Leaving the Netherlands: cancelling internet, phone and energy (checklist)
Door Lisa van den BergBijgewerkt op 7 min lezen
Deregister with your municipality no more than 5 days before you leave and use the proof to end contracts. KPN and Ziggo let you end internet early when you emigrate, with proof; a phone on instalments must be paid off. A fixed energy contract can still carry an early termination fee, because emigrating doesn't cancel it. Timeline, notice periods and what to keep.
Short answer
As of 29 September 2026: deregister with your municipality if you'll live abroad for more than 8 months within a year, no earlier than 5 days before you leave (Government.nl). Ask for proof of deregistration and use it to end your contracts. KPN accepts that proof, a job contract abroad or a foreign school statement and applies one month's notice; a phone on instalments must be paid off first (KPN). Ziggo says that with proof you can cancel early without extra costs (Ziggo). Energy is different: a variable contract ends free with at most one month's notice, but for a fixed contract emigrating is not in itself a reason for the early termination fee to lapse (ACM ConsuWijzer). Keep your Dutch bank account open until the final bills are settled.
When should you cancel what?
Start about six weeks before you leave. Notice periods in the Netherlands are short, so most contracts can be ended in the last month.
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks before | List all contracts and direct debits; check minimum terms | Know which contracts can end freely and which cost money |
| 4–5 weeks before | Give notice on internet, TV and mobile (one month after the minimum term) | Notice periods are at most one month |
| 4 weeks before | Cancel or end energy from your moving date; check your fixed-term end date | Avoid paying for an empty home |
| 5 days before | Deregister with the municipality; ask for proof | Proof unlocks early cancellation at KPN and Ziggo |
| Moving day | Photograph the meter readings; return modems and TV boxes | Correct final energy bill; avoid equipment fees |
| Up to 6 weeks after | Check the final bills and refunds | Your deposit and advance payments come back to your account |
Sources: Government.nl and the provider pages linked below. If you have a residence permit, the IND also has a checklist for leaving (IND). The arrival side of this list is in the moving checklist.
How do you cancel internet and mobile when you emigrate?
After the minimum term, any Dutch telecom contract ends with at most one month's notice (ACM ConsuWijzer). Within the minimum term you normally owe the remaining months, but several providers make an exception for emigration:
- KPN: one month's notice; accepts a municipal deregistration certificate, a job contract abroad or a statement from a foreign educational institution, in Dutch or English. A phone on instalments must be paid off in full (KPN).
- Ziggo: your subscription can't move abroad with you; with proof you can cancel early without extra costs (Ziggo).
- Other providers: rules differ, so ask customer service what proof they accept before you send your notice.
Return the modem and TV box within the deadline in your cancellation confirmation, and keep the shipping receipt; unreturned equipment is often billed. An English cancellation letter is in how to cancel a Dutch contract. Dutch: returning your modem after cancelling (in Dutch).
Should you keep your Dutch phone number?
Keep it for a while if Dutch banks, the tax office or your landlord may still text or call you. A cheap Dutch prepaid SIM or small monthly plan keeps the 06 number alive. Using it long-term abroad has limits: inside the EU, roam-like-at-home is meant for travel, and if over four months you're mostly abroad and use your SIM more abroad than at home, your provider may add capped surcharges (Your Europe). Outside the EU your Dutch provider's own roamingJe telefoon gebruiken op het netwerk van een andere provider, meestal in het buitenland. rates apply; see roaming with a Dutch plan.
Moving your Dutch number to a provider in your new country isn't possible, because number porting only works within one country. Set up app-based two-factor authentication before you leave, so you depend less on text messages. More: Dutch numbers, eSIM and dual SIM.
What happens to your energy contract when you leave?
It depends on the type of contract:
| Contract | Ending it | Early termination fee |
|---|---|---|
| Variable or dynamic | At most one month's notice | None |
| Fixed, term has ended | At most one month's notice | None |
| Fixed, term still running | Possible any time | Only the supplier's actual loss, if your contract states how it's calculated; often €0 when prices have risen |
| Energy included in your rent | Ends with your rental contract | Settled in the landlord's service cost statement |
Sources: ACM ConsuWijzer and ACM. For fixed contracts signed from 1 June 2023 the fee is the remaining expected consumption times the difference between your rate and the supplier's current rate for the remaining term; if the current rate is the same or higher, you pay nothing. Emigrating doesn't cancel the fee by itself, so ask your supplier to calculate it before you give notice. The Dutch calculation is in early termination fees for energy (in Dutch); background on Dutch energy contracts in energy contracts for expats.
Meter readings
On your last day, photograph the electricity, gas and water meters. With a smart meter the readings are sent automatically, but a photo is still your best evidence if the final bill looks wrong.
What else should you arrange before you leave?
- Health insurance: end it from the date you stop living in the Netherlands; insurers usually ask for your proof of deregistration. See Dutch health insurance basics.
- Home contents and liability insurance: cancel from your moving date; see home and liability insurance.
- Bank account: keep it open until refunds of energy advances and deposits have arrived, and check which direct debits are still running; see paying bills in the Netherlands.
- Streaming and other subscriptions: cancel them or change the billing country; Dutch accounts may stop working abroad outside the EU.
- Scams: fake "final bill" messages target people who are moving; check senders carefully. See scams targeting expats.
After deregistration your details move to the non-residents register (RNI), and the BRP informs bodies such as the Belastingdienst of your address abroad (Government.nl).
Veelgestelde vragen
If you'll live abroad for more than 8 months within a year, deregister with your municipality no earlier than 5 days before you leave. Ask for proof of deregistration.
Often yes, with proof. KPN accepts a deregistration certificate, a job contract abroad or a foreign school statement (phones on instalments must be paid off); Ziggo waives early termination costs with proof.
Possibly. Emigrating doesn't cancel the fee by itself. It may only cover the supplier's actual loss and is often €0 when current rates are equal or higher. Variable contracts end free with at most a month's notice.
Yes, on a Dutch prepaid or small plan, but long-term use abroad is limited by roaming rules. You can't port a Dutch number to a provider in another country.
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