DigiD vs eHerkenning: Which Login Do You Need?
Manna Team
Type "inloggen RVO" into Google and two names show up within seconds: DigiD and eHerkenning. Both get described the same way — "digital login for the Dutch government" — which is exactly why so many founders stall before they even reach the WBSO application form on mijn.rvo.nl. RVO's portal accepts both logins, but not from everyone. Which one you need depends entirely on how your business is structured, not on personal preference.
Which login do you actually need?
The rule is simpler than the search results suggest:
- Sole trader (eenmanszaak) without staff? DigiD works. It's free, tied to your personal BSN, and lets you log in to mijn.rvo.nl straight away to submit a WBSO application, view the decision, and report your realisation.
- Legal entity — bv, nv, stichting — or any company with staff? You need eHerkenning, and not just any level. WBSO access requires at least level eH3, plus a specific authorisation for the WBSO service. A lower level, such as eH2, gets you into some government services but not the WBSO service on mijn.rvo.nl.
- Somewhere in between — a one-person business about to hire its first employee, or about to incorporate as a bv? That's typically the moment DigiD stops being sufficient and eHerkenning becomes mandatory.
For RVO, the login method itself has no bearing on how your WBSO application is judged. It only determines who is allowed into the portal on behalf of which company.
DigiD vs eHerkenning at a glance
| DigiD | eHerkenning | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Sole traders / individuals | Legal entities (bv, nv, stichting) and companies with staff |
| Cost | Free | Paid — issued by an accredited private supplier, typically an annual fee |
| Level needed for WBSO | No levels; works directly via your BSN | Minimum eH3, plus WBSO-service authorisation |
| Can an adviser use it on your behalf? | No — tied to your personal BSN | Not by sharing your login — via a separate authorisation |
Letting an adviser act for you, without your password
Neither login is meant to be handed to someone else. DigiD is tied to your personal BSN, and sharing eHerkenning credentials defeats the purpose of having an auditable login in the first place. If you want an accountant, tax adviser, or a platform like Manna to submit or manage your WBSO application, the correct route is an authorisation, not a shared password.
The mechanism for this is a chain authorisation (ketenmachtiging) — a specific type of authorisation within eHerkenning, arranged through your eHerkenning supplier, that lets an intermediary act on your company's behalf for a defined service such as the WBSO. It's valid for a limited period and can be revoked earlier at any time. Either way, your adviser gets controlled access to submit the application, view the decision, and handle the realisation report on mijn.rvo.nl, while you remain the sole owner of your own DigiD or eHerkenning. You typically arrange this once, when the collaboration starts, and the annual WBSO cycle then runs without you ever sharing your credentials.
Let Manna help
Manna doesn't change which login you need — that's determined by RVO and by how your company is structured — but it does take the guesswork out of everything around it.
This article is informational. See RVO.nl for the current conditions on DigiD, eHerkenning and access to mijn.rvo.nl.
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