How long is the SNA certificate valid?
The SNA certificate has no fixed end date. The SNA FAQ states: “There is no specific validity period for a registration.” If a company no longer meets the requirements, it is suspended or removed from the register, depending on the findings. Kiwa issues its own certificate for an indefinite period. It states that a follow-up inspection that does not take place, or has a negative outcome, leads to suspension and removal from the register.
So the validity does not depend on a calendar date. It depends on the status in the register. A certificate granted in 2026 can be lost in 2027. For the inspection rhythm itself, read the audit. To check the status, see checking the SNA register.
Last checked: 28 October 2026.
What determines validity?
Three things keep the certificate in place:
- The inspection rhythm. According to Kiwa, inspections normally take place every six months. Under certain conditions a yearly frequency is possible. SNA does not state a frequency in its FAQ.
- The outcome. If a company no longer meets the requirements, suspension or removal follows. SNA does not set a fixed period for correcting findings and wants you to fix mistakes as quickly as possible.
- The administration. A new activity may not fit your registered activities. Discuss this with your inspection body in advance.
The deadlines for your company are set out in your agreements with your inspection body.
A fictional year
Staffing agency Delta was registered in February 2026. The rhythm roughly looks like this:
| Moment | What happens | What you must check |
|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | First full inspection, registration | Record the declaration and the registration |
| Around August 2026 | Follow-up inspection | Were the deviations from the first inspection closed? |
| Around February 2027 | Next inspection | Hours, pay and invoices match |
| Around August 2027 | Follow-up inspection | Correction of any deviations can be demonstrated |
This schedule is fictional and assumes the six-monthly rhythm that Kiwa mentions. Your own dates come from your agreement with the inspection body.
A follow-up inspection that does not take place can change your status. Check the register after each inspection appointment and record the outcome.
What happens after suspension?
According to SNA, a company that no longer meets the requirements is suspended or removed from the register, depending on the findings. Clients who check the status will then no longer see a certified company. That affects contracts that require the certificate.
The SNA FAQ does not describe how a suspension is lifted. Ask your inspection body. Correct deviations as early as possible, so the next inspection does not hit the same mistake again.
An application that does not yet have a positive result can stay on the list of ongoing applications for three months at most. After that, it drops off.
How do you prevent suspension?
- Plan each follow-up inspection before the due date in your own planning, not after it.
- Record deviations with date, cause and correction, as described in the requirements checklist.
- Check the register after each inspection and keep the declaration.
- Report changes in activities to the inspection body in good time.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a declaration lasts forever. A declaration shows the download date and is a snapshot. See the NEN 4400 declaration.
- Skipping follow-up inspections. A company that postpones an appointment risks suspension.
- Continuing without proof of correction. A deviation that cannot be shown to be resolved stays on the file.
- Checking validity on the labour provider’s website. The source is the register, not a page from a third party.
Frequently asked questions
Does the SNA certificate expire after a year?
No, there is no fixed date. SNA does not state a validity period for a registration. It does depend on the inspections, which according to Kiwa normally take place every six months.
Can I restore a suspended registration myself?
The SNA FAQ does not describe this. Ask your inspection body which steps are needed, and record the correction in a verifiable way.
Is an expired certificate the same as a certificate never obtained?
For a client, the difference matters little. A company without a certified registration has no evidence of the SNA inspection. See Wtta and SNA for the relationship with the licence.
What is the difference between a full and a follow-up inspection?
According to Kiwa, full inspections and follow-up inspections alternate. The SNA FAQ states that inspections look back to the previous full inspection, and that correction must cover the whole affected group of files. The inspection body decides which parts the inspector examines.
A follow-up inspection is therefore not unimportant. That is where it becomes clear whether a correction has worked. See the audit page for how the process runs.
What should you keep after each inspection?
- The inspection report and the related deviations.
- Proof of correction, with date and person responsible.
- The declaration of registration, with the download date.
- A screenshot or print of the register with the check date.
- The appointment for the next inspection, with confirmation from the inspection body.
Keep this in a folder you can also show to a client. An email with an appointment alone is not enough as proof of current registration.
Checklist: validity in your own calendar
- Note the date of each inspection and the expected date of the next one.
- Set a reminder two months before each appointment, so you have time for corrections.
- Check the register after each inspection and record the outcome.
- Report changes in activity to the inspection body in good time.
- If there is a deviation, agree with the inspector straight away what the deadline for correction is.
For the role of the inspection body itself, see inspection and accreditation. For the declaration, see the NEN 4400 declaration.