Having a self-employed healthcare contract drawn up: costs and process

Having a self-employed professional (ZZP) agreement for the healthcare sector drafted by a lawyer typically costs between 350 and 900 euros at a specialized SME lawyer—slightly more than a standard ZZP agreement because the healthcare context requires additional provisions regarding quality (Wkkgz), BIG registration, disciplinary law, and the Wtza. You receive a contract for services (Article 7:400 of the Dutch Civil Code) tailored to the healthcare sector and designed to withstand enforcement against bogus self-employment, given that the Tax and Customs Administration has been strictly enforcing regulations specifically in the healthcare sector since January 1, 2025. Below, you can read about the costs, the process, and when outsourcing pays off.

The short answer

• Costs: approximately 350 to 900 euros for a custom agreement.
• Why more expensive: additional provisions regarding quality, BIG, disciplinary law, and Wtza.
• Lead time: often a few working days to about two weeks.
• What you get: an agreement that fits the healthcare sector and the DBA Act.
• When: especially with the structural deployment of self-employed professionals in healthcare.

How much does it cost to have a self-employed healthcare agreement drawn up?

The price is slightly higher than for a standard self-employed professional agreement. For a standard situation in healthcare, you can expect to pay approximately 350 to 600 euros from an SME lawyer. If the situation requires extensive agreements regarding the division of responsibilities under the Wkkgz, Wtza obligations, reserved acts, or privacy, the cost rises towards 600 to 900 euros. An online model for healthcare costs less but rarely adequately covers sector-specific risks.

Weigh those costs against the risks. In healthcare, it is not only about a potential retroactive assessment of payroll taxes in cases of bogus self-employment, but also about liability and client safety. A good agreement that clearly divides responsibilities is therefore a wise investment.

The process step by step

1. Intake. The legal expert maps out the care duties, powers, and method of collaboration.
2. Draft. You will receive a first version containing the assignment, the self-employment provisions, and the care-specific clauses.
3. Feedback. You discuss the draft, including the division of responsibilities and privacy agreements.
4. Final version. Upon approval, you will receive a signable agreement.
5. Explanation. You often receive advice on how to structure the support so that independence is maintained.

The turnaround time is usually a few working days to about two weeks, slightly longer than with a standard freelance agreement due to the additional coordination regarding quality and authority. For recurring assignments, a basic agreement is worthwhile for the care you supplement per assignment.

Where does the value of a lawyer lie?

The added value lies in the combination of employment law and healthcare regulations. A legal expert assesses whether the collaboration is consistent with a contract for services or an employment relationship, based on Article 7:610 of the Dutch Civil Code and case law, such as the Supreme Court's Deliveroo ruling from 2023. At the same time, the legal expert ensures that the agreement correctly incorporates the requirements of the Wkkgz, the BIG Act, and the Wtza, and that the division of responsibilities between healthcare provider and care professional is correct.

Furthermore, a legal expert focuses on points that often go wrong in healthcare: the distinction between permissible quality instructions and prohibited employer authority, the processing of special personal data, and alignment with the complaints and incident procedures. You also receive advice on how to structure the actual implementation so that the agreement withstands an audit by the Tax and Customs Administration.

Practical example. A rehabilitation practice operated using a general self-employed professional model for independent physiotherapists. Upon closer examination, it became apparent that quality responsibility under the Wkkgz and personal disciplinary responsibility were not allocated anywhere, and that privacy agreements were lacking. The practice had a sector-specific agreement drawn up; the one-off costs were limited in proportion to the risks that would otherwise have remained.

Do it yourself or have it drafted?

• Doing it yourself is possible with a simple, one-off deployment of a BIG-registered healthcare professional with multiple clients.
• Having an agreement drawn up pays off for structural engagement, a complex division of responsibilities, or multiple freelancers.
• Intermediate form: have a care-specific basic agreement drawn up and supplement it for each assignment.

Honest recommendation

For a single, short-term assignment of a BIG-registered healthcare professional who demonstrably works for multiple clients, you do not need to engage a lawyer. An agreement regarding the assignment, the rate, the self-employment provisions, confirmation of BIG status and insurance, quality agreements, and privacy clauses usually suffices, provided the practice is compatible with it.

Have a self-employed professional (ZZP) agreement for the healthcare sector drawn up as soon as the engagement becomes structural, the division of responsibility under the Wkkgz and the Wtza is complex, or you are deploying multiple self-employed professionals for similar positions. The stakes are high in the healthcare sector, and the combination of employment law and healthcare regulations requires a tailored approach. Request a fixed price and an explanation of the execution in advance, so you know where you stand.

Want to know more? View the self-employed agreement for healthcare, first read what a self-employed agreement for healthcare is , and see which provisions should be included if you drafting a self-employed agreement for healthcare .

Frequently Asked Questions