Background Burnout in healthcare workers is deleterious for patients as well as for the healthcare workers themselves, with consequences ranging from less job satisfaction to increased mortality rates. Burnout in intensivists is reportedly high with 50% of intensivists having a burnout in some series. The present study was done to estimate incidence and prevalence of burnout in intensivists in the Netherlands and to identify risk factors for burnout. Methods Two online questionnaires were sent: one to all intensivists in the Netherlands and one to the medical directors of Dutch ICUs. Results A reply was received from 308 out of 664 intensivists (46.4%). Results of 272 intensivists (41%) were evaluable, 12 of whom (4.4%) were diagnosed with burnout at the time of the questionnaire. No association was found between working conditions or personal characteristics and burnout. Intensivists who reported conflict with the hospital management and having complaints filed against them had a significantly higher burnout rate. From the medical directors questionnaire it was found that 7.4% of intensivists suffered from burnout in 2013. The lower incidence and prevalence of burnout in Dutch intensivists compared with foreign series might be explained by a lower workload for intensivists as compared with the literature or by different weighing of the burnout test results by different authors. Conclusion Incidence and prevalence of burnout among Dutch intensivists were found to be unexpectedly low as compared with the literature. The burnout rate was significantly higher in intensivists involved in conflicts or complaints. © 2016, Netherlands Society of Intensive Care. All rights reserved.