Request a mailing address

A mailing address is a temporary solution for people who do not have a fixed home address for a short period of time. For example, if you are homeless or staying in a care facility.

Home address

A home or residential address is the real street address where you are living. Do you have more than 1 address? Then the home address is the address where you most often spend the night during a half-year (6-month) period. You can also be living in a caravan, mobile home, in a holiday park or on a boat. The structure should be standing in a fixed location or have a fixed berth.

Mailing address

A mailing address (briefadres) is a registration address where you can have your post sent. So that you can receive important post from the government and other organisations. When you apply for a mailing address, the municipality will always check whether you have no fixed home address. If you have no fixed home address, you can be registered using a mailing address under the right conditions.

Mailing address at a friend, acquaintance or family member

You will make 2 separate appointments to visit a municipal counter.

For the 1st appointment:

• At the 1st appointment you will get documents: a letter and an application form for a mailing address (aanvraagformulier briefadres) with a declaration of consent (toestemmingsverklaring).
• You and the person allowing you to use his address (the main occupant or the owner of the address) have to fully complete and sign the application form with the declaration of consent at home, make copies of the supporting documents and sign the forms.
• You will then make another appointment at the Department of Public Service counter.

At the 2nd appointment:

• You take the letter, the completed form and the declaration of consent with the copies of the supporting documents to this appointment. You then use them to apply for a mailing address.
• The municipal official will check whether the form has been filled in completely and signed.

Afterwards the municipal official will forward the application. The municipality will check whether you are allowed to request a mailing address.

Mailing address at the Homeless counter

Are you homeless and are you unable to receive your postal mail at the address of a friend, acquaintance or family member? The Homeless counter (daklozenloket) may be able to help.

Contact the Homeless counter. Call tel. (070) 353 72 91 or visit during the walk-in consultation hours at Fruitweg 17 in The Hague. Read more about the Begin link: Homeless counter, end link. .

• You can be registered at only 1 address in the Netherlands. This is either a home address or a mailing address.
• The address you provide as a mailing address must be a residential property. It is not possible to use a company address or a post office box number as a mailing address.
• A mailing address is usually valid for a short period.
• The mailing address is in The Hague.
• The main occupant or owner of the address must be registered at the mailing address himself. This person must provide a completed declaration of consent for the application. After the application is approved, the applicant will be registered at this address as a mailing address.
• Would you like to temporarily receive your mail at the home address of a friend, acquaintance or family member? Then the person who gave consent for your mailing address must make sure that you actually get your postal mail.

Read more about the conditions in the Begin external link: Regeling briefadres Den haag 2024 (RIS318249)(External link), end external link. (in Dutch).

A Begin link: valid form of identification, end link. .

You must make an appointment to request a mailing address. You can then visit a municipal counter in Begin link: City Hall Spui or the Leyweg City Office, end link. . It is not possible to apply online.

This depends on the situation. If an investigation is required, it can take up to 8 weeks.

Requesting a mailing address is free.

Cancel mailing address

When you have a home address (again), you must cancel your mailing address. Report your new home address in The Hague or abroad to the municipality. Or to the municipality where you are going to live. The municipality will stop your mailing address automatically.

Is someone using your address as a mailing address? And do you want to stop this? You can always revoke your permission for the mailing address. Look for more information on the page Begin link: Request address investigation, end link. .

Parking permit not possible

You cannot apply for a parking permit for a mailing address. This is only possible for a home address. If you have a parking permit, the municipality will end it.

Mailing address and benefits or debts

Is someone using your address as a mailing address? You are not responsible for this person’s debts. This person will also not be registered as a resident of the address. This means there will be no consequences for your benefits, rent allowance or healthcare benefit.

• Begin link: Homeless counter: help for homeless people, end link.
• Begin link: Moving and immigration, end link.