F-gas certificate lost: requesting a duplicate of your BRL 200 certificate
If you have lost your F-gas certificate, you request a duplicate from the examination body where you took the exam. IPLO (Dutch Living Environment Information Point) describes this on its page about requesting a duplicate. If your certificate comes from the exchange action for STEK diplomas, it goes through STEK, because Rijkswaterstaat (Dutch national water and infrastructure agency) can no longer do that.
It helps to first know which category you hold and where you took the exam. This is explained on the personal certificate page. Also check whether the certificate is still in the register, using checking a certificate.
In short: you request a duplicate from the body that issued the certificate. A copy from the register is not the same as a duplicate, and a duplicate is usually what you need to show during a check or for a new job.
Who do you ask?
The answer depends on where your certificate comes from. IPLO names two routes.
| Origin of your certificate | Who do you ask for the duplicate? |
|---|---|
| Exam at a recognised examination body, such as PBNA, STEK, IBKI, CIBV, Bepect or STE Examenbureau | The examination body where you took the exam |
| Exchange action for STEK diplomas | STEK, because Rijkswaterstaat no longer does this |
Do you no longer know which body you took the exam with? Then first check your old exam certificate or email. If your certificate is not in the Centraal Register Techniek (CRT, Dutch central technical register) , you can, according to the CRT, ask the certifying body. If your certificate is in the register, check whether the body is named there.
Steps for the duplicate
The costs and processing time of a duplicate are not stated on the IPLO page. Always ask the body itself before you submit a request.
- Find out which body held your exam. Use your old exam certificate or the CRT.
- Go to that body’s website and search for duplicate or copy of a certificate.
- Request the duplicate with the details the body asks for on its website.
- Keep the confirmation of your request until the duplicate has arrived.
If you have a STEK diploma from the exchange, go to stek.nl. IPLO refers to that site for this.
Example: a fitter who has lost his paper
Suppose fitter Jan must show his certificate for a new job, but he can no longer find the paper. He first looks for his exam certificate from 2019 and sees that he took the exam at a particular examination body. He checks in the CRT whether his certificate is still listed there, and requests a duplicate through that body’s website.
While he waits, he can show the client the CRT result as proof of registration. If the client asks for a paper copy, the duplicate is the right step.
What if the certificate has expired?
A duplicate does not make an expired certificate valid again. If the validity has passed, you need recertification. New personal certificates are valid for seven years, and existing certificates remain valid until 12 March 2029 at the latest, according to IPLO. So check the expiry date first, before you request a duplicate.
Common mistakes
- Requesting a duplicate from Rijkswaterstaat. For the STEK exchange, that is no longer the right body.
- Thinking the CRT result is always enough. Ask the client whether they want a paper or digital copy.
- Waiting until a check. Request the duplicate as soon as you notice it is missing, not only when you need it.
- Confusing an expired certificate with a lost one. A duplicate replaces lost paper, not an expired validity.
Further reading
How to see whether your registration in the CRT is correct.
Checking a certificateValidity, categories and what changes.
Personal certificate (BRL 200)What remains of STEK and how it relates to BRL 100.
STEK certificateChecklist before you request a duplicate
- You know which category you hold, such as A1, A2 or E.
- You know which examination body held your exam, or you have checked the CRT.
- You know whether the certificate comes from the STEK exchange, because then it goes through STEK.
- You have checked the expiry date, so you know whether you need a duplicate or recertification.
- You have the details ready that the body asks for in the request.
Frequently asked questions
Can Rijkswaterstaat help me with a duplicate? Not for certificates obtained through an examination body. For the STEK exchange, STEK has taken over the service, according to IPLO.
Is a duplicate the same as a new certificate? No. A duplicate is a copy of the existing certificate. You do not get an expired certificate back with a duplicate. You then need recertification.
How long does it take? The processing time is not stated on the IPLO page. Ask the body, especially if you need a paper copy for a job.
Do I have to register the duplicate in the CRT? The register contains the registration that the examination body made. After receiving the duplicate, check whether the details are correct, and report any error to the body.
What if the examination body you took the exam with is no longer easy to find?
Sometimes the body where you took the exam is no longer easy to find, for example after a name change or a takeover. In that case, start with your old exam certificate and the Centraal Register Techniek. The CRT says that you can ask the certifying body when a qualification is missing.
If that does not work either, ask IPLO or STEK which route applies to your certificate. For STEK certificates from the exchange, STEK is the right point of contact.