Building Quality Assurance Act

Since Jan. 1, 2024, in addition to the Omgevingswet, the new Building Quality Assurance Act (Wkb) has taken effect. The purpose of the Wkb is more control during construction and thus an improvement in construction quality.

You can use the Omgevingsloket website ( ) to check in advance whether your construction project falls under the Wkb. If your construction project falls under the Wkb, you must engage a quality assurance inspector. A quality assurance inspector is an independent inspector. Your contractor or architect can assist you with this. 

What does the quality assurance officer do?

Quality assurance officers watch over a building plan from start to finish and check all technical rules and quality requirements during the construction process. They do this at the design stage and at the construction site. This gives more protection against structures that do not meet construction requirements or errors that would otherwise be noticed too late. And that saves time and possibly additional costs. 

Consequence class 1

The new law initially applies only to new construction projects classified as "consequence class 1." These are construction projects where the consequences of errors are not particularly severe. Starting January 1, 2024, you will no longer be required to apply for a technical building permit for all new construction. For example, for a single-family home, a bicycle bridge, or a simple commercial building, a notification to the municipality will suffice. However, you must engage a quality assurance professional for these construction activities.

When to hire a quality assurance contractor?

You must engage a quality assurance professional for new construction projects that fall under impact class 1. For more information and an explanation of the impact classes and the Wkb regarding construction and renovation, please visit the Rijksoverheid’s website at .

In addition to a general explanation of the law, you will learn what a quality assurance inspector does, how to apply for a technical permit, and what steps to take once your structure is complete.

Apply for permit or report?

You can check on the Omgevingsloket website ( ) to see if you need a permit or need to file a notification. If so, you can also apply for the permit or file the notification through the Omgevingsloket.

There are the following types of construction activities:

  • Licensed
  • Duty to report (Wkb, consequence class 1)
  • Permit-free

You can use the Omgevingsloket to determine which construction activity applies to you. Does your plan fall under the Wkb? If so, you must submit a construction notification to the municipality at least 4 weeks before construction begins. 

Testing for special local conditions and risks

Your quality assurance provider will draw up a quality assurance plan for the notification. This plan outlines how risks, such as non-compliance with building codes, can be prevented or mitigated. The quality assurance provider must take specific local conditions into account when preparing this plan. You (or your quality assurance officer) can request the Maps regulations from the municipality via the contact form. Using these Maps regulations, you or your quality assurance officer can investigate the known local conditions and risks. 

What will change later?

The Wkb will be introduced in steps. First, the law will apply to construction activities whose consequences in case of errors are not so great: 'consequence class 1'. After five years, the government will determine whether the Wkb can also apply to the rest of the construction activities. This would involve an expansion to consequence class 2 and 3.

What falls under consequence class 1?

The Built Environment Decree describes in which cases new construction (from Jan. 1, 24) or remodeling (from Jan. 1, 2025) of structures falls under consequence class 1:

  1. Detached single-family homes, semi-detached homes, and row houses, including any garages and other types of extensions or separate outbuildings, such as storage sheds. The condition is that these homes are built on the ground and not on top of another structure or another home. Apartments are therefore excluded from consequence class 1. Homes intended for room-by-room rental, such as student housing, and care homes also do not fall under consequence class 1.
  2. Houseboats and other floating homes.
  3. Vacation cottages and other vacation rentals that are themselves on land. Vacation apartments and hotels are excluded.
  4. Industrial halls and factory buildings of up to two floors. These include halls intended for storage or production, including an office or canteen, warehouses, greenhouses and the like. Office buildings and retail premises do not fall under consequence class 1.
  5. Storage rooms, warehouses and other structures falling under Item 4 of up to two stories built near offices and stores.
  6. Bridges for slow traffic such as cyclists and pedestrians, with a span of up to 20 meters over roads and railroads and waterways. If the bridges are built over provincial or state roads, they do not fall under consequence class 1.
  7. Other above-ground structures that are not buildings, intended for roads (not viaducts and the like), waterways, power supply if they do not exceed 20 meters in height. Examples include small transmission masts, antennas, retaining walls, ramparts, quay walls, pumping stations or small windmills. Water retaining structures (such as dams and locks) are not included.

Exceptions

The aforementioned structures do not fall under consequence class 1 if:

  • These are listed buildings. This applies to both national monuments and those designated by the municipality or province. You can check whether a particular structure is a listed building in the National Register of Monuments at , or you can inquire with the municipality.
  • A fire-safe use notification is required. For example, a notification fire-safe use is mandatory for business premises intended for more than 150 persons.
  • If activities that have an impact on the environment and require a permit are taking place on the premises. The “Activities in the Living Environment” Decree specifies whether a permit is required.