Do you need a licence?
Yes — if you are fishing any inland water in the Netherlands (rivers, lakes, canals, or polder ditches), you need a valid VISpas. This applies to UK visitors just as it does to Dutch residents. The VISpas covers the vast majority of Dutch public fishing waters — over 90% of all inland surface water in the country.
Fines for fishing without a VISpas start at €150 and can be considerably higher depending on the circumstances. Bailiffs do patrol popular waters, particularly during the carp season.
Night fishing requires an additional permit. In many Dutch waters, night fishing is allowed with a VISpas but you must have a specific night fishing endorsement. Always check the VISplanner for the individual water before setting up camp.
How the Dutch system works
The VISpas is issued by Sportvisserij Nederland — the national sport fishing organisation — but it works through a network of local angling clubs (hengelsportverenigingen). When you buy a VISpas, you are technically joining a local club as a member, even as a foreign visitor who may never fish near that club’s home waters.
This is different from the French system where you simply buy a licence and pick any AAPPMA. In the Netherlands, the club you join determines the small club membership fee that sits on top of the national VISpas levy. Prices vary slightly between clubs, but the overall cost is typically between €40 and €50 per year for a standard adult VISpas.
The good news is that once you have a VISpas — regardless of which club issued it — you can fish any water included in the Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters (Gezamenlijke Lijst van Nederlandse VISwateren). This joint list covers over 90% of Dutch inland fishing waters and is shared across all affiliated clubs.
It does not matter which club you join. Pick any club available at vispas.nl — the waters you can fish are determined by the joint list, not your club’s local waters.
Which licence do you need?
For a UK angler visiting the Netherlands, the choice is straightforward. From 2026, weekly permits are no longer issued — your options are a day permit or an annual permit. Here’s how the main options compare:
| Permit type | Dutch name | Cost (approx.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual VISpas | VISpas (jaarlijks) | €40–€50 | A trip of more than a few days, or multiple visits per year — best value by far |
| Day permit | Dagvergunning | €5–€10 | A single day session on a specific water — sold by local clubs or via vispas.nl |
| Kleine VISpas | Kleine VISpas | ~€14 | One rod only, limited bait types, daytime only — not suitable for carp anglers |
For most UK carp anglers visiting for a week or more, the annual VISpas is the right choice. Day permits are only available for specific waters and must be bought per venue — they are not a universal pass. The Kleine VISpas does not allow carp fishing with multiple rods and should be avoided.
Weekly permits no longer exist from 2026. If you have seen references to a weekly VISpas online, that option has been discontinued. Your choices are now day permits (per venue) or the annual VISpas.
How to buy your VISpas
The easiest method for a UK angler is to buy online at vispas.nl. The site is primarily in Dutch but the purchase process is navigable. Once you complete payment, you receive a Voorlopig Bewijs van Lidmaatschap (VBL) — a temporary membership certificate — by email. This is legally valid immediately and allows you to fish the same day. The physical plastic VISpas card follows by post within a few weeks.
Go to vispas.nl and create an account
Click Inloggen (Log in) then Account aanmaken (Create account). Enter your name, address and date of birth. Your UK address is accepted — select Verenigd Koninkrijk from the country dropdown (that is the United Kingdom).
Choose a club and select the VISpas
You will be asked to select a hengelsportvereniging (angling club). Pick any club — it does not affect where you can fish. Clubs with landelijk (national) in their description are straightforward options for visitors. Then select VISpas (not Kleine VISpas) from the permit options.
Complete payment
The site accepts iDEAL (Dutch bank transfer), credit card, and PayPal. Credit card and PayPal are the most reliable options for UK visitors. Pay in euros — your bank will convert at the current exchange rate.
Download your VBL and check your junk mail
Your VBL (temporary permit) will be emailed immediately. Check your junk mail — it frequently ends up there. Print it or save it to your phone. This is your legal permission to fish from the moment of purchase.
Download the VISplanner app
Before you fish, download the VISplanner app (free, available on iOS and Android). Enter your VISpas number and it shows you exactly which waters near you are covered, including night fishing rules, species restrictions, and local club conditions. It is legally valid as proof of your permit.
Buy before you travel. The VBL email is sent instantly but if there are any issues with payment or verification, sorting it from home on a laptop is far easier than scrambling on mobile data at the waterside.
The VISplanner — what it does and why you need it
The VISplanner (available at visplanner.nl or as a free app) is the official tool for checking which waters your VISpas covers. It replaced the old paper book of fishing waters and is now legally valid in combination with your VISpas.
When you open the app and enter your VISpas number, permitted waters appear highlighted on the map. It also shows:
- Whether night fishing is permitted on that specific water
- The number of rods allowed
- Any local rules or restrictions (keepnets, bait restrictions, etc.)
- Closed season dates for predator species
Always check the VISplanner before you set up on a new water. Even if a lake looks public and is on the joint list, it may have local restrictions that catch you out.
Key rules for UK anglers
The Netherlands has a well-organised but firm set of fishing regulations. The main ones to know:
- Two rods maximum with a standard VISpas. A third rod requires specific permission from the rights holder of the water.
- Predator closed season: pike (snoek), zander (snoekbaars) and perch (baars) cannot be targeted from 1 April until the last Saturday in May. Any accidentally caught must be released immediately.
- Night fishing: permitted on many waters from two hours after sunset until one hour before sunrise, but not universal — check the VISplanner per venue.
- Bivvy restrictions: where overnight camping is permitted, the shelter must be a single-person bivvy or brolly in neutral green, brown or camouflage colours, maximum 3.2m x 3.1m x 1.8m, and open at the front.
- Live bait is generally banned to prevent the spread of fish diseases and invasive species.
- Catch and release is strongly encouraged, especially for large carp. If you keep fish for consumption they must be dispatched immediately.
Not all Maasplassen (Limburg gravel pits) allow night fishing. These are some of the most popular carp waters in the Netherlands but many have explicit night fishing bans. Check the VISplanner before booking.
Key Dutch terms translated
| Dutch | English meaning |
|---|---|
| VISpas | Fishing pass / licence |
| Kleine VISpas | Small fishing pass (limited rights — one rod, day only) |
| Dagvergunning | Day permit (for a specific water) |
| Hengelsportvereniging | Angling club |
| Sportvisserij Nederland | National sport fishing organisation |
| VBL (Voorlopig Bewijs van Lidmaatschap) | Temporary membership certificate — your immediate proof to fish |
| Gezamenlijke Lijst | Joint list of permitted fishing waters |
| VISplanner | Official app/website to check which waters you can fish |
| Nachtvergunning | Night fishing permit |
| Inloggen | Log in |
| Account aanmaken | Create account |
| Betalen | Pay |
| Verenigd Koninkrijk | United Kingdom |
| Snoek | Pike |
| Karper | Carp |
| Snoekbaars | Zander / pike-perch |
Troubleshooting
I can’t find my VBL email
Check your junk or spam folder first — it almost always ends up there. If it is not there after 15 minutes, log back in to vispas.nl and check your account — your VBL should be downloadable from your profile. If still nothing, email vispas@sportvisserijnederland.nl with your name, address and order reference.
The site is in Dutch and I can’t navigate it
Use your browser’s built-in translation — Google Chrome will translate the entire page to English automatically. This makes the purchase process much easier. Unlike the French licence site, vispas.nl works correctly when auto-translated.
My payment was declined
iDEAL only works for Dutch bank accounts. Use PayPal or a Visa/Mastercard credit card instead. Some UK debit cards are also occasionally declined — a credit card is the most reliable option for foreign visitors.
I have a VISpas but the VISplanner shows a water as restricted
Some waters on the joint list are managed by individual clubs with their own additional rules — they may require a local day permit on top of your VISpas. This is indicated in the VISplanner. If in doubt, contact the club managing that water directly.
Find Dutch public fishing venues
Once your VISpas is sorted, use PiscaMaps to explore public rivers, lakes and canals in the Netherlands — with venue details including night fishing rules and species.
Open the mapQuick summary
- You must have a VISpas to fish any inland water in the Netherlands
- Buy the annual VISpas at vispas.nl — it covers over 90% of Dutch inland fishing waters
- Weekly permits no longer exist from 2026 — your options are annual or day permits
- You will receive a VBL by email immediately — check your junk folder — this is your legal permit from day one
- Download the VISplanner app and check every water before you fish — night fishing rules vary per venue
- Bivvies are permitted on some waters but must be single-person, neutral colours, and open at the front