News item | 14-11-2025 | 2:30 PM
It is important that everyone can continue to pay with cash in as many places as possible. This way everyone can continue to participate in society. There will therefore be a legal obligation to accept cash. This means that cash must be accepted for consumer payments at the counter.
This concerns payments to retailers or, for example, in catering establishments. However, a number of exceptions will apply in the context of specific activities or safety. This is stated in the draft decision of Minister Heinen of Finance and State Secretary Rutte of Justice and Security, which will be open for consultation today for a period of six weeks. The aim is for the acceptance obligation to come into effect in 2027.
The acceptance obligation will apply to payments made by consumers at the counter. This way it is guaranteed that cash payments can be made as widely as possible. At the same time, accepting cash also has disadvantages. There are particular concerns about the safety of entrepreneurs and employees. Large amounts of cash create an increased risk of crime, such as robberies. The government has therefore established a number of exceptions for situations where it is necessary to refuse cash.
For example, cash may be refused at night between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Other situations that are excluded from the acceptance obligation include: online purchases, periodic payment of a subscription such as a telephone subscription or energy bill, purchasing a ticket for public transport, (meal) deliverers and other door-to-door sales. Payments at unmanned locations, such as gas stations and toll gates, are also exempt from the acceptance obligation. In addition, for safety reasons, entrepreneurs can refuse cash payments for the period during which these safety risks apply. Finally, small entrepreneurs (with fewer than four employees) can refuse cash payments due to security risks.
The draft decision will go into consultation today for a period of six weeks. The comments are then processed and the decision is submitted to the House of Representatives and the Senate. The decision is then presented to the Council of State for advice.
Negotiations are also currently underway at European level about an acceptance obligation and exceptions to it. If these European regulations are adopted, this may have consequences for the exceptions in this decision.