The VCA exam: B-VCA 40 questions, VOL-VCA 60 questions in 60 minutes
The B-VCA exam (basic safety) takes 60 minutes and has 40 questions. The VOL-VCA and VIL-VCU exams also take 60 minutes and have 60 questions. According to SSVV's 2026 test matrices, the pass mark for all three is 64.5%.
On 1 January 2026, SSVV started the renewed exams in Dutch; the old VOL-VCA and VIL-VCU exams had 70 questions. Below you'll also find the languages, what an exam costs roughly and where you take it.
This page summarises what SSVV writes on ssvv.nl (in Dutch) about the VCA exams and diplomas. SSVV develops and manages certification schemes for safe and healthy work; VCA is a trademark of SSVV registered in the Benelux. Examenzaal is not a training provider or exam centre and is not part of SSVV; our practice material is not SSVV's. You take your exam at an exam centre recognised by SSVV.
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Examenzaal practice material: €17.95 incl. VAT, one payment, 12 months of access. This is not an exam fee.
How the exams are built
All three exams take 60 minutes. The on-screen exam is the most common type. On its general exam page, SSVV calls the questions multiple-choice questions; the 2026 test matrices name closed questions in four forms: multiple choice, multiple response, matrix and matching.
The renewed exams come with new final attainment levels and test criteria (eind- en toetstermen, ETT). SSVV mentions ETT v3.0 in its news item on the 2026 changes; its exam page also lists an ETT 3.1 for B-VCA in modules from 1 September 2026.
| Exam | Questions | Time | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| B-VCA | 40 | 60 minutes | 64.5% (2580 points) |
| VOL-VCA | 60 | 60 minutes | 64.5% (3870 points) |
| VIL-VCU | 60 | 60 minutes | 64.5% (3870 points) |
- SSVV – What we do (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- SSVV – Exams: format and language level (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- SSVV – What changes in the VCA exams in 2026 (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- SSVV – VCA-ETT test matrices 2026: B-VCA and VOL-VCA (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- SSVV – VCA-ETT test matrices 2026: VIL-VCU (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
When do you pass?
The 2026 test matrices give a pass mark of 64.5% for each exam: 2580 points for B-VCA and 3870 points for VOL-VCA and VIL-VCU. How many points one question is worth is not stated in those headings. These are the test matrices of the B-VCA exam with 40 questions. The B-VCA exam in four modules, used mainly in regular education and renewed from 1 September, is a different exam; we don't give its pass mark here.
- SSVV – VCA-ETT test matrices 2026: B-VCA and VOL-VCA (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- SSVV – VCA-ETT test matrices 2026: VIL-VCU (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- SSVV – What changes in the VCA exams in 2026 (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
- SSVV – Exams: format and language level (in Dutch) (opens in a new window)
In which languages?
About the renewed exams, SSVV wrote (in Dutch, updated on 29 April 2026) that they are currently available in Dutch, English, German and French, and that the other languages follow from 1 August 2026. Ask your exam centre which languages it offers now. According to SSVV, an exam in another language costs about 20 to 50 euros more.
Where and when do you take the exam?
You take the exam at an exam centre recognised by SSVV. Exams take place every day, all over the country. SSVV says you can see what the real exam looks like in the mock exams on SSVV's own website. Those are not Examenzaal's practice exams.
What does the exam cost?
According to SSVV, a single exam costs about 100 euros. A read-aloud exam or an exam in another language costs about 20 to 50 euros more. If you take a training course, the exam is usually included in the price of the course. These are SSVV's indicative amounts, checked on 22 October 2026; the exact price comes from the exam centre. More on what sets the price is on our page about what a VCA exam costs.
Failed?
If you fail, SSVV says you have to take the exam again. You can do that through the exam centre where you took your exam.
Passed: what next?
A VCA diploma is valid for ten years and is recorded in the Centraal Diploma Register (CDR). Which diploma you need is explained on the page about B-VCA or VOL-VCA.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions does the VCA exam have?
B-VCA has 40 questions; VOL-VCA and VIL-VCU have 60. All three take 60 minutes.
What percentage do I need to pass VCA?
According to SSVV's 2026 test matrices, the pass mark for B-VCA (40 questions), VOL-VCA and VIL-VCU is 64.5%, with 2580 points for B-VCA and 3870 for the other two.
Is it multiple choice only?
The 2026 test matrices name closed questions in four forms: multiple choice, multiple response, matrix and matching.
Can I take the VCA exam in English?
Yes. SSVV named Dutch, English, German and French for the renewed exams, with the other languages from 1 August 2026. An exam in another language or a read-aloud exam costs about 20 to 50 euros more, according to SSVV (checked on 22 October 2026). Your exam centre can tell you which languages it offers.
What if I fail the VCA exam?
Then you take the exam again. According to SSVV, you can do that through the exam centre where you took your exam.
Can I practise in English first?
Yes. Examenzaal has practice exams in English for B-VCA and VOL-VCA. You can take practice exam 1 without paying; your result and the explanations come with full access.
This explanation was written by Examenzaal. We checked SSVV's information (in Dutch) on 22 October 2026 and 23 October 2026. Examenzaal is an independent provider of practice material. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
Get ready with a full practice exam
Take a full practice exam with 40 questions in the SSVV format, or look at how the exam is built first. You see your result (pass or fail, your score and the explanation per question) after handing in, with full access: €17.95 incl. VAT, one payment, no subscription.