Checkinatwork fines: what do you risk without registration?
Whoever fails to register attendance on a construction site risks a fine per person involved. Here you can read which sanction the Social Criminal Code provides, for whom, and how high it is.
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How high is the fine?
A contractor or subcontractor that does not comply with the registration obligation receives a sanction of level 3. That is laid down in article 132 of the Social Criminal Code.
Since 1 September 2026, level 3 means, among other things, a criminal fine of 1,600 to 16,000 euros, or an administrative fine of 800 to 8,000 euros (article 101).
Does the fine count per employee?
Yes. For the contractor, the subcontractor, the employer and the site management in charge of the execution, the fine is multiplied by the number of persons involved in the offence (article 132). Ten workers without registration therefore means ten times the fine.
The multiplied fine may not exceed one hundred times the maximum fine (article 103).
Who can get a fine?
Article 132 names three groups, each time with their appointees or agents:
- the contractor and the subcontractor
- the employer
- the site management in charge of the execution
The NSSO (RSZ/ONSS) places the responsibility both with whoever puts someone to work and with whoever carries out the work. They agree between them who registers (NSSO, who Checkinatwork is for).
When does it get heavier?
If the offence resulted in damage to the health of an employee or in an accident at work, it becomes a sanction of level 4. That means, among other things, a criminal fine of 4,800 to 56,000 euros or an administrative fine of 2,400 to 28,000 euros (articles 101 and 132).
Does the worker risk a fine too?
Yes. Whoever comes onto a construction site and does not register their attendance receives a level 1 sanction: an administrative fine of 80 to 800 euros (article 132/1).
What changes with CIAO?
Today the registration has to happen “immediately and daily”. With CIAO, the programme law of 30 May 2026 (title 6, chapter 1, art. 124 to 131) replaces that with a registration at every arrival and every departure (article 130). The sanction level for the worker stays level 1.
Read more about who has to register and about subcontractors.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays the fine when a subcontractor does not register?
The subcontractor itself can be fined. The contractor that engages a subcontractor must also take measures so that the subcontractor registers and forwards all data correctly. If it does not, that is an offence in itself (NSSO, responsibilities and sanctions).
Are the amounts in older NSSO documents still correct?
Not always. The sanction levels received new amounts on 1 September 2026. Older documents sometimes still show the previous amounts. In case of doubt, the consolidated text of the Social Criminal Code prevails.