Having a deed of assignment drawn up: costs and process

Having a deed of assignment drawn up by a specialized SME lawyer typically costs €250 to €750 for a simple, one-off transfer, and more for a portfolio, security assignment, or framework structure for factoring. The process is brief: you provide the details of the claim, the lawyer drafts the deed in the correct form (public or private), and arranges for notification to the debtor or registration with the Tax Authorities. Below are details on what it costs, what you get, and when outsourcing pays off.

The short answer

• Simple costs: €250 – €750 for a one-time transfer of a single claim.
• Complex costs: €750 – €2,500+ for portfolio, security assignment, or factoring framework agreement.
• Lead time: often a few working days.
• Included: drafting of deed, choice of form, verification of prohibition of assignment, notification or registration.
• When to outsource: for future receivables, financing, or bankruptcy risk.

How much does it cost?

Anyone wishing to have a deed of assignment drawn up pays primarily for the complexity, not for the number of pages. An indication:

• One-time transfer, one claim: €250 – €750. Two parties, one invoice, no prohibition on assignment.
• Multiple claims / portfolio: €750 – €1,500. Specification list, determinability per item.
• Assignment of security for financing: €1,000 – €2,500. Coordination with bank, connection with collateral.
• Factoring framework agreement with periodic registration: custom-made, often starting from €1,500.

A notarial (authentic) deed is more expensive but usually not necessary — a private deed with registration suffices for silent assignment.

What do you get for it?

When you have it drafted, you get more than a document. A good lawyer:

• checks whether there is a prohibition on assignment in the underlying contract (Art. 3:83 paragraph 2 of the Dutch Civil Code);
• ensures that the claim is described in a “sufficiently ascertainable” manner (Art. 3:84 paragraph 2 of the Dutch Civil Code);
• consciously chooses between public and private assignment and explains the consequences;
• correctly includes ancillary rights (interest, securities) and guarantees;
• handles the notification to the debtor or the registration with the Tax and Customs Administration.

It is precisely that final step — notification or registration — that is most often forgotten when doing it yourself, causing the transfer to fail.

The process step by step

1. Intake: you provide the data (parties, claim, underlying contract).
2. Verification: the legal expert checks the prohibition of assignment, determinability, and prior pledging.
3. Choice of form: public (announcement) or private (recording), appropriate to the purpose.
4. Drafting: the deed is drawn up with guarantees and ancillary rights.
5. Signature: assignor and assignee sign.
6. Rounding: notification to the debtor, or registration with the Tax and Customs Administration.

The turnaround time is often a few working days; supplying the correct documents determines the speed.

Do it yourself or have it drafted?

For a one-off, simple transfer of a single clear invoice — two parties in agreement, no prohibition on assignment — you can manage perfectly well yourself with a good template. In that case, the costs of outsourcing are disproportionate to the risk.

Having a contract drawn up pays off whenever money or risk is at stake: a portfolio of receivables, a security assignment for a financier, future receivables under factoring, or a debtor who may go bankrupt. In such cases, the precise form determines whether the transfer holds up, and a mistake that could save a few hundred euros can quickly result in thousands of euros in damages.

Practical example

A contractor with €80,000 in outstanding invoices wants to transfer them to a factoring company for immediate liquidity. He has a framework deed of assignment drawn up that arranges for silent assignment with periodic registration, so that new invoices also automatically fall under the arrangement. The legal expert checks in advance that the construction contracts do not contain a prohibition on assignment. Costs: approximately €1,500 — a fraction of the transferred amount, and the transfer is bankruptcy-proof.

Honest recommendation

Be honest about your situation. Does it concern a single invoice between parties who agree, without a prohibition on assignment? Then you don't need a lawyer: use a reliable template and don't forget the notification or registration. That saves costs without extra risk.

If there is more at stake — a portfolio, financing, future receivables, or bankruptcy risk — have the deed drawn up. The additional costs do not outweigh the risk that a defective deed will scupper the transfer precisely when you need it most.

Read more: what is a deed of assignment and drafting a deed of assignment. Need a template or help right away? See deed of assignment.

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