Who needs a professional card?
Anyone who is not a national of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland and wants to work as self-employed in Belgium, as a sole trader or as a company director, unless exempt, as the SPF Economy states. The business counter checks your nationality when you register in the BCE.
In Brussels, the regional administration lists the main exemptions:
- Holders of a valid unlimited residence card
- Family members of EEA nationals who settle with them, and spouses of Belgians with qualifying relatives
- Recognised refugees
- Stays of 90 days or less a year for listed activities, such as business trips, speaking or training
- Ukrainian nationals under temporary protection
Can you freelance on a single permit?
No, not on that basis. A single permit allows salaried work for an employer, and holders are not on the exemption list above. To work as a freelancer, you need a professional card or another status that exempts you. The employee route is covered in our article on the single permit.
If you plan to switch from employment to freelancing, check your residence status and the card before you resign, not after.
How do you apply, and what does it cost?
The region where you set up your activity decides. From abroad, you apply at the Belgian embassy or consulate. In Belgium, in Brussels and Wallonia you apply through a business counter, while in Flanders you apply online with the Flemish government.
In Brussels, your project must bring something to the Region, for instance in innovation, sustainable jobs or trade, and the card is granted for up to five years, a first card usually for two. It costs €140 at application and €90 at issue, according to Brussels Economy and Employment. Wallonia charges €140 per application and €90 per year of validity. These are the amounts shown in November 2026.
What comes after the card?
The same steps as any freelancer: BCE registration, VAT, a social insurance fund and a health fund, described in how to become self-employed in Belgium. The card is personal and limited to the activity it names: a change of activity needs an update.
Our definition of a freelancer covers the status itself. Freelancers and employees can browse the IT and engineering roles currently open in Belgium.
