The guest register: what you have to keep
Hosts in the Netherlands are legally required to keep a guest register. What goes in it, how long you keep it and how to do it without paper.
The obligation
Article 438 of the Dutch Criminal Code requires anyone who provides overnight accommodation commercially to keep a continuous register with the name, place of residence, day of arrival and day of departure of every guest. Many municipalities also ask for the type of ID; a copy of the ID is not required and is best avoided for privacy reasons.
What goes in it
Per guest: first and last name, place of residence (or country), arrival date and departure date. So not just the person who booked, but all guests. Keep the register for at least a year; the municipality or police may ask for it.
Without paper
Let guests check in online beforehand and fill in the names themselves. Houslr sends a link in the confirmation and a reminder, and builds your guest register from the answers. You export it as CSV if anyone asks.
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