Dutch open data APIs: PDOK, BAG, BGT and more

The Netherlands publishes much of its national geodata and statistics as open data, mostly without an API key. The core is PDOK, run by the Dutch land registry (Kadaster), which serves registers such as the BAG for addresses, the BGT for topography and the cadastral map. This guide maps each dataset to its use, licence and access route.

Last updated: 11 October 2026

PDOK address search (Locatieserver and Location API)

Search and convert Dutch addresses with PDOK: tested curl and JavaScript examples for the Location API and Locatieserver, plus limits and pitfalls.

BAG

Which Dutch BAG route needs an API key and which does not? Tested example for the PDOK BAG OGC API, plus limits of the BAG API Individuele Bevragingen.

BGT

Get the Dutch BGT large-scale map from PDOK for free: tested OGC API and Download API examples (CityGML, GML-light), with geofilter and IMGeo pitfalls.

3D BAG

Fetch the 3D BAG: tested example for the 3DBAG API and CityJSON, plus 3D Tiles, levels of detail LoD1.2 to LoD2.2, the CC BY 4.0 licence and pitfalls.

BRK cadastral map

Fetch the Dutch cadastral map through the PDOK OGC API and WMS: tested curl and Python examples, the CC BY 4.0 licence, and why owner data is not open.

How is Dutch open data organised?

Dutch public data is organised around basisregistraties, or key registers. A basisregistratie is a legally designated national register that is the single authoritative source for one kind of data, such as addresses, buildings, topography, property or the subsurface. Government bodies must use these registers instead of keeping their own copies, which is why the same address or building identifier appears in many datasets and can be used to join them.

Most registers are run by a national agency and published through PDOK, which offers them as web services, OGC APIs and bulk downloads. Licences differ: many datasets are CC0 or Public Domain Mark, others CC BY 4.0, which requires attribution. Always read the licence in the metadata of the dataset you use.

We require that you use the credit "© 3DBAG by tudelft3d and 3DGI". In digital media you must also provide a link to this copyright page.

Source: 3DBAG documentation, an example of an attribution requirement under CC BY 4.0.

Which datasets are covered?

Every dataset below has its own page on this site; pages available only in Dutch are marked.

Dutch open datasets covered, with access and licence (read on 11 October 2026)
Dataset	What it contains	Access	Licence
PDOK Locatieserver and Location API	Address and place search, reverse geocoding	No key	Per source register
BAG	Addresses and buildings	Key only for the BAG API Individuele Bevragingen	Public Domain Mark 1.0
BGT	Large-scale topography: roads, water, buildings, green space	No key	CC0 1.0
3D BAG	3D building models in three levels of detail	No key	CC BY 4.0
BRK cadastral map	Parcels and cadastral boundaries, without owner data	No key	CC BY 4.0
AHN (in Dutch)	Height model of the Netherlands	No key	CC0 1.0
CBS Wijken en Buurten (in Dutch)	Boundaries and key figures per district and neighbourhood	No key	CC BY 4.0, crediting CBS and Kadaster
CBS StatLine (in Dutch)	Statistical tables through OData	No key	CC BY 4.0 unless stated otherwise
Rijksmonumenten (in Dutch)	National monuments, as linked data and OGC API	No key	CC BY 4.0
BRO (in Dutch)	Subsurface register, such as groundwater monitoring	No key	CC0 1.0 (groundwater monitoring dataset)
Omgevingswet and DSO (in Dutch)	Environment and planning documents	Free API key; vector tiles without key	DSO APIs CC BY 4.0; Geometrieën Omgevingswet API CC0 1.0

Where should you start?

Start with PDOK address search if you need to turn an address into a coordinate, or the other way round. It is the shortest route to a working result and introduces the two coordinate systems you will meet everywhere: RD New (EPSG:28992), in metres, and WGS84, in degrees. The RD to WGS84 tool lets you check conversions.

Continue with the BAG for buildings and their identifiers, which most other datasets refer to. Then pick the dataset that fits your question: the BGT for the outlines of roads and water, the BRK cadastral map for parcels, and the 3D BAG for building heights.

Three habits save time with all of these sources. Request a small bounding box or a single identifier instead of whole datasets; use the bulk download for anything large; and cache responses, because few services publish an explicit rate limit.

Can you build on this data?

Yes. TechinFlow, with a focus on government bodies, builds map and data applications on these open sources and on open standards such as OGC API Features. How such an application is put together, from database to browser, is described under GIS and digital map solutions. If you want to publish your own data next to the national sources, see the open data platform and data platforms and data management. For a first conversation, contact us.

Dutch-only pages contain the same kind of tested examples, and the code and API parameters need no translation. The Dutch overview of all sources is at open data (in Dutch).

Frequently asked questions

Is Dutch open data free to use commercially?

Mostly yes, but the licence differs per dataset. BGT is CC0 and the BAG falls under Public Domain Mark 1.0, while the 3D BAG and the cadastral map are CC BY 4.0 and require attribution. Read the licence in the metadata of each dataset.

Do I need an API key for Dutch open data?

Usually not. PDOK services, the BAG OGC API, the BGT, the cadastral map and the 3D BAG all work without a key. Only the BAG API Individuele Bevragingen and the DSO APIs of the Omgevingswet need a free key, which you request online.

Which coordinate system does Dutch geodata use?

Most national geodata is stored in RD New (EPSG:28992), with coordinates in metres. Many APIs can also return WGS84 or Web Mercator if you ask for it in the request. The RD to WGS84 tool explains conversions and their accuracy.