Your licence and route determine whether you need Dutch exams
Licences from the EU (European Union) or EFTA (European Free Trade Association) can be exchanged if you meet the conditions. Other licences need a listed country and category or an exception. Apply through your gemeente (municipality). Most licences from elsewhere allow driving for 185 days after you move, while still valid. If exchange is unavailable, you need Dutch theory and practical exams.
This guide is for you if you live in the Netherlands and have a foreign driving licence.
Choose your exchange route
The country that issued your licence decides the main exchange route. Your nationality is a separate condition. Check the RDW (Dutch vehicle authority) exchange rules (External site, opens in a new tab) against the routes below.
Every route also requires registration in the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP, personal records database) and qualifying nationality or residence status.
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| Route | When it works | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| EU or EFTA: EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland | A valid licence can be exchanged. An expired licence can also be accepted under these rules. | An expired Icelandic, Liechtenstein or Swiss licence needs an original no-objection statement from the issuing authority. |
| Listed country outside the EU and EFTA | A valid licence from a country and category in the next table. | You must have lived at least 185 days in the issuing country during a one-year period in which you obtained the licence. |
| Valid expatregeling (expat tax scheme, also called the 30% facility) decision | A valid foreign licence from any country can qualify. Bring the valid Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority) decision (External site, opens in a new tab). An employer statement or pending application does not replace it. | The country-list restriction does not apply. You still need to meet the other exchange conditions, including the issuing-country residence test. |
| Earlier Dutch licence | Your current foreign licence was issued in exchange for a Dutch licence that was valid after 30 June 1985. | RDW restores only the categories from that Dutch licence. Ask RDW to verify your licence history. |
| No exchange route | The country or category is not listed and neither exception applies. | Take Dutch theory and practical exams at CBR (driving-test authority) (External site, opens in a new tab). Foreign driving experience does not replace those exams. |
Check your licence country and category
The table groups issuing countries by the Dutch categories you can receive. Check your country and the limits in its row. Recognition can change, so check RDW’s live country list before applying.
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| Dutch category available | Issuing countries or territories | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| All listed categories | Gibraltar; Great Britain; Guernsey; Isle of Man; Jersey; Monaco; Northern Ireland; former Netherlands Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten | For Great Britain, BE (cars with trailers) transfers only if you passed a separate exam for it. For Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and Guernsey, provisional licences and learner permits do not qualify. |
| B (cars) only | Andorra; Alberta (Canada); Québec (Canada); Chinese Taipei (Taiwan); Israel; South Korea | Alberta and Québec require class 5. South Korea requires a 1st- or 2nd-class ordinary licence. |
| A (motorcycles) and B under the listed Japanese entitlement | Japan | RDW accepts Japanese category 1B for passenger cars and motorcycles over 400 cm³ (cubic centimetres). |
| A and B under the listed Singapore entitlements | Singapore | Class 2 for motorcycles over 400 cc (cubic centimetres). Class 3 for passenger cars. |
There are two different 185-day rules here. The residence test looks at where you lived when you obtained the licence. The driving period starts when you move to the Netherlands.
You must meet the issuing-country residence test even with a 30% facility decision. A short visit alone does not meet the 185-day test. Article 46 of the Reglement rijbewijzen (Driving Licence Regulations) (External site, opens in a new tab) sets the test.
Check when your right to drive ends
Your driving period depends on the issuing country, category, issue date and validity. Use the RDW driving-period rules (External site, opens in a new tab) and the table below before handing in your licence.
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| Licence used by a Dutch resident | Driving period | Limit or exception |
|---|---|---|
| EU or EFTA categories AM (mopeds), A1 and A2 (motorcycle categories), A, B and BE | Up to 15 years from the issue date, while the category remains valid. | If the licence was issued more than 15 years ago and remains valid, you may use it for 2 years after moving here. |
| EU or EFTA categories C1 and C (lorries), D1 and D (buses), C1E, CE, D1E and DE (those vehicles with trailers) | Up to 5 years from the issue date, while the category remains valid. | If the 5-year period ended before you moved here, RDW’s example allows 2 years after your move, while the categories remain valid. |
| EU or EFTA licence issued while you were already registered as living in the Netherlands | Exchange it before driving in the Netherlands. | Apply through the municipality where you are registered. |
| Licence issued outside the EU and EFTA | The first 185 days after moving here, while the licence remains valid. | An exchange application does not pause or extend this period. The Ukrainian temporary-protection exception is below. |
For example, RDW describes an EU licence issued on 1 January 2019 and a move on 15 June 2024. The car categories remain usable until 1 January 2034. The heavy categories remain usable until 15 June 2026 under the two-year allowance. Both dates depend on the categories still being valid.
These periods apply to residents. Tourists may drive here with a foreign licence under the tourist rules.
An international driving permit is a translation that accompanies the original licence. It cannot be exchanged and does not extend the 185 days.
After your driving period ends, you need the Dutch licence card before driving.
Check all the general conditions
You need to meet all the conditions that apply to your route before the municipality can complete your exchange:
- You are registered in the BRP in the municipality where you apply.
- You have EU or EFTA nationality, or one of the qualifying Dutch residence statuses described below.
- Your licence from outside the EU and EFTA is valid when you submit the exchange application, unless the specific earlier-Dutch-licence exception applies.
- For a listed-country or 30% facility route, you lived at least 185 days in the issuing country during a one-year period in which you obtained the licence.
- Your exact licence category is exchangeable. A car-only agreement does not transfer motorcycle, lorry, bus or professional qualifications.
- Any required Verklaring van geschiktheid (certificate of fitness) from CBR is registered for the categories you request.
If you do not have EU or EFTA nationality, any one of these residence statuses qualifies:
- A valid verblijfsvergunning (residence permit) for temporary or permanent residence. Waiting for a new or renewed permit does not qualify.
- Residence under Associatiebesluit 1/80 (EU–Turkey association decision).
- Residence under the Richtlijn Tijdelijke Bescherming (Temporary Protection Directive), recorded as residence code 46.
Get the health decision when required
For categories other than AM, an exchange from outside the EU and EFTA requires a Gezondheidsverklaring (health declaration). An AM-only moped licence needs no health declaration. EU or EFTA licences need one in some cases. Check the RDW health-declaration conditions (External site, opens in a new tab) for your age, categories and any medical restrictions.
If you need a declaration, complete it through Mijn CBR (CBR online portal) (External site, opens in a new tab). CBR advises starting six months before the date you may no longer drive.
The CBR health-declaration fee (External site, opens in a new tab) is €46.90 in 2026. You pay for any additional medical examination.
Apply or exchange within one year of CBR’s fitness decision. After that, the decision expires and you need a new declaration under the CBR decision rules (External site, opens in a new tab).
Apply through your municipality
Only the municipality where you are registered can send the exchange application to RDW. If you still need to register, use the BSN (citizen service number) and municipality-registration guide.
Check the municipality’s appointment method, fee and collection deadline. Complete the route check and any required CBR health process. If your licence is close to expiry, follow the earlier advice to apply before the supporting documents are complete.
Everyone needs the documents below. Amsterdam and The Hague require a photo no older than six months. Check your municipality’s photo requirements before applying:
- A colour passport photo that meets the requirements.
- Your original foreign licence.
- Valid identification and your residence permit, if you have one.
Add each of these documents when the condition applies:
- Your old Dutch licence, if you have it.
- The valid Belastingdienst decision if you use the 30% facility.
- A translation if your licence uses characters not used in the Netherlands.
The Dutch income-tax guide explains the 30% facility tax benefit.
RDW accepts a licence translation from a sworn translator, embassy or consulate. Check your municipality’s requirements.
At the desk, follow this order:
- Complete the application form.
- Pay the municipal fee.
- Hand in your original licence and supporting documents. The municipality sends them to RDW.
- Keep any copy and receipt you receive. RDW sends the foreign licence to the issuing authority; you will not get it back.
- Follow the collection instructions when RDW’s letter arrives.
Check fees and waiting times
The figures below apply in 2026. The municipal fee depends on where you live; photo, translation and medical costs depend on what you need.
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| 2026 cost | Amount | What varies |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal exchange application | The Hague licence-exchange fee (External site, opens in a new tab): €53.65. Amsterdam licence-exchange fee (External site, opens in a new tab): €64.65. | Check your own municipality’s fee before applying. |
| Health declaration, when required | €46.90 | A doctor’s examination or report costs extra if CBR requests one. |
| Passport photo and translation | Provider price | A translation is needed only for the characters described above. |
For example, a 2026 exchange in The Hague with a required health declaration costs €53.65 + €46.90 = €100.55. Budget separately for the photo, any translation and any additional medical examination.
If the file is complete, RDW says it sends a letter within 15 working days. You can then collect the licence after another 5 working days. Missing information delays the exchange. Amsterdam says the RDW letter arrives 2–4 weeks after the application. Follow your municipality’s collection deadline.
A Dutch licence is normally valid for up to 10 years. Heavy categories, your age or a medical condition can shorten that period.
Plan for a period without driving
Handing in your original licence and reaching the end of your driving period are separate events. The table shows what each stage means.
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| Stage | Can you drive? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Before surrender, while the licence and Dutch driving period are both valid | Yes, for the valid categories. | Carry the original licence. RDW recommends an international driving permit if your foreign categories use different labels from A, B, C, D and E. |
| After surrender, while the foreign licence and Dutch driving period are still valid | RDW leaves the choice to you. You cannot show the original licence, so police may fine you. | Carry a passport or identity card if you drive. Check your insurer. RDW advises against driving abroad because other countries may be unable to verify your application. |
| After the foreign licence expires or the Dutch driving period ends | Wait until you have the Dutch licence card, even if RDW is still processing your application. | A copy, receipt, passed exam or pending application does not replace the card. The Ukrainian temporary-protection exception is below. |
RDW describes the fine risk after surrender as small but present. RDW also says that valid driving rights and an insurance policy remain effective when you cannot show the card. Ask your insurer about your case.
Vehicle registration, insurance and tax duties are separate checks. The Owning a car in the Netherlands guide explains them.
To avoid the risk of a fine for missing the original card, plan to use other transport after surrender. If you need to drive for work, arrange the timing and alternative transport before handing it in.
Take Dutch driving exams if exchange is unavailable
If no exchange route applies, you need Dutch theory and practical exams. The following steps and fees are for a car licence:
- Submit the health declaration so CBR can register your certificate of fitness.
- Book the theory exam through Mijn CBR. The CBR car-exam fees (External site, opens in a new tab) for 2026 are €50.50 in Dutch or €57.00 in English.
- Take lessons with a driving school.
- Authorise the school through Mijn CBR to book your practical exam. You need to have passed theory and CBR must have declared you medically fit before you take the exam. The CBR fee is €143.50 in 2026. The school adds vehicle, instructor and administration charges.
- After passing, apply at the municipality from the next day with valid identification and a compliant colour photo. Pay the municipality’s licence fee.
- Collect the Dutch licence card before driving.
For a first licence, you must live in the Netherlands when you apply. You also need either at least 184 days of residence here in the year immediately before applying, or at least six months of enrolment at a qualifying Dutch educational institution. The residence route totals 185 days when you count the application day. Qualifying institutions include universities and secondary or vocational schools.
These conditions are separate from the foreign-licence driving period and the issuing-country residence test. Check your residence history or enrolment with the municipality. Article 32 of the Reglement rijbewijzen (External site, opens in a new tab) sets these conditions. The RDW first-licence rules (External site, opens in a new tab) explain how to apply.
You count as living in the Netherlands while studying abroad if all three conditions apply:
- You are enrolled at a qualifying university, secondary school or vocational school abroad when you apply.
- You stay abroad for that study.
- Your usual home was in the Netherlands until the study began.
Article 32 sets this residence exception. Ask the municipality which evidence it needs.
Start lessons early. Plan for a period without driving if your foreign driving rights end before you pass the exams, apply and collect the Dutch card.
For a car-theory exam in a language other than Dutch or English, book an exam with an interpreter. Arrange an official interpreter through a CBR-approved service at least 14 days before the exam. Pay the interpreting service separately.
Check common problems and special cases
An expired licence may still qualify under the EU, EFTA or earlier-Dutch-licence rules. The table starts with those cases, then covers Ukrainian temporary protection and professional categories. Check the evidence you need before handing in your original licence.
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| Situation | Rule | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Expired EU or EFTA licence | It can normally be exchanged. An expired Icelandic, Liechtenstein or Swiss licence needs an original no-objection statement from the issuing authority. | Ask the municipality which original statement and translation it accepts. |
| Earlier Dutch licence | Your foreign licence was issued in exchange for a Dutch licence valid after 30 June 1985. Only the old Dutch categories return. The foreign licence may have expired, provided expiry is the only reason it is invalid. | Bring the old Dutch licence or its details. Ask RDW to verify your history and whether the expiry exception applies. |
| Ukrainian licence with residence code 46 | The temporary-protection rule allows continued driving with a valid or expired Ukrainian licence. Exchange is available only with the 30% facility. | Use the Ukrainian-licence section of the RDW driving-period rules rather than the general 185-day row. |
| Professional or extra categories | Only recognised categories transfer. Code 95 (professional-driver qualification) follows separate rules. | Ask RDW what will appear on the Dutch licence before surrendering the original. |
Before moving, check your licence’s issuing country and expiry date. Gather any required proof of residence during a one-year period in which you obtained it. The official NetherlandsWorldwide moving checklist (External site, opens in a new tab) includes licence checks. The Documents to prepare before moving to the Netherlands guide covers other paperwork.
After arrival, plan the municipality and CBR actions around your driving deadline. Keep copies of your licence, decision letters, application receipt and RDW correspondence. RDW and your municipality decide your individual application.
Use these guides to plan your arrival and transport:
Official Sources
- RDW: Exchanging a foreign driving licence (External site, opens in a new tab) - the current country/category list, BRP and residence-status conditions, 30% facility and earlier-Dutch-licence routes, documents, surrender and processing rules
- RDW: Driving with a foreign driving licence (External site, opens in a new tab) - the EU/EFTA validity periods, non-EU/EFTA 185-day period, rule for a licence issued after Dutch registration, Ukraine exception and no extension while processing
- RDW: Hoe werkt het halen van een rijbewijs (External site, opens in a new tab) - RDW’s simplified residence guidance, applying at the gemeente from the day after the exam with ID and a colour passport photo, the Verklaring van geschiktheid, and the 10-year validity of a Dutch licence
- CBR: Buitenlands rijbewijs omwisselen (External site, opens in a new tab) - when a health declaration is needed, the six-month planning advice and the CBR exam route when exchange is unavailable
- CBR: Wat kost een Gezondheidsverklaring? (External site, opens in a new tab) - the €46.90 price of the health declaration, filling it in and paying on Mijn CBR, and that bills for extra doctor's examinations are your own cost
- CBR: Rijbewijs aanvragen, verlengen of omwisselen na een besluit (External site, opens in a new tab) - that you must exchange or apply within 1 year of the CBR decision on your health declaration; after a year the decision expires and you fill in a new one
- CBR: Wat kost het halen van een autorijbewijs? (External site, opens in a new tab) - the 2026 CBR fees: €50.50 Dutch theory, €57 English theory and €143.50 practical, plus driving-school charges
- CBR: Tarieven CBR 2026 gemiddeld 3,6 procent hoger (External site, opens in a new tab) - the 2026 tariff decisions confirming theory €50.50, practical exam €143.50 and Gezondheidsverklaring €46.90
- Gemeente Amsterdam: foreign-licence exchange (External site, opens in a new tab) - Amsterdam’s €64.65 exchange fee in 2026, photo and document requirements, and the 2–4-week wait for the RDW letter
- Gemeente Den Haag: foreign-licence exchange (External site, opens in a new tab) - The Hague’s €53.65 exchange fee, document surrender and return to the issuing country, conditions and collection rules in 2026
- Belastingdienst: Coming to work in the Netherlands – 30% facility (External site, opens in a new tab) - the expatregeling for employees recruited from abroad and its valid-decision condition; RDW sets the licence-exchange rules
- NetherlandsWorldwide: checklist for moving to the Netherlands (External site, opens in a new tab) - the pre-move instruction to check the issuing-country rules and foreign-licence driving period
- Reglement rijbewijzen: Article 46 (External site, opens in a new tab) - the legal validity, health-registration and 185-day issuing-country residence conditions for non-EU/EFTA exchange
- RDW: Buitenlands rijbewijs omwisselen (External site, opens in a new tab) - Dutch source for expiry, documents, surrender, processing, driving while waiting and insurance
- RDW: Rijden met een buitenlands rijbewijs (External site, opens in a new tab) - Dutch source for driving periods, the two-year heavy-category example and Ukrainian temporary protection
- RDW: Gezondheidsverklaring aanvragen (External site, opens in a new tab) - health-declaration conditions, including the AM-only exception, medical decisions and their one-year registration period
- RDW: Rijbewijscategorieën (External site, opens in a new tab) - the meanings of licence category letters
- CBR: Je theorie-examen auto aanvragen (External site, opens in a new tab) - booking theory through Mijn CBR
- CBR: Machtigen rijschool voor reserveren praktijkexamen auto (External site, opens in a new tab) - authorising the driving school through Mijn CBR to reserve the practical exam
- CBR: Praktijkexamen auto (External site, opens in a new tab) - theory pass and medical fitness before the practical exam
- RDW: Code 95 op rijbewijs beroepschauffeurs (External site, opens in a new tab) - professional-driver qualifications follow separate rules
- RDW: Kenteken overschrijven op naam van persoon (External site, opens in a new tab) - vehicle registration, insurance and tax obligations are separate from licence exchange
- Staatsblad (official gazette) 2008, 490: earlier-Dutch-licence expiry exception (External site, opens in a new tab) - the legal exception when the foreign licence was issued in exchange for an earlier Dutch licence, for the same categories, and only expiry made it invalid
- Staatsblad 2000, 229: issuing-country residence period (External site, opens in a new tab) - the one-year period containing issuance and the 185-day residence condition; the earlier-Dutch-licence residence exception
- Raad van State (Council of State): judgment 201206662/1/A3 (External site, opens in a new tab) - the earlier-Dutch-licence exchange condition and the 30 June 1985 cutoff
- Staatscourant (government gazette) 2020, 64643: learner-licence exclusions (External site, opens in a new tab) - exclusions for provisional licences and learner permits from Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar and Guernsey
- NetherlandsWorldwide: International Driving Permit (External site, opens in a new tab) - an international driving permit is a translation used with the original licence
- Staatsblad 2017, 298: Article 32 residence and education routes (External site, opens in a new tab) - Dutch residence at application plus either 184 days in the preceding year or six months of qualifying Dutch education; the residence exception for qualifying study abroad
- CBR: Welk theorie-examen voor de auto past bij jou? (External site, opens in a new tab) - For a car-theory exam in a language other than Dutch or English, book an exam with an interpreter. Arrange an official interpreter through a CBR-approved service at least 14 days before the exam. Pay the interpreting service separately.