1. €100 discount on all yearly Accountable plans
Do you want to become self-employed in Belgium?
Request your VAT number with here in less than 5 minutes.
You create an account within the app, it is entirely free.
In this step you receive your company number.
Partena Professional takes care of the VAT number activation for free.
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1. €100 discount on all yearly Accountable plans
2. Group Coaching by experienced Tax Coaches
3. Exclusive Invites to Networking Events and Premium Content
4. Free VAT registration (value : €77.5 incl. tax) by Partena Professional
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Have you been thinking of becoming self-employed but unsure where to get started? We have got you covered! In this video, Arnaud tells you which steps you need to take to become self-employed, a freelancer, in Belgium.
To become officially self-employed in Belgium, you need a business registration number. You can easily apply for one at the top of this page by filling out our online form.
Almost immediately, you’ll receive your enterprise number from Partena Professional, who will then register your business with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE). The official registration fee is €111.50 in 2026.
You can also have your VAT number activated for free through Partena Professional. Once that’s done, you’re officially self-employed and legally ready to start invoicing your clients!
To start as self-employed in a secondary activity, you must already have a main activity (e.g., employee or civil servant working enough hours).
The registration process is the same as for a full-time self-employed business: you register your activity via this tool with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE) and activate your VAT number.
Budget €111.50 to get your secondary activity up and running. This cost is, of course, fully tax-deductible.
For a sole proprietorship, a business bank account is not legally required, but it is highly recommended. It keeps your accounting clear, looks more professional to clients, and helps avoid tax mistakes.
At Accountable, we offer a free business account for sole proprietors. Learn more about Accountable Banking.
Don’t have a business account when filling in the registration form? No problem! Leave the field blank for now and provide your account details once you have them.
For companies, a business bank account is mandatory.
Applying for your business registration number and registering with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO) costs €111.50.
After that, you need to have your business number activated as a VAT number. Partena Professional offers this activation for free as a courtesy (normal cost €77.50).
In Belgium, you first receive a business registration number from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO). Your VAT number is essentially the same number, prefixed with “BE”, but it only becomes active once you have it activated with the VAT administration.
In short:
Enterprise number: your unique company identifier.
VAT number: the same number, but activated for VAT purposes.
Every VAT-liable self-employed person in Belgium must activate their VAT number. Even small businesses that are exempt from VAT need to do this, for example to submit the customer listing.
Self-employed people who are not VAT-liable only need a business number; a VAT number is not required.
Key distinction:
❌ Not VAT-liable: activity falls completely outside the VAT system → no VAT number needed.
✅ VAT-exempt (small business): VAT rules apply, but turnover is below the threshold (€25,000) → VAT number must be activated and invoices marked “VAT exempt”.
No, this tool is designed only for natural persons (sole proprietors in full-time or secondary activities, including student self-employed).
Setting up a company requires, among other things, drafting articles of association, visiting a notary, and completing other legal steps. That’s why we recommend using Partena Fast Lane: it allows you to set up your company quickly and fully online, without paperwork or trips.