In this article, I will briefly explain what DV entails, why it is necessary, and how you can update and sign it through your own dashboard!
Why do a need a DV?
DV is required to grant us permission to handle all customs clearances on your behalf. The customs agent submits a customs declaration in the name and on behalf of the interested party. The interested party is the declarant and is therefore liable for the declaration and how it is submitted.
Therefore, as an e-commerce entrepreneur, it is important that you provide the correct HS codes, a correct purchase invoice, and the correct quantities of products and boxes when creating the booking.
How do I update my DV?
You can find the DV by going to Settings in your dashboard and clicking on Documents. Here you will find the extract from the Chamber of Commerce (KvK) and the DV. By clicking on the blue text 'Click here to sign the document,' you will be taken to the next screen where you will see all the pre-filled information of your company. This information is automatically filled in because you have already provided it in the dashboard. All you need to do is fill in any missing information and the mandatory fields. Additionally, you need to sign at the bottom of each page and then finalize it by clicking the green Finalize button. The DV is now successfully signed!
Why can't I update my company name? You may have noticed that it is not possible to update the company name yourself. The reason for this is that we observed instances where incorrect or outdated company names were entered. This caused delays in the customs clearance process for those companies because a different company name was associated with the VAT number listed on the DV.
For this reason, we have chosen to automatically fill in the company name based on the VAT number entered in the dashboard. You can enter your VAT number on the European Commission website to check which company name is associated with it. Only the top 2 fields on that page are relevant to you."
Please note that you should not enter the 2 letters 'NL' that precede your VAT number. You already indicate that it is a Dutch VAT number in the first field. In the second field, you should enter everything that comes after 'NL' and then click enter. You will then be directed to the page below. Here, you can see the company name associated with the VAT number you have entered.
If you encounter a different result than expected, you can contact the Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst) for further assistance. They will be able to help you in this matter.