR registration.
A positive BKR registration occurs as soon as you take out credit above €250. This registers you as someone who has credit but pays neatly as agreed. This in itself can be positive and enhance your credibility as a person taking out credit. Yet even a positive registration affects your borrowing capacity.
You'll notice the biggest impact when you apply for a mortgage. Every registered loan counts in the calculation of your maximum mortgage. A €500 phone subscription can lead to €5,000 to €8,000 less mortgage, according to calculations by mortgage consultants. With a private lease car, the effects are even greater. A €400 per month lease car can reduce your borrowing capacity by over €100,000.
A positive BKR registration turns into anegative BKR registration as soon as a code is placed behind it. This happens when you fail to meet your payment obligations. There are different types ofBKR codes, each with their own meaning. The most common is theA code: if you are more than 60 days in arrears, you will get an A code on your registration. This is when your positive registration turns to negative. With persistent problems, this can escalate to anA2 code or even a3-coding when there is a final write-off.
In addition to A coding, there is also anH-coding, or recovery coding. If you manage to catch up, this recovery is reported to BKR. When the debt is paid off in full, an end date is placed with your registration.
A negative BKR registration has much greater consequences than a positive one: you may not be able to take out any new loans or mortgages, get a new phone contract with a device, and even rental properties may refuse you. Would you like to know whether you can still buy a home despite a registration? Then read buying a home with BKR.
Did you know that 95% of all BKR registrations are positive? Most people pay neatly as agreed. Still, all registrations, positive or negative, are kept by default for 5 years after the loan ends. Even a negative registration remains visible at BKR for five years after paying off your debt. More information about these retention periods can be found on our page abouthow long a BKR registration remains. This means that even a small loan of just over €250 that you have paid off without any problems will still affect your borrowing capacity for 5 years.
Requesting an intake interviewHow does having a BKR registration removed by Dynamite Netherlands work?
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Frequently asked questions about from what amount BKR registration
What is the limit for BKR registration?
What debts are BKR registered?
How much can a phone cost without BKR?
How long does a BKR registration last?
Do you have a BKR registration and want to know what your options are? At Dynamite Netherlands, we have already helped thousands of people remove their BKR registration. Whether it's an unjustified registration or a situation where the registration has disproportionate consequences, we are happy to look at your personal situation. Schedule a free consultation and find out what we can do for you.
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