Four parties have emerged as front-runners as Dutch voters are deciding who will lead their country into a new political era.
The polls suggest a neck-and-neck race and voting ends at 21:00 (20:00GMT).
Centre-right liberal leader Dilan Yesilgöz is tipped to win and become the first female Dutch prime minister.
Her closest rivals are anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders and a left-alliance led by former top-ranking EU commissioner Frans Timmermans.
More than 13 million Dutch voters have a choice of 26 parties in Wednesday’s vote, and as many as 17 could win seats.
European eyes are watching this election closely, after 13 years of governments under Mark Rutte. The biggest party could end up with less than 20% of the national vote and fewer than 30 seats in the 150-seat parliament, unprecedented in Dutch politics.
Trust in the government is at a low ebb after a political scandal left thousands of parents wrongly labelled as welfare fraudsters. A politician who championed their rights set up a centrist party only three months ago and already he is being cast as kingmaker.
Pieter Omtzigt’s New Social Contract is likely to be central to forming the next coalition government. He has shown little interest in running the country, but whoever does win will need his support.