New F-gas certification: what changes for technicians and companies? 

Working with refrigerants requires expertise, clear agreements, and the correct certification. And it is precisely in this last area that much is changing.

Due to the revised European F-gas Regulation, certification rules have been expanded. The certification requirement applies not only to F-gases but also to certain natural refrigerants, such as hydrocarbons, CO₂, and ammonia.

In the Netherlands, this has been implemented in a new certification system with BRL 200 for individuals and BRL 100 for companies.

What does this mean for technicians and installation companies?

A broader certification system 

The new rules are broader than the certification we have known until now. In addition to work involving F-gases, certain natural refrigerants are also subject to the certification requirement.

In BRL 200 version 2.0, the following certificates are available: A1, A2, B, C, D, and E. Which certificate is required depends on the type of refrigerant and the work being performed. For instance, A1 and A2 focus on F-gases and hydrocarbons. B focuses on CO₂ and C on ammonia. D and E are intended for specific tasks.

In short: not every technician is permitted to perform every task with every refrigerant. The certification aligns with the type of work and the refrigerant being used.

What does this mean for mechanics?

The biggest challenge in field service is often capacity: not enough people, or not the right ones. The new personal certificates, in accordance with BRL 200 version 2.0, have been issued since March 29, 2026. Due to the transition, a temporary arrangement for exams applied to work involving NH₃ and CO₂ until July 1, 2026, at the latest.

Transitional rules apply to existing certificates. Certificates obtained during the transition period may remain valid, subject to conditions, until March 12, 2029 at the latest. By that date at the latest, everyone subject to the new certification requirement must hold a certificate under the new system.

For installation companies, this means it is important to have insight into their technicians’ certificates already. Which certificates are present? For which activities do they apply? And when must a technician switch to the new system?

It is not only mechanics who are getting new rules  

Changes are also coming for installation companies.

The requirements for enterprises are laid down in BRL 100 version 3.0. This guideline applies to companies that perform work for third parties involving F-gases and certain natural refrigerants.

BRL 100 version 3.0 formally enters into force on August 31, 2026. Starting September 1, 2026, new applications for company certification will be processed under the new version. Existing companies will transition to BRL 100 version 3.0 via their regular audit cycle.

Existing certificates under BRL 100 version 2.0 remain valid during the transition until August 31, 2028, at the latest. For companies reaching the end of the transition period, a remedial period applies under certain conditions until November 30, 2028, at the latest.

From certificate to daily practice 

The change therefore goes beyond just a new certificate.

For an installation company, it is important to know which technician is authorized to perform which tasks. This is especially true when working with different refrigerants and multiple technicians.

In practice, this information is not always located in one place. For example, a certificate might be kept in a personnel file, while the schedule is created in a different system.

Suppose a work order requests work on an installation involving CO₂. The planner must then be able to verify that the scheduled technician holds the correct certificate. If this information is scattered across various systems or documents, this verification takes time and increases the risk of errors.

Precisely for this reason, it is becoming increasingly important not to view certification in isolation from daily planning and work preparation.

Maintain control over certificates and qualifications 

By making certificates and authorizations part of daily business operations, you can, for example, keep track more easily of:

• which certificates a technician holds;
• for which tasks a certificate applies;
• when certificates expire;
• which technicians are available and authorized for specific tasks;
• and which certification information is associated with a completed assignment.

In this way, certification does not become something you only look at during an audit, but an integral part of the normal work process.

Wait until 2029? Not necessary. 

The new certification rules are already in effect. The new certification system has already been implemented for technicians, and as of September 1, 2026, companies will begin the transition to BRL 100 version 3.0.

This is therefore a good time to review how certificates, technicians, and work activities are registered within the organization.

When planning a work order, can you immediately see which technician is authorized for the work? And do you know when certificates expire or when a technician needs to switch to the new system?

The better you organize this in advance, the smaller the chance that the new rules will result primarily in extra administration later on.

At Bluace, we believe that regulations work best when you make them part of your daily processes.

By effectively linking information on technicians, certificates, work activities, and planning, you gain a clearer overview, making it easier to work in accordance with the new requirements.

The rules are changing. Your business process does not have to become more complicated as a result.