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Sociale Hygiëne exam (Netherlands)

Under the Dutch Alcohol Act, anyone managing a café, restaurant, club bar or liquor shop that sells alcohol must have knowledge of social hygiene (sociale hygiëne) and be listed in the Register of Social Hygiene. Most people prove it by passing the SVH Sociale Hygiëne exam.

Practise for the Sociale Hygiëne exam

How the exam works

  • Questions40 multiple-choice questions
  • Time40 minutes for the computer exam
  • PassAt least 29 correct answers
  • FormatComputer exam with a provider, or oral at SVH in Zoetermeer
  • LanguagesDutch, English, Modern Standard Arabic, Mandarin Chinese and Turkish
  • After the examregistration with the Lcsh for €93.29

Who needs it?

SituationWhat the Alcohol Act requires
Manager of a hospitality business or liquor shopAt least 21, not of bad character, and listed in the Register of Social Hygiene
Club or foundation with its own bar (paracommercial)At least 2 managers who meet the requirements; bar volunteers get a briefing on responsible serving
Opening hoursA manager listed on the licence annex must always be present
Liquor shopSVH has a separate version of the exam with questions for the liquor trade

A course is recommended, not required. Holders of a vocational or higher-education diploma recognised by the Lcsh can sometimes register without this exam.

What the exam covers

  • Law and rules: the Alcohol Act and Alcohol Decree, requirements for managers, the licence and the age limit of 18.
  • Dealing with guests: house rules and door policy, communication skills, saying no, aggression and complaints.
  • Alcohol, drugs, tobacco and gambling: effects on body and mind, the Opium Act, the smoking ban and gaming machines.
  • Safety: building and technical facilities, fire safety, in-company emergency response and the Working Conditions Act.

Booking, results and fees

  • Computer exam: book with one of the providers listed by SVH; they set the price, location and date.
  • Oral exam: at SVH in Zoetermeer, at most 90 minutes including ID checks; in Dutch it costs €360 (price checked on 19 October 2026).
  • ID: without valid ID you may not take part.
  • Dyslexia: with an official statement you can ask for up to 15 minutes' extra time.
  • Result and retakes: the final result arrives by post within 10 working days; if you fail, you book a new exam.

The Register of Social Hygiene

  • Registering: after the exam you apply with DigiD to the National Social Hygiene Committee (Lcsh); it costs €93.29, or €253.50 with a foreign diploma.
  • Declaration: the Lcsh's positive decision is your declaration of knowledge in social hygiene; your registration is valid indefinitely.
  • Old SVH register: if you were in it before 1 July 2023, reconfirm your registration free of charge within 5 years.

Independent practice

Our questions are written from the Alcohol Act, the Alcohol Decree and the legal end terms; they are not SVH exam questions, and FreeExamPath is not affiliated with SVH, the Lcsh or any training provider. SVH's demo questions show what the real exam looks like.

Official information

Questions about the Sociale Hygiëne exam

How many questions does the Sociale Hygiëne exam have?

The computer exam has 40 multiple-choice questions and lasts 40 minutes. You pass with at least 29 correct answers.

How much does the Sociale Hygiëne exam cost?

The provider sets the price of the computer exam. An oral exam in Dutch at SVH costs €360. Registration with the Lcsh then costs €93.29.

Is my social hygiene declaration valid for ever?

A registration in the Register of Social Hygiene is valid indefinitely. If you were in the old SVH register before 1 July 2023, you must reconfirm free of charge within 5 years.

Are these real exam questions?

No. They are FreeExamPath's own practice questions on the topics of the legal end terms. FreeExamPath is not affiliated with SVH or the Lcsh.

Official sources (9) · last checked 19 October 2026