NEN 1010 and NEN 3140: what is the difference?

NEN 1010 is the standard for designing and installing a low-voltage electrical installation. NEN 3140 is the standard for safely managing, using and inspecting that installation once it is in use. In short, NEN 1010 is the construction drawing, and NEN 3140 is the maintenance manual.

Each standard has its own legal basis. NEN 1010 is designated in the Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving (Bbl, Dutch Buildings Decree) , the building rules under the Environment and Planning Act (Omgevingswet). NEN 3140 is the common way to meet the Dutch occupational health and safety rules for employers. The current version of NEN 1010 is NEN 1010:2020+C1:2024 , and the current version of NEN 3140 is NEN 3140:2011+A3:2019.

NEN 1010 and NEN 3140 side by side

Both standards cover low voltage: up to 1,000 V AC and 1,500 V DC. That is where the overlap ends.

What does the law say about NEN 1010?

Article 4.199 of the Bbl says that an electricity provision in a new building must meet NEN 1010 for low voltage. Article 3.106 covers the same for existing buildings. The NEN page about the 2024 correction  states that anyone who works to NEN 1010:2020+C1:2024 meets the legal requirements under the Environment and Planning Act.

NEN 1010:2020+C1:2024 was published in 2024 and replaced NEN 1010:2020. The correction combined the text and the improvements into one document. The fire safety requirements have been aligned with the Bbl, and functional earth conductors must now be pink instead of black-and-yellow.

What does the law say about NEN 3140?

The Arbobesluit does not mention NEN 3140 by name. It does require that installations are maintained safely, that up-to-date diagrams exist, and that only competent, adequately instructed and authorised employees work on them. NEN 3140 turns those requirements into roles, inspections and working methods. See installation responsible person and work responsible person and designating VP and VOP.

Example: one business hall, two standards

A fictional transport company has a new hall built. Both standards come into play:

The installer’s handover report is the starting point for the first NEN 3140 inspection. Keep it safe.

Does an old installation have to meet the latest NEN 1010?

Not automatically. An installation is built to the version of NEN 1010 that applied at the time. During a NEN 3140 inspection, the inspector checks the installation against those requirements. Since the change to NEN 3140 in 2019, the inspection also checks whether the installation still meets current safety insights.

In practice, this means a distribution board from 1995 does not have to be replaced just because there is a new NEN 1010. But if an earth leakage circuit breaker is missing where it is now considered necessary, the inspector can record that as a finding. If you extend or renovate, the current NEN 1010 applies to the new part.

Which standard do you need?

For rented premises, the question “who is the installation responsible person?” is often unclear. Record it in the lease. If nobody is appointed, NEN 3140 treats the employer itself as the responsible party.

Common mistakes with NEN 1010 and NEN 3140

• Thinking a new installation needs no inspection. Plan the first periodic inspection from the handover.
• Using NEN 1010 as the inspection standard. For periodic inspection of a business installation, NEN 3140 is the standard.
• Not adding extensions to the diagrams. A NEN 1010 installation without updated diagrams leads to a finding at the next NEN 3140 inspection.
• Confusing the two standards with Scope 10. The fire risk inspection for your insurer is a third inspection. See SCIOS Scope 10.

NEN 1010 and NEN 3140 for charging points and solar panels

Charging points and solar panels show clearly how the two standards follow on from each other. For charging points in a car park or storage room, article 4.199, paragraph 2 of the Bbl even sets a specific requirement: they must meet mode 3 or mode 4 as described in NEN 1010.

An example. A garage business has six charging points installed. The installer delivers them with a measurement report according to NEN 1010. Afterwards, the IV adds them to the diagram, includes them in the inspection interval and gives the technician who resets the charging points a VOP designation.

Frequently asked questions about NEN 1010 and NEN 3140

Which version of NEN 1010 applies now?

The current edition is NEN 1010:2020+C1:2024. It replaced NEN 1010:2020 in 2024. Which version the Bbl refers to exactly is stated in the annex to the Environment and Planning Regulation (Omgevingsregeling). In 2024, NEN reported that this still referred to NEN 1010:2015 and that replacement was expected.

Which version of NEN 3140 applies now?

NEN 3140:2011+A3:2019. A revised version was put out for public comment as a draft in 2026, aligned with the updated European standard EN 50110-1. Until it is final, the 2019 version remains in force.

Does an installer also need to know NEN 3140?

Yes. Their technicians work on customers’ installations and therefore fall under the rules for safe working in NEN 3140. They need a VP designation from their own employer, and they work in consultation with the customer’s installation responsible person.

What is NEN 3840?

NEN 3840 is the counterpart of NEN 3140 for high voltage. If your company has its own medium-voltage room or transformer, the rules of NEN 3840 apply to that part. NEN is revising both standards at the same time.

Further reading

• What is NEN 3140? - The standard for business operations in brief
• NEN 3140 inspection - How often and what is checked
• NEN 3140 checklist for employers - Check whether you have it in order
• NEN - NEN 1010 low-voltage installations  - NEN’s explanation of NEN 1010