What does HKZ certification cost?
The costs of HKZ certification consist of preparation and the external audit. As an indication: a self-employed care worker or small organisation budgets €2,000 to €5,000, and a medium-sized care organisation €9,000 to €18,000. The lead time is on average between 4 and 9 months, depending on your starting point. The step-by-step plan shows how those months are built up. For small care providers there is a lighter route through HKZ Small Organisations.
All amounts on this page are indications. The actual costs depend on your size, the scheme you choose and the certification body you pick. Always request several quotes. Answers to common cost questions are on the frequently asked questions page.
What do the costs consist of?
The process has four cost items. The balance differs from case to case.
| Cost item | What it includes | Who charges this |
|---|---|---|
| Gap analysis and support | An adviser maps what you already have and helps describe processes | External adviser or internal (your own hours) |
| Software or tools | Quality software for records and incident reports | Software supplier (optional) |
| Internal preparation | Hours of your own staff to set up the system | Internal, hard to calculate exactly |
| Certification audit (stage 1 + stage 2) | Document review and practical test by the CB | Certification body |
| Annual surveillance audits | Checks in year 1 and year 2 after certification | Certification body |
The audit costs of the certification body depend on the size of your organisation and the number of audit days the auditor needs. For more on the audit process, read the separate page.
Costs by organisation size
The table below gives indicative total costs for the first year, including support and the certification audit.
| Organisation size | Indicative total cost, first year |
|---|---|
| Self-employed / very small | €2,000 - €5,000 |
| Small (up to 50 employees) | €4,000 - €9,000 |
| Medium (50-250 employees) | €9,000 - €18,000 |
| Large (250+ employees) | €18,000+ |
For small organisations, HKZ Small Organisations offers a standard for organisations with up to 10 FTE. The costs are indicative; request quotes.
These are indications based on market information. Treat them as a range, not fixed prices. Costs can be higher if your system is barely in order yet, or lower if you already hold ISO 9001 certification.
Annual costs after certification
Once you have the certificate, the work does not stop. Every year there is a surveillance audit, and after 3 years a recertification.
| Year | What happens | Indicative costs |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 (after certification) | Annual surveillance audit | €800 - €3,000 |
| Year 2 | Annual surveillance audit | €800 - €3,000 |
| Year 3 | Recertification (full process) | €2,500 - €8,000+ |
Alongside the audit costs, allow for internal hours to maintain the system: reporting incidents, preparing the management review, keeping training records up to date and following up improvement actions.
How long does HKZ take?
The lead time depends on your starting point. Organisations that already work with good records, an incident reporting system and clear processes finish sooner.
| Starting point | Expected lead time |
|---|---|
| Already much in order (e.g. ISO 9001 experience) | 3-4 months |
| Average starting point | 5-7 months |
| Starting from zero | 7-9 months |
Work backwards if you have a care procurement round as your deadline. An HKZ process takes at least half a year, so start on time.
Ways to save on costs
A few ways to reduce the costs:
HKZ Small Organisations. This variant exists for organisations with up to 10 FTE. Kiwa and HKZ.nl mention that limit. Read more on HKZ Small Organisations.
Combining with ISO 9001. Because HKZ is built on ISO 9001, one HKZ process covers both. A separate ISO 9001 process on top is not needed. See HKZ vs ISO 9001.
Doing the gap analysis yourself. If you already have some knowledge of quality systems, you can carry out the gap analysis internally. This saves part of the advisory costs.
Requesting several quotes. Certification bodies charge different rates. Request a quote from at least three CBs. See all options on certification bodies.
Request quotes from several certification bodies. Audit rates differ per CB, sometimes considerably. Also compare their experience in your sector, not only the price.