Certificate needed to install a heat pump?
Yes, if you work on the refrigerant circuit. With a split heat pump, you connect the refrigerant pipes between the indoor and outdoor units. For that, you need an F-gas personal certificate (A1 or A2) and a BRL 100 company certificate. If you install a monoblock that is filled and sealed at the factory, and you only connect the water pipes and power, that is not an “installation” within the meaning of the F-gassenverordening (EU) 2024/573 (EU F-gas Regulation) .
That also applies to heat pumps with propane (R290). Since the new Regulation, certification is no longer limited to F-gases but also applies to natural refrigerants, says the Informatiepunt Leefomgeving (IPLO) (Dutch environmental information point) . If you work on the circuit of a propane heat pump, you need a certificate just as well.
The rule of thumb: if someone opens or connects the refrigerant circuit, or tops up refrigerant, a personal certificate is needed. If a company does that for clients, BRL 100 is needed too.
Why a monoblock heat pump is different
The Regulation defines “installation” as connecting two or more parts with refrigerant pipes, so that a closed circuit is created at the place of use. With a split system, that happens on site: the technician runs pipes, pulls a vacuum and charges or opens the circuit. With a monoblock, the whole circuit sits in one factory-sealed unit.
Techniek Nederland therefore writes that installing and maintaining monoblocks falls outside BRL 100. That changes as soon as you open the circuit. A repair to a leaking monoblock, replacing a compressor or topping up refrigerant does require a certified technician and a certified company.
Even for a monoblock that does not require a certificate, you as an employer must instruct your technicians about the risks (Article 8 of the Arbowet (Dutch Working Conditions Act)). A monoblock with propane can leak after damage or frost, and propane is flammable.
Which certificate for each type of heat pump?
This table shows, per situation, which certificate is needed when installing a heat pump.
| Situation | Work on refrigerant circuit? | Personal certificate | BRL 100 (when working for clients) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place air-water monoblock, only connect water and power | No | Not needed for this task | Not needed for this task |
| Place hybrid heat pump as a monoblock | No | Not needed for this task | Not needed for this task |
| Place air-water split heat pump | Yes, connect pipes | A2 up to 3 kg, otherwise A1 | Yes |
| Place air-to-air heat pump (split air conditioner) | Yes | A2 up to 3 kg, otherwise A1 | Yes |
| Repair monoblock, opening the circuit | Yes | A2 or A1, depending on charge | Yes |
| Decommission heat pump, recover refrigerant | Yes | A1, A2 or D (recovery only) | Yes |
A sole trader (zzp’er) who installs heat pumps therefore needs both a personal certificate and a BRL 100 certificate for split systems.
Example: which certificate for this job?
Installation company Warmte Noord installs three heat pumps in one week:
| Job | Unit | What happens | Certificate needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| House in Assen | Monoblock air-water, 6 kW, propane | Place outdoor unit, connect water pipes and power | No, but an Arbowet instruction is needed |
| House in Emmen | Split air-water, 8 kW, 1.8 kg R32 | Lay refrigerant pipes, pull vacuum, open circuit | Yes: technician A2, company BRL 100 |
| Office in Hoogeveen | Split air-to-air, 3 indoor units, 4.2 kg R32 | Lay pipes, top up | Yes: technician A1 (above 3 kg), company BRL 100 |
The office in Hoogeveen contains 4.2 × 675 / 1,000 = 2.8 tonnes CO2 equivalent. That is under 5 tonnes, so a periodic leak check is not mandatory. A heat pump with 8 kg R32 (5.4 tonnes) must be checked annually.
Can a heating installer without an F-gas certificate install a heat pump?
Many heating and plumbing companies want to start installing heat pumps but do not have an F-gas certificate. With a monoblock, that is possible. You handle the hydraulic side, the electrical connection and the commissioning of the heating side. The refrigerant circuit stays closed.
With a split heat pump, the work on the circuit must be done by a certified technician from a BRL 100 company. Many companies therefore work with a refrigeration company. Then note this rule from the Regulation: a company may only pass such work on to another company if it has first checked that the other company holds the right certificates.
A practical division of tasks looks like this:
| Task with a split heat pump | Heating installer without F-gas certificate | Certified subcontractor |
|---|---|---|
| Place outdoor and indoor units | Yes | |
| Connect and fill on the water side | Yes | |
| Lay and connect refrigerant pipes | Yes | |
| Pull vacuum, pressure test, open circuit | Yes | |
| Top up and register refrigerant | Yes | |
| Commission the refrigerant side | Yes |
Keep the certificate number of the subcontractor and the technician with the project file. That is your proof if a client or inspector asks for it.
A1 or A2 for heat pumps?
Category A2 applies to F-gases and hydrocarbons up to 3 kg, or 6 kg for labelled hermetically sealed systems. Most domestic heat pumps fall under that. If you also work on larger split systems for offices or industrial halls, you need A1. Do you still have an old category 1 or 2 certificate? That remains valid until 12 March 2029 at the latest.
What changes for heat pumps from 2027?
The F-gas Regulation increasingly bans new heat pumps with F-gases. From 1 January 2027, new monoblock heat pumps up to and including 12 kW, and split air-water heat pumps up to and including 12 kW, may no longer contain F-gases with a GWP of 150 or higher, unless safety requirements make this necessary. R32 (GWP 675) therefore falls under that.
Manufacturers are therefore switching to propane. For installers, that means more work with a flammable refrigerant, and extra safety requirements apply to it in BRL 100. All the bans are listed on the new F-gas Regulation.
What do clients or inspectors check?
A client can check on the Centraal Register Techniek (Central Technical Register) whether your company has BRL 100 and whether your technicians hold a personal certificate. Many manufacturers set requirements in their warranty conditions for who installs and commissions the unit. So read those conditions too, also for a monoblock. The Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT) (Netherlands Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate) can enforce if you work on the circuit without a certificate.
If a company invests in a heat pump, the energie-investeringsaftrek (EIA) (Dutch energy investment allowance) may be interesting. Then check whether the investment is on the Energielijst (Energy List).
Common mistakes when installing a heat pump
- Thinking propane does not need a certificate. For work on the circuit, the certification requirement also applies to hydrocarbons.
- “Just topping up” a monoblock without a certificate. As soon as you open the circuit, you need a certificate.
- Only having a personal certificate as a sole trader. If you work on split systems for clients, you also need BRL 100.
- Taking A2 and then doing a large split installation. Above 3 kg (non-hermetic), you need A1.
What the certificates cost is on costs of BRL 100 and personal certificate.