BRL 9500 certification: costs and lead time
The costs of BRL 9500 fall into four items: the training course, the exam, the certificate for the person, and the certification of the company. There is no fixed national rate, and the certification bodies do not publish their prices in one place. What you can do is find out which items there are and who to ask for the price. The rules themselves are on the RVO page on EP advisers and in the BRL 9500 certification scheme.
This page does not contain official amounts. Always request at least two quotes, from the exam bureau, the training provider and the certification body. Prices change every year and differ per provider.
On this page
First the overview of the cost items, then the timeline of the process. After that come the recurring costs, and finally a fictional worked example. Use this to prepare questions for your quote request.
Training, exam, personal certificate and company certification.
Cost itemsWhich step comes when, and what determines the lead time.
TimelineContinuing training, follow-up and repeating the process.
Recurring costsA fictional consultancy with two advisers.
Worked exampleThe cost items at a glance
The process has four cost items. Different parties provide them, so you also receive four different invoices. A table makes the overview easier.
| Cost item | Who provides it | How you get the price |
|---|---|---|
| Training course (on average 4 to 6 days) | Accredited training provider | Request a quote from the training provider |
| Exam per module | Cito, ‘t Examenpark or SNEI | Ask the exam bureau for its rate |
| Personal certificate or umbrella membership | Certification body or umbrella organisation | Ask the body for its rate |
| Company certification | Certification body, for example Kiwa | Request a quote and include your quality manual |
Note: you can take the training course and the exam with different parties. The training provider does not give the exam, the exam bureau does.
Timeline from training to registration
The process follows a fixed order. The company and the adviser go through some of the steps in parallel. The course is the only step for which RVO gives a number: on average four to six days.
| Step | Lead time | Who assesses |
|---|---|---|
| Training course | On average 4 to 6 days | The training provider, accredited by InstallQ |
| Exam | Depends on the exam bureau’s schedule | Cito, ‘t Examenpark or SNEI |
| Professional competence | Directly after passing all modules | The exam bureau |
| Company certification | Not fixed, ask the certification body | Certification body |
| Registration in EP-Online | After every label assessment | You as the adviser, using eHerkenning level 3 |
At Kiwa, follow-up starts half a year after the admission assessment. After that, follow-up takes place every year. This is set out in Kiwa’s frequently asked questions on BRL 9500. You can read more about these checks on internal and external controls.
Recurring costs
After the first certification, some costs keep coming back. The most important are the annual continuing training and the annual follow-up of the company. According to RVO, every EP adviser must complete continuing training every year. That training costs money, as does the course itself.
If the standard changes, the annual follow-up counts as a reassessment, and the certificate is then reissued. This is how Kiwa handles it. When BRL 9500 moves to a new version, the company should therefore expect a new certificate. Which version of BRL 9500 applies and when a transition takes effect is set out by InstallQ and by your certification body. Ask which date applies to your situation.
Worked example: a small consultancy
Fictional example: consultancy Groenhuis Advies (fictional) has two advisers, Sanne and Ruben. Sanne takes the EP-W detailed course, and Ruben takes the EP-U basic course. The firm has itself certified under BRL 9500-W and BRL 9500-U.
In the first year, the firm pays:
- the training courses of both advisers, each four to six days
- the exams of both advisers, per module
- the personal certificates of both advisers
- the company certification, including the admission assessment and the quality manual
In the years after that, the continuing training and the annual follow-up remain. The firm requests a quote from each body and puts them side by side. This way the firm sees in advance which item weighs most.
What to check when comparing quotes
Not all quotes are the same. A low price can mean that a component is missing. Check these points:
- Scope. Does the quote state the category, such as basic or detailed, and home or non-residential?
- What is included. Does the price cover the manual, the admission assessment and the first follow-up?
- VAT. Do providers state amounts including or excluding VAT? Ask explicitly.
- Resit. What does a resit of the exam cost?
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay for the exam and the training course separately?
Yes, the training course and the exam are separate items. The training provider gives the course, and the exam bureau gives the exam. Request both quotes separately.
What does it cost to have a company certified?
There is no fixed rate you can quote here. The costs depend on the body, the number of projects in the admission assessment and the scope. Request a quote from the body you choose.
How long does a certificate stay valid?
The period of validity is stated in the BRL 9500 scheme. Ask your certification body what this means for your certificate.
Further reading
- Step-by-step plan: how to become an EP adviser under BRL 9500, the full order of the process
- EP adviser exam, the modules and the exam bureau
- Company certification, what the company needs to arrange
- Frequently asked questions, short answers to most questions