SERMI certification
Access to security software with SERMI certification
Are you involved in theft prevention for cars and campers? This includes keys, ignition locks, and door locks. Or do you need access to the ECU of vehicles? If so, you will need a SERMI certificate in the Netherlands as of April 1, 2024. SERMI stands for "Security Related Vehicle Repair and Maintenance Information." The SERMI certificate replaces separate access to security software for all car brands. You can easily arrange your SERMI certification at DEKRA.
What is SERMI?
SERMI (Security-Related Repair and Maintenance Information) is a European initiative that standardizes access to theft-related vehicle data for Independent Operators (IOs). It ensures that legitimate garages and service providers have access to essential security-related RMI, while protecting vehicle systems from unauthorized access. The SERMI framework applies to passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (M), trucks (N), and trailers (O), and provides a harmonized approach within the EU.
Who needs SERMI certification?
SERMI certification is mandatory for anyone who works on or with vehicle security information. It is a personal certificate. This includes, for example:
- Car dealers
- Independent auto repair shops
- Car body repairers
Why SERMI certification?
The SERMI certificate will soon be the only way to gain and maintain access to the software. SERMI certification ultimately saves you time and money. Without an umbrella certificate, you need separate access for each car brand to access their software. The European Union therefore asked manufacturers and independent car companies to replace the individual 'certificates' with a single certificate, the SERMI certificate.
When is a SERMI certificate required?
Since April 1, 2024, only individuals with SERMI certification have permanent access to vehicle security software within the Netherlands. This also means that individual access rights have now expired.
SERMI certification in 7 steps
SERMI certificate documentation
We will send you an overview of the required documents. You can easily submit these via our online tool. Please ensure that all documents are valid and up to date.
Required documents:
- A copy of the Chamber of Commerce extract.
- An overview of the employee(s) to be authorized.
- A Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) for the legal entity, known as a VOG RP. (Does not apply to sole proprietorships).
- A Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) for the employee(s) who are eligible for a SERMI qualification in the sections in 2.4b: 11, 12, 13, 41, and 61.
- Liability insurance.
- A statement that you do not engage in any activities related to the modification of vehicle emissions.
Other points to consider when preparing your SERMI application:
- The educational requirements for employees in the Netherlands: more than two years of experience as a car mechanic or a Level 2 Automotive Technician diploma.
- Take note of the SERMI criteria and draw up a statement in accordance with points 7 and 9 of section 6.3.5 of the SERMI scheme.
Our auditors assess the submitted documents to verify that they comply with SERMI requirements.
Are any documents missing or expired? If so, we will notify you so that you can update them.
Once all documents have been validated, DEKRA informs the Trust Center (TC) of the approval.
Congratulations! In this step, we will issue the official SERMI certificate to the approved persons within your organization. This will give them access to vehicle systems.
Have you received the SERMI certificate? The certificate is valid for five years, during which DEKRA will conduct at least one unannounced audit.
DEKRA's role within the SERMI framework
As an accredited CAB under EU Regulation 2018/858, DEKRA Certification is authorized to assess conformity and issue SERMI certificates to qualified workshops and service providers.
What should you pay attention to with SERMI certification?
With regard to the VOG (Certificate of Good Conduct), you must take into account: a specific period of validity of the VOG, applying for a VOG correctly, and verifying your identity via the Digidentit app.
SERMI has determined that a 'clean criminal record' is valid for a maximum of six months for the NL VOG. This means that the VOG must not be older than six months at the time of assessment. Please take this into account when submitting your SERMI application.
When applying for the VOG RP, you will be asked to state the 'Purpose of the application'. To ensure that this is sufficiently clear, please select the option 'Other, namely:'. You can enter the following here: 'SERMI certification (access to security software in the automotive industry).
When assessing employees of your company, we will ask them to verify their identity via Digidentity. We do this by including a unique, personal link to Digidentity in the email that the employee receives from DEKRA Audit. This link leads to the Digidentity app, which must be installed on the employee's mobile phone or laptop. Instructions on how to verify identity step by step can be found in the user manual.
This is the first step in the process of obtaining access to secure vehicle information via SERMI. It is important that this app is not deleted from the laptop or mobile phone. You will need this app later in the process, when the employee receives a link to log in and a QR code to register the digital SERMI certificate with Digidentity.
Please view our FAQ about SERMI certification here. Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about SERMI certification. We recommend that you read this information carefully before contacting us.
Request a quote for SERMI certification
Interested in SERMI certification? We are happy to help! Please leave your contact details in the quotation form below. We will contact you as soon as possible.