Dutch VOG Certificate of Conduct: How to Apply, Costs and Timing

Prices, fees and rules in this article were checked on 29 October 2026. They can change, so check the linked pages before you decide.

Short answer: A VOG (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, or certificate of conduct) is issued only by Justis, the screening authority of the Ministry of Justice and Security. In most cases your employer or organisation starts a digital request and you finish it online for €33.85; a written application through your municipality costs €41.35 (both checked 29 October 2026, can change). Justis says you usually receive the VOG or a request for additional information within 1 to 4 weeks. In some cases processing can take up to 8 weeks; the timing does not determine the outcome. Volunteers can get it free if their organisation takes part in the Gratis VOG scheme.

New job offers in the Netherlands often come with one extra line: “please submit a VOG”. For many newcomers this is the first time they hear the term. This guide explains what the certificate is, which application route applies to you, what it costs and how long it takes, so you can plan it into your start date.

1. VOG at a glance: costs and timing

Source: Justis VOG pages, checked 29 October 2026. Fees are exempt from VAT. Amounts and processing times can change.

2. What a VOG is and who issues it

A VOG is a statement in which the Dutch Minister declares that your criminal record contains nothing relevant to the specific role you are applying for. According to Justis, the assessment uses the Judicial Documentation System and can include information from the police, the Public Prosecution Service and probation services.

The key point is that a VOG is not a general “clean record” certificate. It is assessed against a screening profile or specific screening aspects that match the job. A role with access to money is screened differently from a role working with children. That is why the requesting organisation must fill in which profile applies.

Rijksoverheid confirms that Justis is the only body that handles VOG applications and issues the certificate. It lists common reasons for needing one: a new job, an internship, an assignment as a self-employed professional (zzp’er), volunteer work, and sometimes a visa, permit or membership. There are two types:

• VOG NP (natuurlijke personen): for individuals. This is the one most readers need.
• VOG RP (rechtspersonen): for organisations, for example for a contract or licence.

3. The three ways to apply

Route A: digital request from your employer (most common)

Justis states that for the digital route, “the employer, organisation or institution always takes the first step”. The organisation enters the request, including the screening profile, and you then complete the application online and pay. The cost is €33.85 (checked 29 October 2026, can change). You will need to be able to log in to the government’s digital services, so set up DigiD early if you do not have it yet.

Route B: written application at your municipality

Justis describes the written route at the municipality where you are registered for situations such as a visa, immigration or work abroad. The cost is €41.35 (checked 29 October 2026, can change). The application form includes a section for the requesting organisation (its name, the purpose and the screening profile), so ask the organisation to complete it before you go. Your municipality can only take the application if you are registered there, so complete your BRP registration first.

Route C: self-employed (zzp’er)

If a client asks you for a VOG, Justis has a separate page for VOGs for zzp’ers. The certificate is still a VOG NP in your own name. Justis states that self-employed professionals who work or will work in healthcare, financial services or legal services can, under the specific zzp procedure, start their own digital application. Check the conditions on the linked Justis page rather than assuming a client must always start it. For the wider rules on working as a freelancer, see our guide to starting a business in the Netherlands.

Use the official route. Justis is the only issuer. Commercial websites that offer to “arrange” a VOG are not part of the official procedure; the official fee is listed on justis.nl.

4. Free VOG for volunteers

Many sports clubs, schools and community groups ask volunteers for a VOG. Under the Regeling Gratis VOG, a volunteer organisation can register at gratisvog.nl. The CIBG, part of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, checks whether the organisation meets the conditions. Once admitted, the organisation prepares the request in MijnJustis and the volunteer pays nothing.

If your organisation does not take part, the normal fees apply: €33.85 digital or €41.35 written (checked 29 October 2026, can change). Ask your coordinator whether the club is in the scheme before you pay. Source: Justis, VOG for volunteers.

5. Applying when you live outside the Netherlands

If you are not registered in the Dutch Personal Records Database (BRP) and not in a Dutch municipality, Justis describes a separate route on its English certificate of conduct page:

• Use the non-residents form and send one application per email as a PDF of 10 MB or less to the address Justis lists.
• Include all four pages of the form, a copy of a valid passport or ID card, and proof of payment.
• If someone applies on your behalf, add a signed authorisation and their ID.
• Pay €41.35 to the Justis bank account shown on that page (checked 29 October 2026, can change). Justis only starts once the full amount has arrived; bank charges are for your account.
• If the organisation’s section is missing (name, purpose, screening profile), Justis puts the application on hold.

Justis says a decision follows within 4 to 8 weeks of receipt for this route. If you are moving to the Netherlands for a job that needs a VOG, raise it with your employer before your start date.

6. What happens if Justis has doubts

Most applications end with a VOG being issued. If Justis is considering a refusal, it first informs you in writing with its reasons, and you get the chance to respond and explain your situation. If the final decision is a refusal, you can object under the General Administrative Law Act (Algemene wet bestuursrecht). Justis has separate pages on assessment and decision and on objections.

Some roles need a different certificate: the VOG P, which always includes a check of police data. Your organisation will tell you if that applies.

7. Your VOG checklist

1. Ask the organisation which route applies (digital or written) and which screening profile it will use.
2. Check whether a volunteer organisation is in the Gratis VOG scheme.
3. Make sure your DigiD works (digital route) or that you are registered in the BRP (municipality route).
4. Keep your passport or ID card ready and use only justis.nl or your municipality.
5. Pay the official fee: €33.85 digital or €41.35 written (checked 29 October 2026, can change).
6. Plan for 1 to 4 weeks, and allow up to 8 weeks.
7. Forward the certificate to the organisation as instructed.

8. FAQ

How long is a VOG valid?

Justis’s VOG pages, checked on 29 October 2026, do not set an expiry date. The organisation that asks for it decides what it accepts, so ask whether it needs a recently issued certificate.

Can I apply for a VOG myself without an employer?

For the usual employee route, the employer or organisation starts the digital application. Some self-employed professionals working in healthcare, financial services or legal services can apply digitally themselves through Justis’s specific zzp procedure. A written application still needs the purpose and appropriate screening details.

Can I speed it up?

Justis’s published timing is 1 to 4 weeks, sometimes up to 8 weeks. Starting the request as soon as you have an offer is the most practical way to avoid delays.

Does a traffic fine affect my VOG?

Justis assesses whether anything on your record is relevant to the specific role and screening profile. Our fatbike rules guide explains when some traffic offences count as criminal offences.

🇳🇱 Dutch Corner

Sources

• Justis: Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag (routes, €33.85 and €41.35, 1–4 weeks up to 8; checked 29 Oct 2026)
• Justis: VOG voor vrijwilligers en vrijwilligersorganisaties (Gratis VOG, CIBG, fees exempt from VAT)
• Justis: Certificate of Conduct (English) (what a VOG is, non-resident route, €41.35, 4–8 weeks, objections)
• Rijksoverheid: VOG aanvragen (Justis sole issuer, VOG NP and RP, reasons)
• Justis: VOG voor zzp’ers