Driving License

How does it work?

You need a license to drive a moped, car, truck, tractor or other motor vehicle.

How long is my driver's license valid?

The validity of your driver's license B (passenger car) depends on your age.

• Are you under the age of 65? Then your driver's license is valid for 10 years.
• Are you between the ages of 65 and 70? Then your driver's license is valid until your 75th birthday.
• Are you between the ages of 70 and 75? Then your driver's license is valid for 5 years.
• Are you older than 75 years of age? Then your driver's license is valid for a maximum of 5 years.
• License C (truck) and license D (bus) are valid for up to 5 years.

Driving license for young people up to 18 years of age

From the age of 17 you can get your driver's license. Until age 18, you must then drive under the supervision of a coach sitting next to you. For example, one of your parents can become a coach. You may have up to 5 coaches.

When do I need a Statement of Health?

Sometimes you need a Health Declaration. With this, CBR assesses whether you are mentally and physically capable of driving. This is important for traffic safety.

You need a Health Declaration in the following situations:

• You are applying for a practical exam for the first time or you want a category extension to your license.
• You want to obtain or renew driver's license C and/or D.
• You have a medical disability.
• Your driver's license has been taken.
• You are 75 years of age or older.

When do I need a medical examination?

You must be medically examined before applying for a driver's license in the following situations:

• You have a medical disability.
• You are 75 years old or older and your driver's license is expiring.
• You need a driver's license for truck or bus.

Start your medical examination well before your driver's license expires.
Don't start on time? Then your license may expire while you have not yet been examined. You will then be (temporarily) prohibited from driving.

What do I need?

• A good-looking passport photo not older than 6 months at the time of application. This passport photo meets the passport photo requirements.
• Cash or a debit card. You pay directly at the time of application.
• When applying for your first driver's license: a valid passport or identity card.
• When renewing your driver's license: the driver's license you already have. If it is no longer valid, please also bring a valid passport or identity card.

License pickup

You pick up your driver's license in person at the municipality. Bring your old driver's license with you.

Request

You can apply for your driver's license in three ways.

1. In person at the municipality counter

You make an appointment for this at the municipality. Apply for your (new) driving license at the counter. You pay for the application at the desk. After 5 working days you can collect your license without an appointment.

Make an appointment

2. Online application through the municipality's website

You already fill in your details online and pay for the application. You need DigiD for an online application. After your online application, make an appointment and visit the counter in person. Here you sign the application, show your old driving license and submit your passport photograph. Even if your license is lost or stolen. After 5 working days you can pick up your license without an appointment. You cannot make an urgent application online.

Online application for driver's license via municipality website

3. Directly at the RDW

This is an application without the intervention of the municipality. You go to an RDW approved photo guru. He will take a digital passport photo of you. You place your signature with the photographer. The photographer sends your passport photo and signature securely to the RDW. You receive an e-mail from the RDW for the online application of your driving license at the RDW. After 2 working days you can pick up your driving license at the municipality without an appointment. 

Application directly to the RDW

Make an urgent request

• Do you need your driver's license quickly? Then make an urgent application.
• A rush application cannot be made with an online application through the municipality's website, nor with the RDW.
• If you request an emergency driver's license in person before 2 p.m. at the front desk, you can pick it up the next business day. This does cost extra money.

Driving license lost or stolen

• Have you lost or had your driver's license stolen?
• Then first report this online to the RDW. For this you need DigiD. Do you not have DigiD? Then report the loss to the municipality.
• Then apply for a new driver's license at the municipality. Bring a color passport photo and valid identification.

Driver's license application for under 18s

Have you obtained your driver's license and are not yet 18? Then you may only drive when a coach is sitting next to you. A coach can be, for example, one of your parents or guardians. You may have a maximum of 5 coaches.

Rules coaches

• As a coach, you register with the RDW.
• After the coach registers, the driver applies for a companion pass.
• After you receive the companion pass, you can apply for the driver's license at the municipality.

Applying for a driver's license based on false information is punishable. (Art. 225 Criminal Code)

In case of an incorrect or false declaration of loss, the new driving license including all categories will be declared invalid. (art. 114 and 224 Road Traffic Act)

When your driver's license is stolen in a burglary or robbery, you do not have to pay an administration fee. The administration fee is in addition to the cost of a new driver's license.

What does it cost?

The Health Declaration 75+ (GV) costs €45.25

The administrative fee for a missing driving license is €30.00 

How long does it take?

• You can pick up your driver's license at the municipality after about a week.
• If you made an urgent application before 2 p.m., you can usually pick up your driver's license the next business day.

Additional information

Driver's licenses have a new chip. This chip allows you to log in to DigiD. Was your driver's license issued after July 1, 2023? Then you will receive a letter from DigiD within 5 working days after picking it up. This letter contains a pin code. With this you can activate the login function.

For more information, visit the RDW website.

Beginner's License

Everyone who gets their first driver's license is a beginner.It doesn't matter how old you are. Or what type of vehicle the license is for. How long you are a novice driver depends on your age.

• If you are 18 or older, you are a 5-year novice driver.
• 17-year-olds are 7 years of novice driver.

Novice drivers get a beginner's license. This is a regular driver's license, but with a penalty point system for serious traffic violations. For more information, visit the Rijksoverheid site.

Military driver's license

A Dutch military driving license is not valid outside the military organization. However, you can exchange the military driving license for a normal driving license at the municipality. You must do this within 3 years after the military license was issued.

Foreign driving license

A valid foreign driver's license allows you to drive in the Netherlands for a certain amount of time. This depends on the country where your license was issued. For more information, visit the RDW website .

In some cases you can exchange your foreign driving license for a Dutch driving license. Check out the RDW's Requirements .

If a foreign driving license from an EU or EFTA country, Aruba or the former Netherlands Antilles is missing, you must submit a certificate of authenticity. You can request this from the foreign authority that issued the driving license. 

A health certificate from the CBR is often required if you have a driving license from outside the EU/EFTA.
For driving licenses from the EU/EFTA, you sometimes also need it. Check the CBR website for this. 

You make the choice whether to continue driving during the application. You may drive a vehicle if you have a valid driver's license to do so. If you are stopped as a driver by the police, you must be able to show your driver's license. The police may fine you if you cannot. The chances of the police stopping you are small if you follow the traffic rules. Does this happen anyway (for example at a traffic control)? Then the police can check with us whether an exchange request was made and whether you handed in a valid driving license. The chance of a fine is therefore small, but present. It is up to you whether or not to take this risk.

The Prosecutor's Office's (OM's) Fine Base shows the fine for not being able to show a driver's license.

Code 95

• Code 95 must be on your driver's license if you want to drive a bus or truck for work.
• This code demonstrates your fitness for work.
• Have you passed the exams and tests? Then apply to the municipality for a new driver's license.
• The code 95 will appear on your new driver's license after category C and/or D.
• Were you born before July 1, 1955? If so, new rules apply to you as of December 1, 2020.
• Learn more about Code 95 at the CBR.