Can I trust this contractor?
Look the contractor up by name, enterprise number or VAT number. You get one answer from the official registers, with the source and date on every line.
By type of work
What each type of work asks of the contractor, by region.
What the premiums ask of the contractor
- Flanders
- Flanders (Mijn VerbouwPremie): most work only counts when a contractor does it. The invoice shows the contractor’s name, address and VAT number and Belgian VAT, and the contractor fills in a certificate with their enterprise number. No professional competence is required; a heat pump is installed by an installer with a RESCert certificate. The conditions
- Wallonia
- Wallonia (primes Habitation): the contractor is registered in the KBO and has access to the profession for the work: roofing and waterproofing for the roof, structural work for walls, joinery and glazing for windows, central heating, air conditioning, gas and sanitary for heating. An electric heat pump also needs electrotechnical activities. The conditions
- Brussels
- Brussels (Renolution): the contractor is registered in the KBO, VAT registered and has access to the profession where the work needs it. Invoices from 2025 and 2026 don’t qualify for a premium for now; the competence rule still applies. The conditions
For 6% VAT on renovation (a home over ten years old), a VAT-registered contractor invoices you directly.
Firmatlas gives no legal advice. Check your premium’s conditions before you sign.
What no register shows
- Ask for a written quote with name, address and enterprise number, and compare a few.
- Don’t pay a large deposit. Agree on payment in stages as the work progresses.
- Ask for the ten-year liability insurance certificate when the work needs an architect.
- Ask for references of work nearby and go and look.
- Check that the enterprise number on the quote is this company’s.
Questions about checking a contractor
How do I check that a contractor is reliable?
Check that they are active in the KBO, that their VAT number is active in VIES, that they are not bankrupt or in liquidation, and that they hold the professional competence your region asks for the work. Check their debts on checkinhoudingsplicht.be. The registers say nothing about quality: also ask for quotes, references and an insurance certificate.
Does a contractor have to be registered?
Contractor registration was abolished in 2012 and replaced by the check on social security and tax debts (article 30bis). A contractor is registered in the KBO and has a VAT number.
Does a contractor need a diploma or professional competence?
In Wallonia and Brussels, yes, for the regulated building trades such as roofing, structural work, joinery, heating and electrics. In Flanders it has not been required since 2019. The KBO shows which professional competences a company holds.
What is a recognised contractor?
FPS Economy recognises contractors for public contracts, by category and class. Work for private customers needs no recognition; it does show the company was checked on its finances and experience.
Do I have to withhold part of the invoice as a private person?
No. The withholding obligation doesn’t apply to a private person having work done for private purposes. A result with debts is still a sign that the company is struggling.
How large a deposit can a contractor ask?
The law sets no amount for ordinary renovations. Consumer groups and the building federations advise against a large deposit; agree on payment in stages as the work progresses.