VCU costs: how to make a budget
VCU has no nationally set total amount. The SSVV (Stichting Samenwerken Voor Veiligheid, the foundation that manages VCA) describes the VCU scheme , the baseline measurement, the audit and the annual interim audit, but it does not publish a uniform price. So use the VCU explanation for the content of the requirements, then request quotes from accredited certification bodies. The general VCA costs page helps you understand how a certification process is built up.
You do not only pay for the audit. Also think of VIL-VCU diplomas (Dutch VCU training certificates), internal hours, any coaching, travel costs and remedying deviations. The certificate is valid for three years. The SSVV states that the certification body carries out an interim audit every year and that recertification is needed after three years. You can check an issued certificate later in the Central Certificates Register .
Which costs belong to VCU?
The following table is a budget model. It does not give a market price, but it helps you compare every quote on the same items.
| Cost item | What determines the amount? | When do you pay? |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline measurement and preparation | How much of the checklist you can already demonstrate | One-off or internal hours |
| VIL-VCU diplomas | Number of placement consultants and the chosen training provider | At training and exam |
| Certification audit | Scope, locations, complexity and audit time | At initial audit |
| Coaching | Whether you write and implement yourself or buy advice | According to contract |
| Remediation and follow-up check | Number and severity of deviations | Only if needed |
| Interim audits | Scope and contract with the certification body | Years 1 and 2 |
| Recertification | New audit against the requirements then in force | Around year 3 |
VCU looks at, among other things, organisation, S&H policy, vocational training and experience, selection and instruction, accidents and occupational health services. The VCU checklist 2011-05 is therefore a better basis for your budget than the number of employees alone. More locations or different types of placements usually mean more evidence and more audit work.
How to make a budget without invented market prices
Work with numbers and quotes. First note how many people need VIL-VCU, how many locations fall within scope and who becomes the internal owner. Then ask at least two accredited certification bodies to quote for the same scope.
A fictional calculation makes the method clear. Suppose a temporary employment agency takes the following amounts from received quotes and its internal planning:
| Item | Fictional calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| VIL-VCU | 4 people × €275 according to quote | €1,100 |
| Internal preparation | 36 hours × internal hourly rate €60 | €2,160 |
| Initial audit | Amount from quote | €2,400 |
| Remediation buffer | 8 hours × internal hourly rate €60 | €480 |
| Total first year | Sum of these items | €6,140 |
All amounts in this example are fictional and are not price advice. For the audit, training and any follow-up check, always take the amount from the actual quote. Budget internal hours separately: they disappear from view when you only add up invoices, but they are real costs.
How to compare quotes
Ask the certification body to put the scope word for word on the quote. Have it state which locations and activities are assessed, which version of the checklist applies, how many audit days are planned and whether travel hours are included. Also ask what an additional audit costs if a deviation needs to be checked.
In addition, check the validity period of the quote, the planning for the annual audits and the conditions if the scope changes. A cheap initial audit may be less attractive if interim audits, file review or follow-up checks are charged separately.
Use these questions in every conversation:
- Which VCU scope and locations appear on the certificate?
- Which audit time do you charge for the initial and interim audits?
- What is included with a deviation, and what does an additional assessment cost?
- Which documents must I submit before phase 1?
- How are changes in staff, locations or clients handled?
A VCU certificate does not come from buying diplomas alone. The audit checks whether your S&H management system works and whether you can demonstrate this with records.
Frequently asked questions
Is VCU cheaper than VCA?
You cannot say that in general. VCU and VCA have a different target group and scope. The number of locations, the flow of personnel and the chosen certification body determine the audit time. Compare quotes on the same scope.
Are VIL-VCU diplomas the biggest cost item?
That depends on the number of placement consultants. For a small agency, diplomas can weigh heavily. With several locations, internal preparation and audit capacity are often at least as relevant.
Where can I find a valid VCU certificate?
Use the Central Certificates Register . Check the organisation, validity and scope there before you use a certificate as proof.