The amount levied by the Netherlands’ 342 local authorities in taxes and other charges will rise by 8.5% this year to €13.3 billion, according to calculations by national statistics office CBS.

Property taxes (OZB), which fund most council activities and are based on the value of property in January the previous year, will rise by an average of 7.5% in 2024, the CBS said. In total, councils expect to generate €5.5 billion from the tax, which is only paid by home and commercial property owners, not tenants. 

Rotterdam is putting up property taxes by more than the other big cities, with a 13% rise. Utrecht’s tax is going up 7% and in Amsterdam and The Hague home owners face a 5% increase.

On average, waste disposal charges are rising 6% while the fee for waste water disposal is going up by 7%. The increases, the CBS said, are largely down to higher bills for maintenance and management. Councils are not allowed to make a profit from waste and water charges. 

Parking will also be more expensive, generating an extra €1.3 billion for council coffers, or an increase of 11%. New passports and ID cards will also cost more as the first 10-year passports expire. In 2014, passports became valid for 10 rather than five years and local councils expect a surge in requests for new passports this year.

Tourist tax will also generate an extra €110 million for councils. Amsterdam is leading the way with a 47% increase in the tax – making the city one of the most expensive in the world.

Not all taxes are going up, however, the CBS said, pointing out that dog tax is being phased out in more local council areas.