F-gas certificate automotive: training certificate for mobile air conditioning (BRL 200)
If you work on car air conditioning, you have needed a training certificate since 7 October 2026, unless a transitional arrangement applies. You get that certificate after a compulsory course at a designated training body. The old Terugwinnen Mobiele Airco certificate (Recovery of Mobile Air Conditioning, BRL 200, version 1.2) remains valid until 12 March 2029 for anyone who obtained it before 7 October 2026.
IPLO (Dutch environmental information point) explains that this new system follows the European F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1893. See also the IPLO transition page . It covers people who work on mobile climate control systems, such as car air conditioning, buses, trains, metros and trams. You can find an overview of all certificates on personal certificate.
From 7 October 2026, you need a training certificate for car air conditioning without a transitional arrangement. Do not have a certificate yet and not yet enrolled on a course? Plan it now.
What changes for car air conditioning?
Until now, technicians working on car air conditioning used a recovery certificate. That certificate was the source of their authority. The new system works with a training certificate. The difference is more than the name: the certificate follows a compulsory course, and the course is given by a training provider designated by Rijkswaterstaat (Dutch national government agency for water and roads).
Rijkswaterstaat acts as scheme manager, together with the Ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat (Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate). According to IPLO, the Netherlands is still working out the implementation. The designation of training and certification bodies and the registration of certificates are not yet settled. According to IPLO, however, the certificate already applies to recovering refrigerant from mobile air conditioning without delay. So when you choose a training provider, check carefully that the provider has already been designated.
Who needs what?
| Situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| Terugwinnen Mobiele Airco certificate obtained before 7 October 2026 | You may keep working until 12 March 2029 |
| No certificate, no training | From 7 October 2026, no work or purchasing without a training certificate |
| No certificate, but earlier training or work experience | Possibly a shorter route, depending on the training provider |
| Enrolled on a course | Working under supervision, for a maximum of 24 months, under the responsibility of a certificate holder |
After 12 March 2029, everyone with the old certificate must hold a suitable training certificate, according to European rules. IPLO notes that a compulsory refresher course is coming.
Example: a workshop with one old and one new route
Suppose a workshop has two technicians. Technician A obtained his Terugwinnen Mobiele Airco certificate in June 2026. He may keep working until 12 March 2029, but must obtain a suitable training certificate before that date.
Technician B starts in November 2026 without a certificate. He must first follow the compulsory course and obtain the training certificate. Until then, he may only work under the supervision of someone with the right certificate, for a maximum of 24 months from enrolment. He also may not recover refrigerant while the course is not finished, except under that supervision.
For the employer, this means a simple check: which technician has which document, and when does the deadline expire?
What should you check before choosing a course?
Not every training provider is designated. Check this before you pay. A few questions you can ask:
- Is this training provider designated by Rijkswaterstaat for mobile climate control systems?
- Which certificate will I receive at the end, and is it registered?
- Does the course take my earlier certificate or experience into account, and does that lead to a shorter route?
- How long is the course, and what does it cost?
IPLO does not give the duration, costs or a list of providers on the transition page. You need to ask the provider itself for that information.
What is the link with transport refrigeration?
Transport refrigeration, such as refrigerated trucks, has separate certification requirements. It does not fall under the car air conditioning arrangement. For the company certificate for refrigeration installations in general, BRL 100 applies. If you work on both car air conditioning and stationary installations, you therefore have several routes to follow.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the old certificate is valid forever. It is valid until 12 March 2029. After that, a training certificate is needed.
- Choosing a provider that is not designated. You may then not have a valid certificate.
- Thinking a stationary certificate also covers car air conditioning. These are different schemes with different requirements.
- Missing the transition date. Anyone who works without a certificate after 7 October 2026 is working outside the rules.
Further reading
Course, exam and training certificate explained separately.
Do you need to take an F-gas course?The categories for stationary refrigeration and heat pumps.
Personal certificate (BRL 200)The European rules behind the new certification.
F-gas Regulation 2024What does 7 October 2026 mean in practice?
7 October 2026 is the date on which the new system for mobile climate control systems applies to anyone working without a certificate. It is a turning point, not an end date for everything. Below are the key dates that IPLO mentions.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Until 7 October 2026 | The Terugwinnen Mobiele Airco certificate could still be obtained (BRL 200, version 1.2) |
| 7 October 2026 | Training certificate needed for anyone working without an existing certificate |
| 12 March 2029 | Old certificate expires, training certificate or refresher course needed |
If you obtained a certificate before 7 October 2026, your work falls under the transitional arrangement. If you started working without a certificate after that date, you need a training certificate, or you work under the supervision of someone who has one.
What does the course look like?
IPLO describes the compulsory course as a route at a designated training provider, which ends with a training certificate. The page says nothing about the duration, the components or the costs. It also does not state which providers already exist. Ask each institution for this in writing.
Note: the course takes earlier certificates, training and work experience into account. That can lead to a shorter route, but not automatically to an exemption. Ask about your own situation when you enrol.
Frequently asked questions
Can I fill a car air conditioning system without a certificate? From 7 October 2026, you may not do work on, or purchase refrigerant for, vehicle air conditioning without a training certificate, except under the supervision of someone with the right certificate.
Does this also apply to buses and trains? The new system covers mobile climate control systems more broadly, including buses, trains, metros and trams. Transport refrigeration, such as refrigerated trucks, has separate requirements.
Who checks this? Rijkswaterstaat is the scheme manager. Supervision of compliance lies with the competent authorities. For the current position, check the IPLO pages.