Energy label and mortgage in 2026: how much extra can you borrow and save?
For a few years now your energy label has done more than show how efficient your home is: it also helps determine how much mortgage you can get. With a good label you may borrow up to € 40,000 extra on top of your normal maximum mortgage in 2026, finance home improvements on favourable terms (up to 106% of the property value), and your home is on average worth considerably more. This article explains exactly how the energy label and your mortgage are linked, with the amounts per label for 2026.
ℹ️ Good to know: this article is informative and is not mortgage advice. The amounts mentioned apply from 1 January 2026 and are revised annually. What you can actually borrow in your situation depends on your income and the lender — always have this checked by a mortgage adviser. We are an energy-label specialist and provide the official label you need for this.
How are the energy label and mortgage linked in 2026?
Since 2024 the energy label counts towards the lending standards: the rules that determine how much you may borrow. The reasoning is simple — an efficient home has lower energy bills, so you have more left to pay your mortgage. An energy-efficient home uses less gas and electricity, which lowers your monthly costs.
In 2026 the energy label affects your financing in three ways:
- 💰 Extra borrowing room when buying — buy an energy-efficient home and you may borrow a fixed extra amount, on top of your normal maximum mortgage.
- 🔧 Extra room to make your home greener — for energy-saving measures you may borrow extra and finance up to 106% of the property value.
- 📈 Higher property value — a better label makes your home worth more and easier to sell.
The amounts are set each year on the advice of the Nibud and are laid down in the Regeling hypothecair krediet (the mortgage credit regulation). Below are the current figures for 2026.
How much extra mortgage can you get with a good energy label?
Are you buying a home with a favourable energy label? Then you may borrow a fixed extra amount that stays outside your income test — so it comes on top of your normal maximum mortgage. The better the label, the higher the amount:
| Energy label | Extra borrowing room when buying (2026) |
|---|---|
| E, F or G | € 0 |
| C or D | € 5,000 |
| A or B | € 10,000 |
| A+ or A++ | € 20,000 |
| A+++ | € 25,000 |
| A++++ | € 30,000 |
| A++++ with energy performance guarantee (min. 10 years) | € 40,000 |
Two things matter here. First, this is a top-up on your income-based maximum mortgage — your income still counts, the label only adds room. Second, the highest amount (€ 40,000) only applies to label A++++ with an energy performance guarantee of at least ten years; without that guarantee it is € 30,000.
Borrowing extra to make your home greener: how much per label?
Do you have a home with a less favourable label that you want to improve? Then it works the other way around: for energy-saving measures you get extra borrowing room, and it is highest for the worst labels — because that is where the biggest gains are.
| Energy label | Extra to borrow for greening (2026) |
|---|---|
| E, F or G | € 20,000 |
| C or D | € 15,000 |
| A or B | € 10,000 |
| A+ or A++ | € 10,000 |
| A+++ or A++++ | € 0 |
There is also a second route: for approved energy-saving measures you may borrow up to 106% of the property value instead of the usual 100%. That extra 6% must be spent entirely on those measures and goes into a construction deposit (bouwdepot), from which you pay the invoices (on average around two years, varies per lender). Undisputed examples of qualifying measures are insulation of walls, roof and floor, HR++ or triple glazing, a (hybrid) heat pump and solar panels. Exactly which measures qualify varies per lender — check the current NHG terms or ask your adviser for the binding list.
Want to know which measures improve your label the most? Read our blogs about solar panels and your energy label and the influence of your boiler.
What changed about the lending standards in 2026?
For the highest labels the amounts were reduced from 1 January 2026. The reason: solar panels yield less because of feed-in costs and the phase-out of the netting scheme (salderingsregeling), so the financial advantage of a very efficient home has become slightly smaller.
What does NHG mean for greening in 2026?
Are you borrowing with a National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG)? Then a cost limit of € 470,000 applies in 2026 (it was € 450,000 in 2025). If you co-finance energy-saving measures, you may borrow up to € 498,200 — the limit plus 6%. The amount above € 470,000 must be spent entirely on those energy-saving measures. The one-off NHG guarantee fee remains 0.4% of the loan amount.
Want to make your home greener without knowing all the measures in advance? Then you can often finance an energy-saving budget (up to 6% above the property value before the works, without specifying the measures beforehand). If you already know exactly, you calculate with the value after the works. Your mortgage adviser will help you choose the right option.
A better energy label also raises your property value
Besides your borrowing room, the energy label also affects the value of your home. Research by brainbay (with the NVM, January 2026) shows that a home with label A is on average around 17% more valuable than a comparable home with label G. For an average 113 m² home that is over € 74,000 difference.
The biggest jump is at the bottom of the scale: going from label G to label C yields around 11% added value on average, over € 40,000. These are averages that vary by region and property type, but the direction is clear: buyers increasingly filter on the energy label, and homes with a green label sell better and faster on average. Selling in Woerden or the Groene Hart? Then a good, up-to-date label is a strong selling point.
Do you need a valid energy label to borrow extra?
Yes — and this is exactly where many people go wrong. To get the extra borrowing room, the lender needs a valid, registered energy label. Only an EP-online registered definitive energy label, drawn up by a certified energy adviser (BRL 9500), counts. Without a registered label the bank cannot establish the label class and the extra room is lost. An old "provisional" label or an expired label is not enough.
An energy label is valid for 10 years. If you have just made your home greener, a new label must be recorded to make the improvement official — otherwise the bank and a future buyer will not see the gain. Recording and registering that label is exactly what we do.
What changes about the energy label from 29 May 2026?
From 29 May 2026 the energy label gets a new, more detailed design with icons, a QR code linking to improvement information and an indication of the insulation standard. The exemption for listed monuments also ends: from then on (national) monuments also need an energy label when sold or rented out. Read more about the energy label for monuments →
Importantly, this change does not alter the extra borrowing room or the value premium. Those stay linked to the label class (A++++ to G), and that scale stays the same. Labels issued before 29 May 2026 remain valid for their ten years. Want to know when a label is mandatory? Read our blog energy label required when selling and renting →
Frequently asked questions
How much extra mortgage can you get in 2026 with an A energy label?
When buying a home with label A or B you may borrow € 10,000 extra on top of your income-based maximum mortgage in 2026. For A+/A++ this is € 20,000, for A+++ € 25,000 and for A++++ € 30,000 (or € 40,000 with an energy performance guarantee of at least 10 years). Your income still counts.
Can you borrow extra to make your home more sustainable?
Yes. There is a separate scale for energy-saving measures: label E/F/G € 20,000, C/D € 15,000 and A/B and A+/A++ € 10,000 (for A+++ and A++++ this is € 0). In addition, for approved measures you may borrow up to 106% of the property value; that extra 6% goes into a construction deposit.
Do you need a valid energy label to get the extra borrowing room?
Yes. You need a valid, EP-online registered definitive energy label from a certified energy adviser (BRL 9500). Without a registered label the lender cannot determine the label class and the extra room does not apply.
What are the NHG limits in 2026?
The NHG cost limit in 2026 is € 470,000. With energy-saving measures you may borrow up to € 498,200; the amount above € 470,000 must be spent entirely on those measures. The guarantee fee remains 0.4%.
How much more is a home worth with a better energy label?
According to brainbay (with the NVM, January 2026), a home with label A is on average around 17% more valuable than the same home with label G — for an average home over € 74,000. These are averages that vary by region and property type.
Does the new label from 29 May 2026 change the extra borrowing room?
No. The new label design and the monument obligation from 29 May 2026 do not change the lending standards or the property-value premium. Those stay linked to the label class (A++++ to G).
Need an energy label for your mortgage?
Want to use the extra borrowing room or get your home ready to sell? Then you need a valid, registered energy label. At Hollands Duurzaam you arrange that from € 220 — official, BRL 9500-MWA-W certified, registered in EP-online and usually ready within a few working days. We work in Woerden, the Groene Hart and across the Randstad.