Energy label D
Energy label D sits just below the middle. Often part of the building envelope has been insulated and one element is still missing, or an older gas boiler is still in place.
Contents
What does energy label D mean?
Label D means your home uses more energy than average, but the basics are there. Often part of the envelope is insulated and one element is still missing, or an older gas boiler is still in place.
What does label D mean when selling or letting?
You can sell and let a home with label D without restriction. Since 2024 the label does count visibly in the points system for self-contained rental homes, so it affects the maximum rent.
From D to C or B: where do you start?
Look first for the element that has had nothing done to it. That nearly always delivers more than improving something already reasonable: floor insulation is often the forgotten one, then roof insulation, then a hybrid heat pump, then solar panels.
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 D compares to the other classes? View the overview of all energy labels from A to G.
Label D in numbers
| Position on the scale | Scale from A++++ to G; D stands for below average |
| Typical for | Partly insulated, usually still a gas boiler |
| 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 D?
Since 1 January 2021 the NTA 8800 calculation method decides the label. A home gets energy label D when its calculated primary fossil energy use is 250.01 to 290 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 D often has:
- part of the envelope insulated, for instance only the cavity wall or the roof
- double glazing in the living rooms, often still single glazing elsewhere
- a high-efficiency or improved-efficiency boiler
- homes from the 1970s and 1980s
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 C and E
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 C | 190.01 to 250 kWh |
| Label D | 250.01 to 290 kWh |
| Label E | 290.01 to 335 kWh |
You reach label C by bringing the energy use below 250 kWh; label E starts above 290 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 D?
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 D?
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. Only a new assessment after a change to the home alters the class.
Sources
The rules and definitions on this page come from the official sources below. Last checked on 12 September 2026.
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