Driving License

Driving in the Netherlands (All that you need )

The Netherlands is a small country with an extensive and well-maintained road network. Highways connect all major towns, making driving to and from different cities, regions, and neighboring countries convenient. Moving to the Netherlands is similar to driving in other European countries, and motorists drive on the right-hand side of the road. Three is  10 million passenger cars, with almost 50% of the population owning one. The main regulatory body for road transport in the Netherlands is the Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer (RDW). It is responsible for licensing vehicles, monitoring their condition, and issuing vehicle documentation. The Netherlands is home to one of the world’s largest electric charging infrastructure networks. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency, known as Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), has set a zero-emission target for all new passenger vehicles by 2030.

Who can drive in the Netherlands?

To legally drive in the Netherlands, you must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driving license known as rijbewijs. You should also have third-party liability car insurance (WA-verzekering), a certificate of car ownership (tenaamstellingsbewijs or tenaamstellingscode), and a vehicle registration card (kentekencard or kentekenbewijs).

Expats can drive with a foreign license in the Netherlands until a specific period. If your driving license was issued in an EU/EFT country, you can continue using your foreign license for 15 years. However, if your license was issued in a country outside an EU/EFTA country, you can only use your license for 185 days after you first register at your local municipality in the Netherlands. Only highly skilled migrants can change their home country driving licenses if they have received approval from the tax authority for the 30% tax return rule. Other non-European migrants, such as students, start-ups, self-employed, investors, partners, or mirage residents, must apply for a Dutch driving license.

Dutch driving licenses

All drivers in the Netherlands must possess a valid driving license issued by the RDW. Several types of Dutch driving licenses authorize the use of a different category of vehicle. These include categories:

  • A – motorcycles
  • B – cars and other automobiles
  • C – trucks
  • D – buses
  • T – agricultural and forestry tractors

You can find out more information about these categories on the RDW website.

The standard driving license includes:

  • License holder name
  • Place and date of birth of license holder
  • Issue date and expiry date of license
  • Citizenship of license holder
  • Local municipality (gemeente)
  • Citizen service number, known as a burgerservicenummer (BSN) 
  • Driving license number
  • Photo of the license holder
  • Signature of the license holder
  • Vehicle categories the license holder is permitted to drive

Getting a driving license

The minimum age to get a full driving license in the Netherlands is 18. However, a national scheme enables you to start taking driving lessons when you are 16 and a half. From 17, you can drive accompanied by an RDW-registered guardian, known as begeleider, until you turn 18.

To get your driving license, you must do the following:

  • Select a driving school to take driving lessons
  • Pass your theory and practical driving test with the Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen (CBR)
  • You must also take a health assessment to confirm that you are physically and mentally fit to drive
  • Apply for a driving license at your local gemeente

Exchanging a foreign driving license

If you had a valid driving license issued from abroad before you moved to the Netherlands, you can continue using it for a certain period. However, the length of this transition period depends on the country where you originally obtained your license. You can exchange your foreign license at your local municipality (gemeente) , which will forward your application to the RDW. Alternatively, you can take a Dutch driving test at the CBR.

Car registration and maintenance in the Netherlands

All cars in the Netherlands must be registere with the RDW. If you have a Dutch ID, you can register ownership of your car at any PostNL registration desk, a Kentekenloket BV registration desk, or an RDW counter in your area.

You will need to provide the following:

  • identification documents
  • a certificate of ownership
  • vehicle registration documents
  • proof of statutory liability insurance
  • a safety certificate known as Algemene Periodieke Keuring (APK)

If importing a vehicle from abroad, you must take it to an RDW inspection station to ensure it complies with Dutch safety and emissions standards. Once your car has been registered, you will receive a vehicle registration certificate (kentekenbewijs) in credit card form and a certificate of car ownership (tenaamstellingsbewijs).

Car maintenance

All vehicles registered in the Netherlands must undergo a periodic technical inspection (PTI), called an APK. After your car is inspected, you will receive an inspection report (keuringsrapport). You can have your vehicle tested at any RDW-approved garage or test center in the Netherlands.

Driving costs in the Netherlands

Excluding the cost of driving lessons, tests, and your license, you can expect to pay the following expenses when driving in the Netherlands:

  • Car maintenance – An APK inspection can cost between €50 and €100 depending on which garage or test center you visit
  • Fuel costs – Gasoline in the Netherlands currently costs around €2.01 per liter  
  • Electric car charging – The price per kWh in the Netherlands is around €0.20 to €0.30 on average 

Road tolls

All roads and motorways in the Netherlands are free of toll charges. Only heavy goods vehicles weighing over 12 tonnes need a valid Eurovignette electronic tag to drive on highways.

The Netherlands has just two toll tunnels: the Westerscheldetunnel, which costs €5, and the Kiltunnel, which costs €2.00 in cash or €1.45 by card.

Private motor vehicle tax

If you buy a vehicle in the Netherlands or import one from abroad, you must pay private motor vehicle and motorcycle tax, known as belastingen op personenauto’s en motorrijwielen (BPM). How much you will need to pay depends on a variety of factors. The Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax and Customs Administration) website provides information about specific rates for your type of vehicle. Once you have paid the BPM, the RDW will send you a vehicle registration card within five working days.

Road tax

After registering your car, you will automatically receive a road tax bill (motorrijtuigenbelasting) once every quarter. The amount you owe depends on your type of car and where you live. You can pre-calculate the costs for the road tax on the Belastingdienst website.

Speed limits

Speed limits in the Netherlands are as follows unless otherwise marked by signs: 

  • Built-up areas: 50 km/h
  • Outside a built-up area: 80 km/h 
  • Motorways: 100 km/h between 06:00 and 19:00, or 130 km/h between 19:00 and 06:00. When the rush-hour lane opens, an adjusted maximum speed of 80 or 100 km/h applies.

Speeding penalties increase according to how much the driver exceeded the speed limit and whether the offense occurred in a residential area, 30 km/h zone, or highway. You can calculate speeding fines online on the Openbaar Ministerie website.

Speed limit enforcement is extensive on roads in the Netherlands. This includes speed bumps and signs on highways to help reduce vehicle speed. Fixed speed cameras are also in operation on many roads and motorways. The Centraal Justitieel Incasso Bureau (CJIB) will send you a fine by post if you are caught speeding.

Driving under the influence

It is illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol level of 0.05% or above. The blood-alcohol limit for drivers who have held their license for less than five years is 0.02%. This lower limit applies to drivers under 24 and motorcycle and scooter drivers. Since 2017, the Netherlands has enforced statutory limits on the use of drugs while driving. The limits for different substances are on the Dutch government’s website. If you are found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you could be fined or face a prison sentence from the Openbaar Ministerie. A court may also suspend your driving license for up to five years.

Distracted driving laws

Drivers in the Netherlands cannot hold a phone, navigation system, tablet, or music player while driving. You can only use these devices with a hands-free setup or if your vehicle is parked or stationary. You can be fined €250 if you are caught using one of these handheld devices while driving.

Driving without a license

If caught driving without a license, you can be fined between €100 and €370, depending on your circumstances. This includes driving with a license that has exceeded its expiration period by over a year or driving with the wrong category license.

Road signs in the Netherlands

If you are familiar with road signs across Western Europe, Dutch traffic signs should be easy to understand. 

The main categories of Dutch road signs include:

  • Diamond signs (usually yellow) – priority signs 
  • Red triangular signs – warning signs 
  • Red circular signs – prohibitive signs 
  • Blue circular signs – instructional signs 
  • Square and rectangular signs – informative signs

The Netherlands currently ranks 76th out of 87 countries on the World Traffic Index, which ranks cities from the most to the least congested. The average one-way car journey time in the Netherlands is 27.40 minutes. The Netherlands also ranks 12th on the CO2 emission index. 

Unsurprisingly, traffic congestion occurs most often in bigger cities such as Amsterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Haarlem, and Nijmegen. Peak traffic hours in the Netherlands are between 07:00 and 09:00 and 17:00 and 19:00.

Parking in the Netherlands

Parking in major cities in the Netherlands can be challenging due to the lack of available parking space. Metered parking areas are marked with a blue ‘P-Zone’ sign, and parking tickets from meter machines can cost between €2.80 and €7.50 per hour, depending on the city or municipality. You can pay for parking using a bank card, cash, or a mobile app.

You should display your parking ticket in the front window. Failure to present a parking ticket may result in a parking fine; sometimes, your vehicle may be towed or wheel-clamped. The cost of a parking fine is currently €66.50 plus registered parking time.

Parking is not allowed in the following locations:

  • On a road marked with a continuous yellow line
  • Next to black and white curbs 
  • Within five meters of a road junction
  • In front of entrances/exits
  • On the carriageway of a major road outside a built-up area

A blue rectangular ‘P’ sign with ‘vergunninghouders‘ indicates that the parking space is only available for permit holders.

Road accidents

In 2020, the Netherlands had an average of 35 to 42 road deaths per million inhabitants, slightly lower than the EU average.

According to data from Smart Traffic Accident Reporting (STAR), in 2023, 7,400 people were seriously injured in traffic accidents across the Netherlands, marking a decrease of 900 compared to 2022. However, despite the decline, long-term data shows a rising trend in traffic-related injuries and fatalities, particularly among older cyclists, according to figures released by SWOV, the Institute for Road Safety Research.

If you are involved in a road traffic accident in the Netherlands, you should:

  • Stop immediately, as driving off after a traffic accident is an offense. 
  • Use hazard lights and place a red warning triangle 30 meters from the accident scene to warn oncoming traffic.
  • Exchange details with all parties involved; this includes taking down their names, addresses, vehicle registration numbers, and details of insurance companies
  • Complete and sign an insurance claim form. 
  • Take photographs of the scene of the accident.
  • In the event of a serious accident, call the police by dialing 112

Vehicle breakdowns

Along motorway roadsides in the Netherlands, yellow emergency telephones connect to the ANWB, an association that provides services such as roadside assistance.

Make a note of these emergency numbers in the Netherlands.

If your car breaks down on the road, you should take yourself and your passengers to a safe location as soon as possible. You should then call your breakdown assistance provider. This could be your car insurance company or a separate breakdown coverage provider.

If necessary, you can also contact the ambulance service on 112 or other emergency services in the Netherlands.

Cars in the Netherlands

  • Looking at cumulative data up to November 2024, brand-wise, Kia rose one spot and ranked first with 32,402 sales (+3.1%), followed by Volvo—up 8 spots—at 29,060 units sold (+98.1%), Toyota at 27,728 (+19.8%), and Tesla—up 5 spots—at 24,177 new registrations (+41.9%).

Dutch license plates currently consist of two digits, three letters, and one digit (e.g., 12-ABC-3). They indicate the date of registration of a car but do not provide information about where in the country the car comes from or to whom it belongs. The Dutch license plate system uses black letters on a light-reflecting yellow background. It also follows the standard EU format of having a blue strip on the left side of the plate with the EU flag symbol and the country code (NL).

Importing a car

If you plan to bring your car to the Netherlands from abroad, you must obtain a Dutch registration number from the RDW as soon as possible. Importing your car into the Netherlands differs depending on whether you are moving from or outside an EU or EFTA country. In some instances, expats who bring their vehicle to the Netherlands may be eligible for exemption from import duties and BPM. If you arrange to have your car shipped as part of your ‘removal goods‘ (verhuisgoederen), you can apply for exemption from registration tax and import duties. To qualify for an exemption, you should have used your car for at least six months and lived abroad for 12 months or longer. The doune (Dutch Customs) handles tax import duties and exemptions.

Buying a car

When buying a new car in the Netherlands, you must register the car in your name with the RDW and pay BPM tax. If you purchase a used vehicle, you must register a transfer of ownership with the RDW and have a valid ID, a kentekencard (vehicle registration card), and a tenaamstellingscode (registration code).

Search our Directory for car sales in the Netherlands.

You should also request the APK from the car’s seller or arrange a new one if it’s unavailable. You can use the RDW’s license plate check to look up details about the car’s history.

Some popular used car dealerships and online marketplaces include: 

  • Marktplaats
  • Ooyyo
  • Bynco

Hiring a car

Car rental companies are widely available in the Netherlands. In most cases, you must be at least 21 years old and have had your driving license for at least a year to be eligible to rent a car.

Depending on the type of car you hire and which agency you use, car rental prices can vary significantly from around €25 to over €120 per day.

You can choose from a variety of car rental agencies in the Netherlands, including:

  • Europcar
  • Hertz
  • Avis

Selling a car

In the Netherlands, you can sell your car to a local car dealership, an online RDW-licensed site, or privately to an individual. 

If you are selling your car to a dealership that is an official partner of the RDW, you can complete your registration of ownership transfer onsite at the RDW garage. You must provide documents, including your kentekencard, tenaamstellingscode, and a valid ID. Once the ownership transfer is complete, the dealer will provide you with a certificate of indemnification. If you sell a vehicle to a private individual, the buyer must complete the ownership transfer registration at a PostNL or RDW office.

Carpooling/car sharing

Carpooling and car sharing are becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands. According to Statista, up to 700,000 car-sharing users are expected in the country by 2026.

Some popular car-sharing apps in the Netherlands include:

  • SnappCar
  • Sixt
  • Greenwheels

Electric cars and hybrids

Over the years, the Netherlands has invested heavily in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, making it one of the world’s leaders in electric car use. More than 1.3 million of the 9.4 million cars registered in the Netherlands at the beginning of 2024 are fully electric or hybrid, an increase of 56 percent over the last three years. Around 113,961 new electric cars were bought in the previous year, an increase of 56 percent compared to a year earlier.

Some of the most popular electric cars in the Netherlands include:

  • Tesla Model 3
  • Tesla Model S
  • Hyundai Kona
  • Kia Niro
  • Volkswagen Golf

The Dutch government announced a generous subsidy scheme for zero-emission commercial vehicles, making driving electric cars even more attractive in the Netherlands. Many car dealerships offer electric and hybrid vehicles. You can compare prices for electric vehicles on the Electric Vehicle Database website.

Car repair in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has plenty of auto repair and body shops. Most of them offer a drive-in service and allow you to show up without making an appointment. However, you can also book an appointment with a garage in advance to avoid waiting.

Drivers with disabilities in the Netherlands

If you have a disability that leads to reduced mobility, you can apply for an EU disability parking card, which is known as a European gehandicapteparkeerkaart (GPK). You can use this card in all EU countries to access parking spaces designated for cardholders. When using your EU disability parking card, you should display it at the front of the vehicle so it is visible.

You can apply for an EU disability parking card at your local gemeente.

If you require access to a wheelchair or need to have accessibility modifications made to your car, you can apply for support from the Social Support Act, which is known as Wet Maatschappelijke Ondersteuning (WMO), from your local gemeente.

Tips for driving in the Netherlands

Many cyclists in the Netherlands sometimes share the main road with cars. Cyclists have priority over motor traffic in built-up areas and vice versa outside of built-up areas.

Discover the most scenic cycling routes in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, people often interpret Article 185 of the Wegenverkeerswet (Dutch Road Law), known as the ‘Strict Liability‘ rule, which means that drivers are liable when they crash into a cyclist. With this in mind, it is essential to be cautious when driving around cyclists.

Here are some essential things to consider:

  • Cyclists traveling straight at a junction have priority over cars making a turn (unless the intersection has a dedicated turn signal)
  • Cyclists do not have priority when crossing a priority road.
  • Drivers have priority over cyclists on roundabouts when the cyclist is approaching the roundabout.
  • Cyclists have priority over motor traffic on roundabouts when the cyclist is already on the roundabout.

If you need help or prefer to have advice before

Apply for a driving license, buy, rent, sell, import, or address any relative issue with driving. Make an online or physical appointment with one of our advisors. You can book an appointment via this link: https://123nlbv.simplybook..it/v2/

You can also send a message via WhatsApp to this number: 06–19952004 or visit our office in Hurksestraat 60 in EINDHOVEN.