Landlords
Energy Label Requirements for Dutch Landlords (2026)
Dutch landlords need a valid energy label when letting a property to a new tenant. Here is when an energy label is required, which exceptions apply and how to arrange one.
For a new tenancy the tenant must receive a copy of a valid energy label, and the label class must appear in any commercial rental advertisement. For a self-contained home the label also counts in the WWS points system that sets the maximum rent, so it can affect the maximum permitted rent, not only the administrative requirements.
The short answers
- What do I need?
- A valid label registered in EP-Online for the individual home, given to the tenant when the tenancy starts. For WWS purposes a pre-2021 simplified label does not count.
- What does it cost?
- It depends on the property type, the usable floor area and the location. Enter your postcode and house number and you see the total price, including 21% VAT, before you commit to anything. See what an energy label costs.
- When can the inspection take place?
- We agree a time with you and, if the home is occupied, with your tenant. The tenant can give access; you do not need to be there.
- What happens during the inspection?
- A qualified assessor records the dimensions, insulation, glazing, heating, hot water, ventilation and any solar panels. For an average home this takes about one to two hours. See the inspection explained.
- When will I receive the label?
- After the visit the data is worked out, checked and registered. There is no fixed delivery time for every home; it depends on the planning and on the property. You receive the label digitally as soon as it is registered.
- Is it officially registered?
- Yes. The label is registered in EP-Online, the national register managed by RVO on behalf of the Dutch government. Only a registered label is valid.
Check the total price for your address
Including VAT, the property visit and registration in EP-Online. No obligation and no deposit.
When a landlord needs an energy label
The Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT) supervises these obligations. When a home is let without the required label, the ILT can impose an order subject to a penalty payment (last onder dwangsom); for a sale without a label it can impose a fine.
Exceptions
The legal exceptions are narrow. They include a detached building of 50 m² usable floor area or less, a temporary building used for up to two years, a building without heating or cooling installations, and a home used less than four months a year with an expected energy use below 25% of year-round use. A small apartment or studio is not exempt because it is small: it is part of a larger building. Rooms, mixed buildings and split properties can be complicated; have the situation assessed before you draw up the rental agreement.
Since 29 May 2026 the obligation at rental also applies to protected monuments.
The energy label and WWS points
For a self-contained home (zelfstandige woonruimte) the energy performance counts in the WWS, the Dutch points system that determines the maximum legal rent. The Huurcommissie uses a valid energy label or a valid Energie Index that belongs to the individual home. A label for the building as a whole is not enough for a separate home.
| Label class | Single-family home | Multi-family home |
|---|---|---|
| A++++ | 62 | 58 |
| A+++ | 57 | 53 |
| A++ | 52 | 48 |
| A+ | 47 | 43 |
| A | 41 | 37 |
| B | 34 | 30 |
| C | 22 | 15 |
| D | 14 | 11 |
| E | −4 | −4 |
| F | −9 | −9 |
| G | −15 | −15 |
Two points that regularly catch landlords out. A simplified energy label (vereenvoudigd energielabel) from 2015 to 2021 does not give any WWS points. And without a valid energy performance, the home is valued on its building year instead, which can be considerably less favourable.
The reference date matters
In most procedures the label must be valid on the relevant reference date (peildatum), for example the start date of the tenancy. A label registered later does not automatically repair a missing label for every procedure. Since July 2026 the Huurcommissie can, in one specific procedure about a proposed rent reduction and under conditions, also take into account a label registered after the reference date. Do not rely on this: arrange the label before a new tenancy starts.
Minimum label D for rental homes from 2029: proposed, not yet law
The Dutch government wants rental homes with label E, F or G to be improved to at least label D by 1 January 2029. On 10 July 2026 the draft decree was presented to both houses of parliament. It still has to go to the Raad van State for advice, and parts may change before it is final. According to the proposal there is no automatic ban on letting; municipalities would supervise. Exceptions are proposed for monuments, temporary rental homes and small detached rental homes, among others.
A sensible first step is to check which of your homes have a valid E, F or G label and which have no valid registration at all. Private and business landlords can use the SVOH subsidy for certain measures, under conditions.
What to prepare as a landlord
If you also need the full points calculation, see our rental points assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a new energy label for every new tenant?
No. You need a valid label when a new tenancy starts. If the registered label is still valid and belongs to the home, you can give the new tenant a copy of that label.
Can my tenant let the energy adviser in?
Yes, if this is agreed in advance. The owner remains responsible for the request and for supplying relevant documents.
Does a better label always allow a higher rent?
No. The label is one part of the WWS. Floor area, WOZ value, kitchen, sanitary facilities, outdoor space and other features also count.
Is the minimum label D requirement already in force?
No. As of the July 2026 sources it is a draft decree that still has to be finalised. Follow the official publication.
Sources
Official Dutch sources, in Dutch. The facts on this page follow these sources, last reviewed in September 2026. Rules change; the official sources always prevail.
- RVO: Energielabel woningen
- Rijksoverheid: energy label for buyers and tenants
- Rijksoverheid: when is an energy label required?
- ILT: enforcement of the energy label at sale or rental
- Huurcommissie: policy book WWS for self-contained homes
- Huurcommissie: label registered after the reference date
- Huurcommissie: Wet betaalbare huur
- Rijksoverheid: draft decree on minimum label D for rental homes
- RVO: SVOH subsidy for landlords
Ready to arrange your energy label?
Enter your postcode and house number and see the total price for your property, including VAT. No obligation, no deposit.