Energy label C
Energy label C sits right in the middle of the scale. It is a common label, and the step to B is usually smaller than owners expect.
Contents
What does energy label C mean?
Label C stands for primary fossil energy use around the Dutch average. Many homes from the 1980s and 1990s land on C, as do older houses where insulation has been added over the years.
The letter describes the building, not your behaviour. Two identical homes with the same label can have very different bills.
Is label C good or bad?
It is a fine starting point. A home with label C sells and lets perfectly well, and the step to B or A is usually smaller than for a home at E or F. Often the big work has been done and only the last elements remain.
From C to B or A: what helps most?
Replacing the heating system moves the label furthest, followed by solar panels, then finishing the envelope, and glazing last.
What does it cost to have your label assessed?
Through Energielabel24 an energy label for a home costs between €199 and €489, depending on the property type and floor area. You see each assessor's price and delivery time before you choose.
Want to see how label C compares to the other classes? View the overview of all energy labels from A to G.
Label C in numbers
| Position on the scale | Scale from A++++ to G; C stands for average |
| Typical for | Homes from the 1980s and 1990s, partly insulated |
| Calculation method | NTA 8800, mandatory since 1 January 2021 |
| Validity | 10 years |
| Required when | Selling, letting and handover |
| Assessment price range | Between €199 and €489 |
What does a home need for energy label C?
Since 1 January 2021 the NTA 8800 calculation method decides the label. A home gets energy label C when its calculated primary fossil energy use is 190.01 to 250 kWh per square metre per year. That figure follows from the insulation of roof, walls, floor and glazing, the installations for heating, hot water and ventilation, and on-site generation such as solar panels.
There is no list of mandatory measures per letter; the combination counts. In practice a home with label C often has:
- cavity-wall insulation and (partly) roof insulation
- double glazing
- a high-efficiency boiler
- homes from the 1980s and 1990s
Two homes with the same features can still differ by a letter, because floor area, orientation and the ratio of envelope to volume are weighed as well. Only a certified EP assessor who inspects the home can determine the label. Without proof of insulation (invoices, photos, drawings) the assessor has to assume the least favourable value for the year of construction.
The difference with label B and D
The boundaries between the letters are fixed in NTA 8800. This is how the neighbouring letters relate:
| Label | Primary fossil energy use (kWh/m² per year) |
| Label B | 160.01 to 190 kWh |
| Label C | 190.01 to 250 kWh |
| Label D | 250.01 to 290 kWh |
You reach label B by bringing the energy use below 190 kWh; label D starts above 250 kWh. The closer your home sits to a boundary, the sooner a single measure makes the difference. Which measure that is, you read on the page improving your energy label.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell a home with label C?
Yes. There is no statutory minimum label for homes. You only need a valid energy label, registered in EP-Online, at the moment of transfer.
How do I move up from label C?
Look first for the element that has had nothing done to it; that delivers more than improving something already reasonable. The page on improving your energy label sets out the order that delivers most in practice.
Why does my neighbour have a different label in the same house?
Small differences in insulation, installations and the position of the home in the block all count. A corner house has more external wall and therefore scores lower than a mid-terrace with identical insulation.
Will my label change if I use less energy?
No. The label describes the building, not your behaviour. The class only changes when an assessor registers a new label after a change to the home.
Sources
The rules and definitions on this page come from the official sources below. Last checked on 24 September 2026.
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