CO2 Performance Ladder costs and timeline

The costs of the CO2 Performance Ladder consist of three parts: the annual fee to SKAO , the audit by a certification body, and your own hours. The annual fee depends on your turnover and ranges from €65 for a sole trader (ZZP) to €6,000 for the largest organisations. The official rates are on co2-prestatieladder.nl/nl/tarieven . The lead time for the basic level is three to six months.

On this page you find an honest cost overview. We split out the annual fee, the audit costs and the internal hours, and set them against the tender advantage you can gain with the ladder. Want to know which steps belong to this process? See the step-by-step plan.

The annual fee to SKAO

Every certificate holder pays an annual fee to SKAO. All participants together fund the helpdesk, the ongoing development of the ladder and the management of the scheme. The fee depends on your annual turnover.

The maximum is €6,000, also for groups with several certificates. Source: SKAO rates 2026 .

Audit costs

The audit is carried out by an independent certification body. That body sets its own rates, so always request several quotes. The amounts below are indications, not fixed prices.

The price depends on your company size, your level and the number of locations. A higher level or tier requires more audit time, because the auditor also assesses your supply chain.

Internal hours and advisory costs

Besides the direct costs, you invest time. Someone has to calculate the CO2 footprint, draw up the reduction plan and handle communication. Many companies also hire a consultant, especially the first time.

Budget a few thousand euros for a consultant to guide you through the first certification. This is optional. Smaller companies often do it themselves with the SKAO Practical Guide .

Total costs by company size

Below is an indication of the total costs for the first year, including the annual fee and the audit. Internal hours and advice are not included, because these vary greatly.

What does it deliver?

The costs are often earned back quickly through a single tender won. The tender advantage works with a notional discount on your bid price. On a project worth €30 million, a 4% advantage can add up to €1.2 million in calculated advantage.

You also often save energy and fuel through your reduction measures. That is a gain that continues outside tenders, just like with ISO 50001.

The timeline

For the basic level (level 3 or tier 1), plan on three to six months. Most of the time goes into collecting consumption data for your footprint and building evidence for your reduction.

Higher levels take longer, because you also need to map your supply chain. Start in time, especially if you have a specific tender in mind. The full step-by-step plan shows what happens in each phase. You will find answers to practical questions in the frequently asked questions.