Driving and parking in Holland

To drive a car in the Netherlands you must have a valid license, be aged 18, have third party insurance and be driving a registered vehicle. Once you are a resident of the Netherlands, you cannot drive a car registered in another country.

Exchanging a driving license
To exchange (omwissel) your existing national driving license (rijbewijs) for a Dutch one, you must fit into one of the categories below. Otherwise you can use it for 185 days after arrival after which you must pass the regular CBR theory and driving tests (available in English but you may need to pay extra).

“Drivers in international traffic” - essentially a tourist or short-term visitor, are non-residents on the Dutch roads and do not need a Dutch driving license. Dutch licenses are generally issued for 10 years. If you have a license from an EU country, it is also valid for 10 years from the date of issue. You may like to exchange it anyway:  it is a valid proof of identity in many cases.

Licenses that can be exchanged:

• Aruba, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, (States of) Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Quebec, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland
• Specific licenses from Taiwan, Israel, Japan, Singapore, Andorra, South Korea, Canadian Province of Quebec
• Residents with the 30% ruling status (whatever nationality).

Apply at a municipal office for an ’Aanvraag omwisseling voor Nederlands rijbewijs‘ form; an uitstrekkel: a proof of your registration details; and an ’Uitgebreide Eigen Verklaring‘ a declaration of health form. There are fees for these. If you are applying under the 30% ruling you will need a statement from the tax office. You will forfeit your licence (unless applying under the 30% ruling).

Additional documentation may be required in certain circumstances so check with your own embassy for any specific translation or authentication requirements. You need a special license for a brommer or motorbike and must be over 16 to get one. For all information on driving licences visit the website www.rijbewijs.nl where you’ll find an English language section with comprehensive information.

Expatica