How employers request a VOG: steps, cost and processing time

A Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag (VOG), in English a Certificate of Conduct, shows that a person's judicial history is no obstacle to a particular role. Justis issues it. A request for an employee always runs through the employer or organisation: the employee does not start it, you set it up.

The employer route has five steps:

1. Choose the screening profile. Decide which role the VOG is for and which profile fits it (see below).
2. Set up the request. For the digital route you do this in MijnJustis. You log in with eHerkenning, enter your organisation's details and select the screening profile.
3. The employee receives an email from Justis. It is sent automatically. The employee checks the details and pays online with iDEAL.
4. Justis assesses the request. Justis checks the judicial records against the screening profile you chose.
5. Check the VOG. The VOG goes to the employee. You check its content and authenticity before you accept it.

The digital route needs eHerkenning at level 2+ (EH2+) for your organisation, with the authorisation "VOG: aanvraag Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag". The employee needs DigiD, iDEAL and a valid email address, and must be registered in the Dutch population register (BRP).

No eHerkenning, or an employee not in the BRP

• Written, via the municipality. Useful if your organisation has no eHerkenning or Chamber of Commerce number. You complete chapter 2 of the application form (the purpose and the screening profile) and give the form to the employee. They complete chapter 1, hand it in at the municipality where they are registered, show ID and pay there.
• Directly with Justis. For employees who are not in the BRP or have no fixed place of residence. The employee then applies to Justis themselves.

The screening profile is the most important choice you make as an employer. Justis uses it to decide whether criminal offences are an obstacle for the role or purpose. The profile must match the role of the (future) employee.

There are two kinds:

• The general screening profile. You indicate which risk areas and role aspects matter for the job.
• Specific screening profiles. These exist for certain professions and sectors, such as the boa (special investigating officer) and education, and for purposes such as a taxi driver card or membership of a shooting club.

If a specific profile exists for the role, choose it. Otherwise use the general profile and justify, per role, which risk areas you select. That also fits the GDPR: you only ask for what the role needs. How to work that out for a role is covered under employment screening.

The cost depends on the application route. Justis charges these fees, exempt from VAT:

According to Justis, the applicant pays for the application, not for the VOG itself. Whether you reimburse the employee is an agreement between you and them; Justis does not regulate it.

Volunteer organisations registered for the Regeling Gratis VOG (via gratisvog.nl) may qualify for a free VOG.

• Legal term. Justis states eight weeks as the legal term for a decision on a VOG application.
• Usually. The applicant normally receives the VOG, or a message that Justis needs more information, within one to four weeks. In some cases it can run to a maximum of eight weeks.
• No rush option. Justis has no urgent procedure for the standard VOG. All applications are handled at the same pace.
• No news yet? If the employee has heard nothing after four weeks, they can contact Justis on +31 88 998 22 00.

For planning, this means: set up the VOG request as soon as the offer is made, not the week before the start date. Processing time says nothing about the outcome.

Justis assesses every application in three steps. First the judicial records: if nothing is recorded against the applicant, a VOG is always issued. Then the screening profile you chose. Finally Justis decides how far back to look at the criminal past and weighs the applicant's interest against the risk to society. Factors include how often and how serious the offences were, how old they are and the applicant's age.

If offences are found, Justis may first send a notice of intent to refuse (voornemen tot afwijzen). The applicant can respond with a written view (zienswijze) within two weeks. If the refusal stands, Justis always states the reason, and the applicant can lodge an objection within six weeks of the date of the decision, digitally or in writing.

The view and the objection are filed by the applicant, if wished through an authorised representative such as a lawyer. Discuss the outcome with the candidate before you decide on the hire.

Justis sends the VOG to the employee, not to the employer. The employee chooses whether to receive it on paper or digitally. A digital VOG arrives in the Berichtenbox of MijnOverheid, not by email, and only if the Berichtenbox is activated and digital post from Justis is ticked. If you want to receive the VOG digitally, tell the employee beforehand.

You must always check the VOG for accuracy and authenticity:

• The content. Above all, check that the screening profile on the VOG matches the profile you requested.
• A digital VOG. Verify authenticity with the validation service of the Justitiële Informatiedienst at validatie.nl.
• A paper VOG. Look for the grid, the blue Rijkslogo, the wavy watermark and the hologram. Under UV light there are extra features, such as a blue N-number and an image mark.

How long is a VOG valid?

According to Justis, a VOG has no validity period. It is a snapshot of the judicial history at the moment of assessment. The organisation that asks for the VOG decides how recent it must be. As an employer you can therefore set your own rule, for example a new VOG when someone changes role. Put it in your screening policy.

What the GDPR asks of you

Screening with a VOG follows the same rules as other screening. Justis lists these points: you need a legitimate interest and the screening must be necessary, you must meet the duty to inform, you use the data only for the purpose you received it for, you keep it no longer than needed and you secure it properly. More in our GDPR overview.

You can follow the employer route yourself, especially for a single request. If you need VOGs regularly, it helps to make the request part of your screening.

With Pescheck you handle the VOG request digitally, alongside checks such as ID, diploma and references. You choose a package per role, the candidate submits their details online and you follow the status of every check in one place. Justis decides on the VOG; Pescheck does not assess the outcome.

All details on the employer route come from Justis, checked on 15 October 2026. Fees and conditions can change; check Justis before you start a request. The Justis pages are in Dutch.

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• Beoordeling en besluit VOG
• Bezwaar maken tegen afwijzing VOG-aanvraag
• Wat kost een VOG?
• Hoelang is een VOG geldig?
• Hoelang duurt het voor ik mijn VOG krijg?