A device for placing a receiving part of a bone anchoring device onto a head of a bone anchoring element includes a holding portion, a collet configured to be held by the holding portion, the collet having a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis, and a distal end portion configured to be flexibly expanded and compressed in a radial direction, and a plunger configured to be positioned in the collet. The collet is movable axially relative to the plunger between a first position wherein the distal end portion of the collet is configured to have a first width in a first radial direction and the plunger prevents the distal end portion from assuming a width less than the first width, and a second position wherein the distal end portion of the collet is radially compressible to a second width that is less than the first width.