How long is an energy label valid?
A Dutch energy label is valid for 10 years — but from when does that term start, and what happens if your label expires just as you want to sell or rent out your home? In short: the validity starts on the registration date in EP-online, and when selling or renting you need a valid label. If it has expired, a new one is required — otherwise you risk a fine of up to € 515. This article explains exactly how it works, how to check your expiry date, and when you need a new label.
How long is an energy label valid?
An energy label for a home is valid for 10 years. This applies both to the current label (calculated since 2021 under the NTA 8800 standard) and to the older labels issued before then. After those ten years the label expires and — if you want to sell or rent out — you need a new one.
Important to know: those ten years are independent of what you do with your home afterwards. Whether you move, renovate, or leave everything as it is — the expiry date stays the same. Making your home greener therefore does not extend the validity; it can improve your label class, but that requires a new inspection.
From which date do those 10 years start?
The validity starts on the registration date in EP-online, the official register of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. So that is not necessarily the day the adviser visited you, but the day the label was officially recorded. A label registered on 24 June 2026 is valid until 24 June 2036.
The exact expiry date is always shown on the label itself. Not sure whether you still have a valid label? Then you can check it in a minute — see below.
How do you check whether your energy label is still valid?
You can do this for free and without an account. You have two options:
- 📄 Look at the label itself — the PDF of your energy label shows the registration and expiry date.
- 🔎 Look up your address in EP-online — the public register ep-online.nl shows whether a valid label is registered for your address and until when.
No valid label, or an expiry date in the past? Then a new label is required when selling or renting. Want to know what that costs? See our price overview for 2026.
What if your energy label has expired?
An expired label no longer counts as valid. The moment you sell or rent out your home, there must be a valid, EP-online registered label. If the old label has expired, a new label simply has to be drawn up and registered. The estate agent and the notary ask for it as standard: without a valid label the transfer can run into trouble.
And there is a price tag if you let it slide. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) can impose a fine if you sell or rent out without a valid energy label:
A new energy label costs from € 220 at Hollands Duurzaam — considerably less than the fine, and you are good for another ten years. Want to know exactly when a label is mandatory? Read our blog energy label required when selling and renting →
Do older energy labels (from before 2021) remain valid?
Yes. Labels issued before the introduction of NTA 8800 (1 January 2021) simply remain valid for their full ten years — they did not automatically become invalid. However, a large group is expiring now: many homes received the simplified energy label introduced around 2015 and 2016, and that is running out exactly in this period.
If you request a new label now, it is calculated under the current standard (NTA 8800). That method looks more precisely at your home, so your new label class may differ from your old letter — sometimes better, sometimes just different. Have you since insulated, fitted a new boiler or installed solar panels? Then your label has likely improved.
Does anything change with the new energy label from 29 May 2026?
From 29 May 2026 the energy label gets a new, more detailed design (with icons and a QR code, among other things) and the exemption for listed monuments ends. Nothing changes for the validity: labels issued before that date simply remain valid for their ten years, and the term stays ten years afterwards too. Read more about the energy label for monuments →
Check in time: for sellers, landlords and estate agents
About to put a home in Woerden or the Groene Hart up for sale or rent? Then check the expiry date of the energy label in advance, so you are not caught out at the last moment — just before the transfer or the first viewing. A landlord must even state the label letter in the listing. A valid, up-to-date label is also a strong selling point: it counts towards the buyer's borrowing capacity. How that works is explained in our blog on the energy label and your mortgage →
Frequently asked questions
How long is an energy label valid?
An energy label for a home is valid for 10 years. The term starts on the date the label is registered in EP-online; the exact expiry date is shown on the label itself.
From which date does the 10-year validity start?
From the registration date in EP-online, not from the home inspection. A label registered on 24 June 2026, for example, is valid until 24 June 2036.
How do I know when my energy label expires?
The expiry date is shown on the energy label itself (the PDF). You can also look up your address for free in the public EP-online register, which shows whether there is a valid label and until when.
What happens if my energy label has expired when selling or renting?
An expired label no longer counts as valid. When selling or renting you need a valid, registered label; if it has expired, a new label must be drawn up. Without a valid label you risk a fine: up to € 515 for private individuals and up to € 1,030 for landlords or businesses.
Do energy labels issued before 2021 remain valid?
Yes. Labels issued before 2021 remain valid for their full 10 years. Many labels from 2015 and 2016 are expiring now; after that a new label under the current standard (NTA 8800) is required, which may give a different label class.
Can you extend the validity of an energy label?
No. You cannot extend an existing label. After 10 years — or after making your home greener and wanting that recorded officially — a new inspection and registration are required.
Energy label expired or about to expire?
Is your energy label running out and do you want to sell or rent out? At Hollands Duurzaam you arrange a new, official label from € 220 — BRL 9500-MWA-W certified, registered in EP-online and valid for another ten years. Usually ready within a few working days. We work in Woerden, the Groene Hart and across the Randstad.