HomeEnglishExchanging a foreign driving licence for a Dutch driving licence
Exchanging a foreign driving licence for a Dutch driving licence
If you are going to live in The Netherlands, you may continue to drive with the driving licence for another 185 days. After that, you have to exchange the driving licence via your municipality. Please make an appointment online in the town hall. RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority) evaluates your application. Have you obtained your driving licence in a country outside the European Union? In that case, a licence exchange is usually not possible. You will then have to take a driving test again.
You can only exchange the foreign driving licence if:
you are listed in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP).
you have a valid residence permit.
you have a driving licence from the European Union (EU) and Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland or Switzerland.
A valid passport or identity card.
Your valid driving licence. A driving licence from the European Union may not be valid any more. Do you have a non-valid driving licence from Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland? Then you must prove that your foreign driving licence organisation agrees to issue you with a Dutch driving licence.
A passport photo that complies with the passport photo requirements. The passport photo may not be older than 6 months.
In some cases, you will need a health declaration.
Have you obtained your driving licence in a country outside the European Union? Then in most cases you have to take the driving test again. Except if your country is on the list of countries outside the European Union for which exchange does apply.
Are you in the Netherlands for work? Then it is possible that you fall under the ‘30% rule’ of the tax authorities. In this case, you can always exchange your foreign driving licence. It does not matter from which country you come. Your employer must arrange this for you.
