Heat pump subsidy (ISDE): conditions and what you as an installer need to supply

Your customer wants a heat pump and the ISDE subsidy for it. You install the technology without any problems — but whether the application also gets approved depends on a few conditions that have nothing to do with your technical expertise. This article sets out what RVO requires, what you as an installer need to supply, and what changes from 2026.

What is the ISDE subsidy for a heat pump?

The Investeringssubsidie duurzame energie en energiebesparing (ISDE) is RVO's national subsidy scheme for, among other things, heat pumps for homeowners. Business users fall under a separate scheme with its own conditions (source: rvo.nl, business users (opent in nieuw tabblad)). This article covers the residential scheme, because that's what most heat pump installations in the SME sector involve. For the exact, current conditions we always refer to rvo.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad) — RVO revises amounts and details regularly.

The basic condition: a recognised installation company, not the customer themselves

RVO explicitly states on the official ISDE page: "The complete installation is carried out by a building installation company. You are not permitted to do the installation yourself" (source: rvo.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad)). In other words: without a professional installation company the application is not eligible, no matter how well the customer could do it themselves. That makes your role as installer not just technical, but also an administrative part of the subsidy application.

The notification code: why it makes your application easier

Approved heat pumps appear with a notification code on RVO's notification code list (opent in nieuw tabblad). If the unit you install is on that list, the customer simply states that notification code in the application and the assessment goes faster.

If the heat pump is not on the list, an application is still possible — but then a product description and technical documentation must be sent along. RVO explicitly warns about this: "it is possible that your heat pump does not meet our requirements. We will then reject your application and you will not receive a subsidy" (source: rvo.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad)). So before you quote or purchase a heat pump that isn't on the list, check whether the notification code is present — that prevents a disappointment for the customer afterwards.

New from 2026: a limit on charge and GWP for split heat pumps

A concrete change relevant to your product range choices: RVO states that "from 2026 [you] no longer [receive] a subsidy for split air-to-water heat pumps with a charge below 3 kilograms and a Global Warming Potential (GWP) higher than 750" (source: rvo.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad)). That mainly affects light split systems on R-32 (GWP 675 — just under the limit, so those remain eligible for subsidy in principle) versus older or cheaper units on a refrigerant with a higher GWP. Not sure whether a specific model falls under the exclusion? Look up the GWP in the GWP table of refrigerants and check the charge on the nameplate — and if in doubt, check the current ISDE conditions on rvo.nl, because thresholds like this can change.

Application deadline and what your customer needs from you

The subsidy is applied for after installation and payment, and according to RVO: "You apply for the subsidy within 24 months after installation" (source: rvo.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad)). For that application, your customer needs the following from you:

• The invoice and proof of payment for the installation.
• The installation date — make sure it matches what you recorded on the work order.
• The heat pump type number and the notification code (if applicable), or otherwise the product description and technical documentation.
• Your company details as the installation company carrying out the work.

Because this is exactly the data that should already be on a complete work order (see what needs to be on a work order?), a well-organised work order administration is immediately also your subsidy file.

How much subsidy does the customer get?

The amount depends on the type of heat pump, the capacity and the energy label, and RVO adjusts the amounts and the calculation method from time to time. So never quote a customer a fixed subsidy amount without verifying it — always check the current ISDE amounts and conditions on rvo.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad), where RVO also offers a calculation tool.

Subsidy and certification: two separate processes

Important to keep clear: the ISDE conditions for homeowners on the official RVO page do not name a specific certificate such as BRL 200 or an F-gas company certificate — only the requirement that a professional installation company carries out the installation. That does not mean that certification is optional: as soon as refrigerant is involved, the statutory F-gas obligations simply apply, regardless of whether the customer applies for a subsidy. What exactly that involves — BRL 200, the F-gas company certificate and the logbook obligation above 5 tonnes CO₂ equivalent — you can read in Heat pump installer certificate mandatory 2026 and Heat pump: is maintenance and a logbook mandatory?.

How Koldwerk records this for you

Per installation you record the heat pump type, the refrigerant and the charge in Koldwerk via the installation management module; the digital work order automatically links the installation date, materials and customer details that your customer needs for the ISDE application. That way you don't have to search through separate folders afterwards if a subsidy question comes up. What that costs is on /prijzen.

Further reading

• Heat pump installer certificate mandatory 2026 — the statutory certification requirements, separate from the subsidy.
• Heat pump: is maintenance and a logbook mandatory? — when a logbook and leak check are mandatory.
• What needs to be on a work order? — the same data you also need for a subsidy application.

Disclaimer: subsidy conditions and amounts change regularly and can differ depending on when you apply. This article is an explanation based on the information RVO published on rvo.nl at the time of writing. For a specific application, always consult the current conditions on rvo.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad).