Alkmaar for newcomers: BRP districts and everyday life

Alkmaar is divided into five areas, eleven wijken (districts) and 66 buurten (neighbourhoods). The historic inner city with its canals, cobblestones and the Waag is a protected townscape – like the Westerhoutkwartier by the Alkmaarderhout city woods; it gets tight there with a car or removal van. Oudorp with its windmills and part of Koedijk have belonged to the city since 1972; Overdie has a market on Tuesdays, Oudorp and De Mare on Wednesdays.

As in many Dutch cities, the housing market in Alkmaar is tight. We do not give specific rents or purchase prices because we do not have a reliable current source. If you start your search early, use several portals and estate agents and stay flexible about the district, you will have a better chance of finding a suitable home.

Alkmaar offers jobs in healthcare, among other sectors – the Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep has its Alkmaar site at the Alkmaarderhout – as well as in retail, services and tourism around the cheese market and the old town. For higher education, the city has Hogeschool Inholland; students can reach universities by train in Amsterdam, which lies on the same railway line.

Quality of life in Alkmaar shows in short distances, a dense network of cycle paths and the proximity to dunes and North Sea beaches such as Bergen aan Zee or Egmond aan Zee. Culture is provided by the Stedelijk Museum, the De Boom beer museum and the Filmhuis in Overstad – a mix that attracts families and young professionals alike.

Before you plan your move, you should know the approximate costs. Our guide prices: 1-room flat from €339, 2-room flat from €609, 3-room flat from €879 and 4-room flat from €1,299. Larger properties such as a house or villa are calculated individually. For a long-distance move we charge from €4.10/km. For an exact quote we recommend a free survey on site.

The most important factor is the volume – the more furniture and boxes, the greater the effort. The distance is charged from €4.10/km, and the floor and lift also play a role. A parking restriction zone makes the process easier but causes additional costs. If needed, we add furniture assembly or a shared load.

We are based in Berlin (Stromstraße 21) and travel to the Netherlands; Alkmaar is around 687 km away. The route is described in the guide to moving to Alkmaar. Further destinations are shown in the locations overview and on the long-distance moves page.

According to the Gemeente Alkmaar, anyone moving from Germany to Alkmaar and staying longer than four months must register in the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP, the personal records database) within five days. This also applies if you were registered in the Netherlands before. The Rijksoverheid states the same rule: anyone who wants to live in the Netherlands for longer than four months must register as a resident within five days of arrival.

The municipality re-establishes your identity, so you must appear in person. Appointments are made by phone via 14 072. You should bring a valid passport or ID card and a copy of your purchase or tenancy agreement. For rentals, a copy of the landlord's ID is also required; for subletting, a declaration of consent with a copy of the ID of the person you live with. Depending on your situation, birth or marriage certificates may be needed, sometimes with a translation or legalisation. Registration is free of charge, and according to the municipality processing takes no more than four weeks.

With registration you automatically receive your citizen service number (BSN). Authorities, GPs and health insurers use it. If you stay less than four months, according to the municipality you can register as a non-resident at the RNI desk. How to organise the move itself is explained in the Alkmaar moving guide and in the article on the long-distance move to Alkmaar.

If you are moving into a street with residents' parking, you can apply to the municipality for a verhuisvergunning, a parking permit for the moving period. According to the municipality, one application per address per year is possible. You can apply online via the P1 Digitaal loket with DigiD and a copy of the purchase or tenancy agreement, or at the Servicepunt Parkeren at Mallegatsplein 8; cash payment is not possible there. For the closed-off inner city, according to the municipality, the van also needs a temporary access permit outside delivery times. The verhuisvergunning cannot be converted into a residents' card; that is only possible after BRP registration.

HVC is responsible for bulky waste. You book a collection for grofvuil on the HVC website; alternatively, take large items yourself to the recycling centre at Diamantweg 16. Opening hours are listed on the HVC website.

In the first few weeks, three steps help: book an appointment with the municipality, secure your BSN and take out health insurance. According to the Dutch government, everyone who lives or works in the country is legally required to have basic health insurance. If a lot has to go before you move out of Berlin, our house clearance can help. Further steps are brought together in the checklist for emigrating to the Netherlands.