SVH social hygiene diploma
Who needs it, what you use it for and how to get it.
Course and SVH exam arranged in one go
What is an SVH diploma?
Proof that you know how to deal responsibly with alcohol and guests.
The SVH social hygiene diploma is issued by the Stichting Vakbekwaamheid Horeca (SVH), the foundation that runs the exam. It shows that you know about responsible alcohol use, safety and the laws and regulations in the hospitality sector (horeca).
The diploma is mandatory for managers in a hospitality business, liquor store or sports canteen with an alcohol licence. Without managers who have this diploma, a business does not get a licence, and one of them must always be present during opening hours.
Once you have it, the diploma stays valid for life. There is no mandatory renewal: a one-off investment in your career.
New to the Netherlands, or Dutch is not your first language?
You prepare online, and the SVH also offers the exam in English. You take the exam at an SVH exam location in the Netherlands; the diploma comes by post. The exam in English costs €35 extra (excl. VAT). You pay this when you request the exam.
What the diploma looks like
Passed the exam? Then you receive the diploma from the SVH.
- 1
In your own name
The diploma is issued in the name you use for the exam.
- 2
Meets the Alcohol Act
It states, word for word, that you meet the requirements of Article 8 of the Alcohol Act: the ones for managers.
- 3
From the SVH itself
Signed by the director of the SVH. You are added to the Social Hygiene Register (Register Sociale Hygiëne), and the diploma stays valid.
Where you use the SVH diploma
Wherever alcohol is served or sold, a manager must have it.
Cafés and bars
Every manager behind the bar or on the floor.
Restaurants and terraces
Where alcohol is served with food.
Hotels
Bar, restaurant and room service with alcohol.
Sports canteens
Associations with a bar and a licence.
Liquor stores
Selling spirits over the counter.
Events and catering
Festivals, parties and corporate catering.
Everything about the SVH diploma
What it is, where it is needed, and why a course certificate is not enough.
How do I get my SVH diploma?
Learn online, take the exam with the SVH, and then the diploma comes in your name.
Step 1
Sign up
You pay with iDEAL or Bancontact and receive your login details within a few minutes.
Step 2
Learn
You follow the thirteen chapters with text and images at your own pace, on your phone, tablet or computer.
Step 3
Practise
After each chapter you do practice questions with explanations, until you really know the material.
Step 4
Exam and diploma
You take the SVH exam at a location of your choice. Passed? Then you receive the diploma from the SVH.
Get your diploma through our course
Choose course + exam and we arrange the exam, or choose the course only.
Course + exam
Course and SVH exam arranged in one go
€ 279excl. VAT
The exam in English costs €35 extra (excl. VAT). You pay this when you request the exam.
- Online course: 13 chapters
- 860 practice questions and 10 practice exams
- Final exam with certificate of completion
- The SVH exam is included in the price
- Take the exam at an SVH location of your choice
- Start right away, with access until you pass
Secure paymentCourse only
If you arrange the exam yourself
€ 129excl. VAT
- Online course: 13 chapters
- 860 practice questions and 10 practice exams
- Final exam with certificate of completion
- Start right away, with access until you pass
- You book the exam yourself with the SVH
For businesses
Training more managers?
Course + exam per person, excl. VAT.
- 1–5
- € 279
- 6–10
- € 269
- 11–24
- € 259
- 25+
- € 249
Frequently asked questions about the diploma
You can find more questions under all frequently asked questions.
Ready to start?
Get your SVH diploma through our online course. Instant access after payment.
Start the course · € 279 excl. VAT4.7 out of 5 · 39 reviews·Course only: € 129 excl. VAT
