Buying an F-gas certificate: why that is not possible with BRL 200

You cannot buy an F-gas certificate. The personal certificate (BRL 200) is only issued after you pass the exam at a recognised examination body, and that body registers it in the Centraal Register Techniek (CRT, Dutch central technical register). Ondernemersplein (Dutch government business portal)  and IPLO (Dutch Living Environment Information Point)  describe it this way. Anyone who offers a certificate without an exam is selling something that cannot be verified in a check.

If you want to obtain the certificate, you take the exam. The step-by-step plan shows how that works, and the categories show which exam fits your work.

Why a certificate cannot be bought

The certificate proves that you have passed an exam for a certain category. The exam tests theory and practice, and the examination body records the result. Without that exam, there is nothing to check.

The system works this way because clients, companies and inspectors must be able to trust it. They look in the CRT to see whether the fitter is registered for the category the work requires. A piece of paper that is not in the register helps nobody.

What is and is not possible

A foreign certificate is a separate matter. Ondernemersplein reports that a certificate from another EU member state also applies in the Netherlands, but that it is not converted into a Dutch certificate. You must therefore be able to show it during a check.

Example: an offer that is not right

Suppose a firm writes to you: “We arrange your F-gas certificate within a week, without an exam, for a fixed fee.” That is a reason to stop. The exam is part of the rules, and a certificate without an exam cannot be registered in the CRT.

In a case like this, ask three things. Which examination body holds the exam? In which register will the certificate be recorded? Can you show me the registration before I pay? A serious offer can answer these questions without detours.

What is sensible to do

You can obtain the certificate in the legal way. Here is how to go about it sensibly:

• Prepare with a course. This is not mandatory, but it helps you pass the exam in one go. See course or training.
• Choose the right category. A category that is too high or too low costs time and money. Read the categories of the personal certificate.
• Ask for quotes from recognised bodies. Compare the schedule and the exam costs. See costs.
• Check the registration after the exam. See checking a certificate.

What the inspector can establish

The Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT, Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate) supervises the F-gas rules. If you want to report a suspected fake certificate, look at ilent.nl to see how reports work. We have not checked that procedure, so we do not take it over here.

Ondernemersplein reports that a company may only work with F-gases if it has a company certificate. When you hire an installer, ask for the company certificate and the personal certificates, and check them in the CRT.

Common mistakes

• Accepting a certificate PDF without a check. Anyone can make a PDF. Always check in the CRT.
• Confusing a course with an exam. A course certificate is not an F-gas certificate.
• Forgetting the company certificate. A fitter with a valid personal certificate still does not work legally for clients if the company has no BRL 100. See BRL 100.
• Trusting a provider without checking the examination body. Call or email the body and ask whether it offers the training and the exam itself.

Further reading

How do you recognise a serious examination body?

A recognised examination body is easy to recognise. You can check the following points yourself before you pay anything.

• The body appears on the list of recognised examination bodies that IPLO mentions, such as PBNA, STEK, IBKI, CIBV, Bepect or STE Examenbureau.
• The body tells you which category it examines and what the content of the exam is.
• The body registers the certificate in the CRT after a passed exam.
• You receive a confirmation of enrolment and a clear schedule, and no promise of a certificate without an exam.

Also pay attention to how they communicate. A serious offer names an exam date, a location or exam regulations. An offer that mainly talks about speed and guarantees, without those details, does not fit how the system works.

What if you have already paid?

If you have already paid for a certificate that you did not receive through an exam, the first step is to keep the contract and the invoice. Ask the provider in writing which examination body would hold the exam and where the certificate will be registered.

Then check the Centraal Register Techniek yourself to see whether a registration exists. If nothing appears in the register, ask the examination body whether it has registered your certificate. If you never took an exam, you do not have a valid F-gas certificate. In that case, contact a recognised examination body and ask for information about an exam.

Frequently asked questions

May I buy a certificate from a foreign provider? A certificate from another EU member state also applies in the Netherlands, but it must be genuine and must be shown during a check. Ondernemersplein reports that it is not converted into a Dutch certificate. A paper from a provider without an exam remains a problem even then.

Does buying a course with a certificate included help? A course is preparation. Always ask whether the exam is taken at a recognised body and whether registration in the CRT is arranged.

Is the difference noticeable during a check? Yes. An inspector or client looks in the register. A certificate that is not listed there provides no evidence during a check.

Sources

• Ondernemersplein - Certificate for working with F-gases 
• IPLO - Requirements for natural persons (fitters) 
• Centraal Register Techniek