Can someone charge without a charging card or subscription?

Yes, charging is often possible without a charging pass

Yes, in many cases it is possible to charge without a fixed charging pass and without a subscription. Besides the well-known charging pass, which is linked to a subscription with a charging pass provider, more and more charging points are also offering a way to charge on a one-off basis: by scanning a QR code, opening an app or paying contactlessly at the charging point itself. Those without a charging pass do not need to take out a subscription first in order to be able to charge.

How this works exactly varies by charging point and by operator. Some charging points are set up so that only a charging pass works, others deliberately offer a standalone option without a fixed agreement. A charging point that works via its own QR code — such as standalone charging points at holiday homes, parks or other short-term rental accommodation — is an example of this: the user buys electricity there directly, without a pass and without a subscription in advance. This is a different setup from the network of public charging points along the roadside, where charging passes from different providers exist side by side.

What can be found on this subject at RVO

RVO provides general information on the page about electric driving and charging infrastructure on how charging works, what roles charging pass providers and charging point operators have in this, and how tariffs and access to charging points are regulated. That is the place to read how the broader charging landscape in the Netherlands is structured and what different ways of charging and paying exist alongside each other.