Car and motorcycle
In order to be permitted to drive a car or a motorcycle, you have to comply with certain requirements. A valid driving licence is obligatory for anyone who wishes to drive a car or a motorcycle.
If you are planning to stay in the Netherlands for a longer period of time and your driving licence was issued in one of the countries hereafter you can exchange your driving licence for a Dutch version.
- Austria
- Aruba
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Dutch Antilles
- Germany
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Greece
- Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Iceland
- Italy
- Jersey (States of)
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania, Luxembourg
- Isle of Man
- Malta
- Monaco
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Spain
- Slovenia
- Slovakia
- The Czech Republic
- Sweden
- Switzerland.
The driving licence that was issued to you previously will be valid for 10 years after issue date. Once this transition period has passed, you must have a Dutch driving licence and are obliged to exchange your licence.
Do you live in paid parking area? Then you may be eligible for a parking permit. I you want to apply for a parking permit, please download the form application parking permit.
It is also possible to apply via internet. Link opens an external page (Dutch only). To log in, you need a DigiD. Link opens an external page. You can also make an appointment. Link opens an external page (Dutch only) for a visit to the Civil Affairs Department.
Environmental demands
In order to receive a parking permit:
- your home / residential does not have a garage or private parking
- the license plate of the car or moped car is in your name
- if it is a company, the license must be on the company's name
- if it is a lease, the lease must be in the name of the company
In order to be permitted to drive a car or a motorcycle, you have to comply with certain requirements. A valid driving licence is obligatory for anyone who wishes to drive a car or a motorcycle.
If your stay in the Netherlands is temporary, your foreign driving licence is usually valid. You are advised however, to apply for an international driving licence before leaving for the Netherlands. More information: RDW. Link opens an external page (Dutch Road Traffic and Transport Authority).
In order to exchange your foreign driving license, you first must go to your local municipal office to acquire a payable document called the health form ('Eigen Verklaring').
You only need this document if:
- your driving license is from outside the EU, EER and Switzerland; or
- you have a EU, EER or Swiss driving license and:
- you are 75 years or older
- you are 70 years or older and the expiration date of your license is on or after your 75th birthday
- the license is valid for a shorter period than normally
- the license is valid for C, C1, D and/or D1.
If the answer at one of the questions is YES in the health form, you will need a health check by a doctor. Afterwards, you can send it to the CBR (Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheid - Central Road Aptitude Bureau). They will process this and send you a confirmation that the certificate of fitness (=verklaring van geschiktheid) is registered. As soon as you receive this confirmation, you can return to the municipal office, where you will submit:
- the original, valid foreign driving license (if necessary: with translation or a statement from the embassy)
- the certificate of fitness
- one identical, recent colored passport photograph.
As soon as the municipal fees have been paid, the municipal office will send the entire application for evaluation to the RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority in the mobility chain). If the application is granted, the RDW will send a letter to your home address within two to three weeks that you can collect your driving license at the municipal office. Be sure to make a photocopy of your license and the request for a Dutch license should you need to drive during these weeks. However, you are strongly advised not to drive while awaiting your driving license. Important: if you would like to keep your original driving license, you must submit a request with your application, for instance, that you will need it in your country.
Non-EU country
If you have a driving licence that was issued in a non-EU country, you are allowed to drive with your foreign licence in the Netherlands for a period of six months (185 days) after registering as a Dutch resident. In some cases, you might be asked to show an international driving licence, please check with your Embassy to make sure. Under new regulations per 1 February 2005, you are obliged to take a theoretical and practical driving test in the Netherlands to acquire a Dutch driving licence before the six-month period expires.
Driving licences issued in the following countries can only be exchanged for specific categories:
- Taiwan - B - passenger vehicle / Dutch driving licence category B
- Israel - B - passenger vehicle / Dutch driving licence category B
- Japan -1B- passenger vehicle and motorcycle of more than 400cc / Dutch driving licence categories and B
- Singapore - Class 2 – motorcycle of more than 400cc and Class 3 – passenger vehicle / Dutch driving licence categories A and B
- Andorra - passenger vehicle / Dutch driving licence category B
- South Korea - second class ordinary licence / Dutch driving licence category B
- Quebec (Canadian province) – class 5 / Dutch driving licence category B.
Special rules
Special rules apply for those with a diplomatic or consular staff status and for their families. Persons covered by the diplomatic rule are permitted to drive in the Netherlands without the need to exchange their foreign licence for a Dutch one. Contact the RDW. Link opens an external page (Dutch Road Traffic and Transport Authority) or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Link opens an external page, Protocol Department for more information.
International driving licence
It is not possible to exchange an international driving licence for a Dutch licence.
The 30 percent-ruling and obtaining a licence
If you have recently become entitled to benefit from the 30 percent tax ruling, you and the other member(s) of your family can exchange your licence right away, regardless of where you are from.
In order to import a car or a motorcycle, you are requested to apply to Customs for a permit, regardless of your country of origin. If you do not receive a permit, you are obliged to pay import duties. Once your car or motorcycle has been imported, you must to comply with a number of regulations before using it:
- the car or motorcycle must have a Dutch vehicle registration number. In order to obtain this, it has to be approved by the Vehicle Technology and Information Centre (RDW), telephone 0900 - 0739. More information about the RDW and your car
- you will receive a registration certificate within a few weeks. A licence-plate can be bought at every RDW-acknowledged garage
- you have to pay BPM, a national holder ship tax on motor vehicles. In some situations exemption is possible
- you are obliged to take out a legal third-party liability insurance with an insurance company.
Licence plate
Driving your own car with appropriate vehicle registration number (licence plate) is permitted if your stay in the Netherlands is only temporary. In addition, all persons driving his or her own car must have a third-party insurance ('WA').
For more information
Rotterdam Customs
Laan op Zuid 45
Rotterdam
P.O. Box 50966
3007 BJ Rotterdam
T 010 290 47 90 or 010 290 48 02 (Dutch only)
F 010 290 43 15
You can rent or lease a car from a number of rental companies. For addresses, see the telephone directory. Link opens an external page (renting: heading 'Autoverhuur'; leasing: heading 'Leasen'). For further information, please contact the ANWB (national organization in the field of traffic and tourism). If you are a member of the ANWB-Road Service, you can call for help in case of car problems en route.
