Reading a Dutch cadastral reference

Three parts: municipality, section and number

A parcel is identified in the cadastre by its cadastral municipality, section and parcel number (together the kadastrale aanduiding). Kadaster’s own example is municipality Apeldoorn, section K, number 4550, or Apeldoorn K 4550 for short. Every deed registered with Kadaster must state the cadastral reference of the property.

The section is an administrative subdivision of the cadastral municipality, identified by one or two letters. The parcel number is unique within that section. The same number can therefore occur again in another section or municipality. Always read and note the reference as a whole.

wetten.overheid.nl — Kadasterbesluit (art. 1, 2 en 11) · BRK-catalogus — Kadastrale aanduiding · BRK-catalogus — Sectie · BRK-catalogus — Perceelnummer · wetten.overheid.nl — Kadasterwet (art. 1, 20 en 48)

The cadastral municipality is not your municipality

A cadastral municipality originally matched a civil municipality. Because municipalities have merged, many municipalities now consist of several cadastral municipalities. The name in the reference may therefore be that of a former municipality rather than your current one.

Besides its name, a cadastral municipality has a code of three letters and two digits, such as ASD04. Large cadastral municipalities, such as Amsterdam, have several such codes. This map uses the notation with the code, for example ASD04 F 6417. You can search for such a reference or for an address.

BRK-catalogus — Kadastrale gemeente · Kadaster — Waardelijst kadastrale gemeenten

Apartments: the letter A and an index

If a building is divided into apartment rights, each apartment right has its own reference: the cadastral municipality, the section, a complex designation and an apartment index. The complex designation is a complex number followed by the capital letter A. Kadaster’s example is Apeldoorn K 4550 A 4.

The land the building stands on, the ground parcel, keeps its own parcel reference. This map shows parcels. For a block of flats you therefore see the ground parcel, not the individual apartments. If you need information about one apartment, use the reference with the A and the index when you ask Kadaster.

wetten.overheid.nl — Kadasterbesluit (art. 1, 2 en 11) · BRK-catalogus — Appartementsindex · BRK-catalogus — Complexaanduiding

Splits, mergers and provisional boundaries

A reference changes when the parcel changes. When parcels are split or merged, the new parcels get new parcel numbers and the old number lapses. Kadaster records which parcels a parcel came from; this is called filiation. A number in an old deed may therefore refer to a parcel that now has a different reference.

If part of a parcel is transferred before it has been surveyed, a new parcel with a provisional boundary is created straight away. That boundary has been drawn on the cadastral map by or for the parties and still has to be established as a cadastral boundary. The registered area is then provisional too.

Besides the readable reference, every cadastral object in the BRK has a technical identifier: NL.IMKAD.KadastraalObject followed by a number. It is meant for computer systems. Perceelkaarten uses it in the web address of a parcel page. For a deed or a question to Kadaster, use the cadastral reference.

Kadaster — Splitsen van percelen · Kadaster — Vroegere percelen opvragen · wetten.overheid.nl — Kadasterbesluit (art. 1, 2 en 11) · Kadaster — Waardelijst soort grootte · PDOK — Kadastrale kaart

Finding your own reference

The cadastral reference is in the transfer deed of your home, because every registered deed must state it. With DigiD you can view your own cadastral data and the cadastral map of your own parcel free of charge through MijnOverheid. The municipality’s WOZ valuation report usually lists the cadastral parcels involved as well.

For other parcels you can view the cadastral map as open data, for example on this site. An official product with details of ownership and rights is ordered from Kadaster. Not every website with cadastral data belongs to Kadaster: when you pay for a request, check that you are ordering on kadaster.nl.

wetten.overheid.nl — Kadasterwet (art. 1, 20 en 48) · Kadaster — Eigen kadastrale gegevens inzien · Waarderingskamer — Model WOZ-taxatieverslag woningen · Kadaster — Kadastrale kaart: kwaliteit en open data