Get a discount on building fees

If you build sustainably, you could qualify for a discount. This so-called ‘Green discount on building fees’ can go up to € 200,000 per building project or plan. The more sustainably you build or renovate, the greater the discount you can get on your fees. In some cases, you may not even have to pay any fees at all.

The Municipal Council adopted a rule that makes the discount on the fees possible until 1 January 2024.

Building sustainably is when:

• the building work is done using as little energy as possible
• the materials are environmentally friendly
• the materials last a long time and can be reused
• the building is easy to repurpose or can be used in another way.

You may qualify for the ‘Green discount on building fees’ if you meet the following requirements:

• The degree of sustainability must exceed the obligatory requirements of the 2012 Building Code.
• You stick to the building plan and the sustainability measures stated in your application. The municipality will inspect how your plan is executed. You must be able to show certificates and invoices.
• You make an appointment with a city district inspector at the municipality during various phases of the building work. This could be when you insulate a floor, roof or wall for example.

The requirements for a fee reduction are outlined in Article 3 to 6 in the Begin external link: Regeling vermindering leges Den Haag 2020 (RIS303682)(External link), end external link. (Regulation to reduce fees The Hague 2020, in Dutch).

• When applying for an environment and planning permit, you can apply for a fee reduction.
• After the application is complete, you will receive a suspension of payment for the sum of the expected fee reduction.
• If you are granted a permit and start to build, the municipality will inspect the work. The fees will be deducted after the final inspection and approval. You will receive a bill for the remaining amount. You may not need to pay any fees.

Before you submit an application, you need to know what building work will be sustainable and what the building costs are. If you do not yet know that, the fees and the reduction of the fees cannot be calculated. Your name, address and contact details and the location of the building plan in The Hague are also important.

Type of application

You can get a fee reduction for 2 situations:

• You take 1 or more sustainable measures for an existing building.
  Examples of these types of measures are: insulating the roof or exterior wall, applying good insulating glass and placing systems for the use of solar energy. First fill in the application form and then apply for an environment and planning permit. When applying for the environment and planning permit, you attach the completed form as an attachment.

• You are building a new building or you will thoroughly renovate an existing building.
  Then apply for the fee reduction by entering your plan in the Begin external link: GPR(External link), end external link.. The GPR is an online assessment method for sustainable building. When entering your plan, you can easily consider all kinds of different options and will receive a sustainability grade. Your architect or contractor can complete the form for you. You need a GPR licence to fill in the form. Your application must be accompanied by 2 attachments:

1. the application form for the discount on building fees
2. the GPR report.

GPR licence

If you do not have a GPR licence yourself and you wish to the municipality’s GPR licence, send an email to Begin link: bouwecologie@denhaag.nl, end link. stating:

• the name, email address and telephone number of the person who will fill in the GPR calculation
• the name of the project and the type of building.

You will receive an invitation within 2 working days to use the GPR. Attach the GPR calculation to your application for the environment and planning permit.

Free.