Overdraft on your current account 2026
Overdrafts on your current account will change in 2026 due to a reduction in the statutory maximum credit limit rate. Since 1 January 2026, banks have only been allowed to charge a maximum of 12 per cent interest on consumer credit, a decrease of 2 percentage points compared to the old maximum of 14 percent.
For those who are regularly in the red, this is a measurable difference, but the basic principles remain the same: an overdraft is a short-term loan, you pay interest on the amount withdrawn, and you need an agreement with your bank to be allowed to go overdrawn.
Moreover, it works differently for entrepreneurs than for private individuals. A business account does not have a classic overdraft, but an overdraft facility (rekening-courant krediet) with its own conditions and limits. This guide explains exactly how overdrafts work, what they cost in 2026, how long you can be in the red, what it means for your BKR registration, and how that relates to business use on the GoDutch business account.
What is an overdraft and how does it work?
An overdraft occurs when your account has a negative balance. At that moment, you have spent more than was received, and you are effectively borrowing money from the bank to complete the transaction nonetheless. For your bank, an overdraft on your current account is a form of credit, which is subject to rules and charges.
Not everyone can simply go into overdraft. With most Dutch banks, you must make an arrangement first: you apply for a credit limit, the bank checks your income and payment behaviour, and you are then allowed to go into the negative up to the agreed amount. This is called an authorised overdraft. If you go into the negative outside of this, it is an unauthorised overdraft, with different rules and often higher costs. In order to qualify for an overdraft, most providers apply a number of fixed conditions:
Regular income into your account: the bank wants to see that a regular salary, benefits or pension is received, usually over the past three full months.
Minimum age: you are 18 years of age or older and living in the Netherlands.
Acceptable BKR status: if there is an active negative registration, an application is almost always rejected.
Account active for some time: some banks require a minimum period (such as three months of active use) before you can apply for a limit.
If you meet these conditions, you can apply for an overdraft in the app or via online banking. Once approved, the bank sets a limit, often linked to your average monthly income, and you can go into the negative up to that amount.
Difference between authorised and unauthorised overdrafts
There are two forms of going into overdraft, and they are not interchangeable. The difference lies in whether you have made an agreement with your bank about your credit limit, and it directly determines how much interest you pay and how quickly you must clear the deficit.
Authorised overdraft
With an authorised overdraft, you have agreed with the bank in advance that you can go into the negative up to a certain amount. This amount is called your credit limit. Within that limit, you pay a variable debit interest rate on the amount used, not on the full limit amount.
With most banks, you must have a positive balance for at least one day once every three months, otherwise you lose the right to an overdraft. ABN AMRO, ASN Bank, ING, Rabobank, RegioBank, SNS Bank, Van Lanschot and Triodos Bank operate according to this three-month rule.
Unauthorised overdraft
An unauthorised overdraft occurs if you go into the negative without an agreement with the bank, or if you exceed your allowed limit. For example, because a direct debit is debited when there is insufficient balance.
In that case, the bank may charge a higher interest rate, ask you to clear the deficit immediately, or refuse future payments. With some banks this happens immediately, with others you are given a few days to top up your balance before further measures follow.
What does an overdraft cost in 2026?
Since 1 January 2026, the maximum credit fee on consumer credit has been reduced from 14 to 12 per cent. This fee consists of two parts: the statutory interest rate (at 4 per cent since January 2026) and a maximum surcharge of 8 per cent, both determined by the government. All providers offering private overdrafts have automatically adjusted their debit interest rates to this new ceiling. ABN AMRO and ING have been using a variable debit interest rate linked to the maximum credit fee since January 2026, which in practice amounts to 12 per cent.
In addition, there are smaller differences between providers. RegioBank will reduce its debit interest rate to 9 per cent from 1 March 2026, and offers an interest-free period for the first three days of each month within the agreed limit. Triodos Bank charges private customers a debit interest rate that is set annually based on the statutory interest rate plus a surcharge. Although the interest rate has decreased, in addition to that interest, you still pay the regular monthly costs of your current account, which are included in the annual percentage rate (APR) of the credit.
How much it costs exactly to overdraw depends on the amount you withdraw and the duration. A few euros over a few days is barely noticeable, but being five hundred euros in the red for weeks quickly adds up to a few tens of euros per month on top of your regular bank charges.
How long are you allowed to have an overdraft?
Most Dutch banks do not apply a fixed maximum term for overdrawing, provided you remain within the agreed credit limit. However, once every three months, you must bring your balance back up to at least zero or positive. If you do not do this, the bank can withdraw your credit limit and reclaim the full amount.
Being overdrawn every month is technically allowed, but it is not a wise route. Banks assess your payment behaviour, and those who consistently run close to their credit limit will sooner face a reduction of the limit or a reassessment of their conditions. In addition, you pay interest on the withdrawn portion each month, which structurally affects your income.
How much you are allowed to be overdrawn depends on your income and your relationship with the bank. Limits vary from a few hundred euros to several thousand for private individuals, with exceptions upwards or downwards depending on your situation. For business accounts, the limits are typically higher, as the assessment is based on turnover and company history.
Overdraft and BKR registration
Being in the red at the bank is a form of credit, and banks are obliged to report credit from 250 euros to the Credit Registration Office (BKR). This report is called a positive registration: it only shows that you have a loan, not that anything is going wrong. The registration remains visible as long as the credit is active, and is deregistered as soon as you cancel your overdraft facility.
What a BKR registration means exactly for your financial options:
Visible to other lenders: anyone who applies for a loan, mortgage or telephone contract will be subject to a BKR check, in which your overdraft limit will appear.
Influence on your mortgage application: the amount of your maximum mortgage is reduced by a fixed percentage of your credit limit, even if you do not use it. For a mortgage application, it is wise to cancel or reduce your overdraft limit in advance.
Negative registration in case of default: if you do not clear your balance within three months or structurally exceed the credit limit, the bank can pass on an arrears code. This remains visible for five years after repayment and complicates future loans.
No overdraft without a BKR check: with recognised Dutch banks, there is no way to go into the red without a BKR check. Providers who promise this usually operate outside the regular banking system and apply unfavourable conditions.
The BKR registration itself is not harmful as long as you manage the credit properly. Only when a payment backlog is reported does the registration turn negative and does that have long-term consequences for your financial prospects, including your mortgage capacity.
Why can't I overdraw?
Not every application for an overdraft is approved. The reasons for rejection can almost always be traced back to one of the following factors: there is no regular income deposited into your account, you have an active negative BKR registration, you are under 18 years of age, your account has not been active long enough, or you do not reside in the Netherlands.
Additionally, online banks such as Knab, Bunq, Wise, and Revolut do not offer an overdraft product to their customers. For those accounts, you cannot go below zero. Knab does offer an automatic top-up feature from a savings account, but that is technically not credit and falls outside the BKR reporting.
Business overdraft: how it works on a business account
For entrepreneurs, having an overdraft works differently than for private individuals. A business account does not have a classic overdraft product with fixed monthly costs and a low limit, but a current account credit. This involves agreeing a credit limit with the bank that suits your turnover, and you can go into the negative up to that amount. You only pay interest on the part you actually use.
Important difference with private individuals: the legal maximum of 12 per cent applies to consumer credit, not to business credit. For business applications, banks work with a tailor-made rate, depending on turnover, sector and risk profile. The conditions for business current account credit are considerably stricter than for personal overdrafts. Banks look at turnover over the past 12 to 24 months (often a minimum of 80,000 euros), transaction history, sector, age of the entrepreneurs and company structure. Certain sectors are excluded by default, such as Food & Agri, Automotive, commercial real estate and inland shipping at Rabobank, or financial institutions and project development at ABN AMRO.
Below is an overview of the offer regarding business overdrafts at the Dutch and international providers with which entrepreneurs compare GoDutch in 2026:
Provider | Availability | Term | Interest |
ING | ✅ | Revolving within limit | On request |
ABN AMRO | ✅ | Revolving within limit | On request |
Rabobank | ✅ | Revolving within limit | On request |
RegioBank | ✅ | Revolving within limit | On request |
Van Lanschot | ✅ | Revolving within limit | On request |
Knab | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
Triodos | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
ASN | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
Bunq | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
Revolut | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
Wise | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
Finom | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
N26 | Limited | Revolving within limit | 11% per year |
Qonto | ✅ | Max. 60 days | 10% per year |
The large Dutch banks almost all offer a business current account credit, but exclusively for entrepreneurs who meet the turnover and sector conditions. For starting entrepreneurs, self-employed professionals with a low turnover or companies in excluded sectors, that offer is effectively not available. The international fintechs (Bunq, Revolut, Wise, Finom) do not offer an overdraft product on a business account because they operate under an E-money license that does not allow credit extension on the payment account.
Between those two extremes is a middle ground with N26 and Qonto, which offer a limited overdraft of up to 5,000 or 15,000 euros with fast repayment periods. For Dutch entrepreneurs with international cash flows, this can be a workable bridging product, with the caveat that conditions and availability vary by country.
Alternatives to business overdrafts
For entrepreneurs without access to an overdraft facility, or for those who find the costs of being overdrawn structurally too high, there are practical alternatives to absorb short-term cash deficits. The most important alternative is not applying for credit, but managing your cash flow more tightly so you are less likely to end up in deficit. With real-time insight into income and expenses, you can see weeks ahead where peaks and troughs arise and you can proactively make adjustments.
GoDutch does not offer overdrafts on the business account, but does provide the tools to limit financial surprises. Through expense management from GoDutch, you can see every expense and category in real time, and with accounting integrations from GoDutch, your figures are always up to date in your bookkeeping package. You receive income via direct transfers through GoDutch, which means customer payments are in your account within seconds and you do not have to wait for processing.
For those who do want to maintain access to short-term financing, an overdraft facility at a major Dutch bank remains the logical route. Combine that, if necessary, with a fast, digital account for daily flows, so that you have the best of both worlds: credit through the major bank, speed and insight through a business account from GoDutch.
Open your account within a few minutes and receive your Dutch IBAN within 1 day. Check out the packages and pricing from GoDutch for the option that suits your business.
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