Applying for a Dutch driving licence
- You need to apply for your driving licence in person at the municipality.
- You need to make an appointment to apply or renew your Dutch driving licence.
- Your driving license will be ready for you after 6 working days.
- You will need to pick up your driving license in person. You have to make an appointment for this.
- In general your Dutch driving licence will be valid for 10 years. Please check the front and back of your licence to confirm its validity.
Make an appointment
You can make an appointment online to apply for a driver's license.
Needed for the application
- A passport photo: strict rules apply to passport photos. Read the rules on the website of the Dutch Government.
- A valid form of identification and your old driving licence: is your driving licence still valid and clearly readable? Then you may use it as a valid form of identification as well.
- Enough funds to pay for the driving licence. The fees must be paid upfront when you submit your application.
Declaration of loss
Have you lost your driving licence? Or has it been stolen? Apply for a new driving licence or a replacement at the municipality. During the appointment you will fill in a declaration of loss for your old driving licence. The municipality will invalidate your old drivers licence.
Expedited application Dutch driving licence
Do you need your driving licence urgently? Then you can follow the expedited procedure. You will have to wait a maximum of 2 working days (if you submit the application before 2:00 p.m.). However, usually your driving licence will be ready for pick up the next day. Additional costs apply.
If no short term slot is available, contact us by phone (035-609 34 11 on working days between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.).
Make an appointment to pick up your driving license
You first need to apply for your driving licence. After you applied for a driving license the license will be ready for you after 6 working days. You need to make an appointment to pick up your driving license at the municipality.
Costs
| Driving licence application | Costs (euro) |
|---|---|
| Driving license | 41,60 |
| Extra costs expedited application | 34,10 |
If you are moving to the Netherlands and you have a foreign driving licence, you can continue to use this driving licence for a certain period. The length of this period depends on the country where you obtained your driving licence. After this period ends, you will need to have a Dutch driving licence. For more information please consult the RDW.
You can apply for an exchange of your foreign driving license at the municipality. You will need to make an appointment for this and come in person. Exchanging your foreign driving licence for a Dutch licence takes a minimum of two weeks. During this period you are not allowed to drive a vehicle. An expedited procedure is not possible in this application.
Please prepare well for your appointment and check your specific requirements and procedure at the RDW. For instance, whether you need a Statement of Health or a translation of your licence by a sworn translator to exchange your driving licence. If your application is incomplete, we are unable to accept it. .
You need a Statement of Health or a medical examination to renew your driving licence in certain cases:
- Your driving licence expires on or after your 75th birthday.
- For medical reasons.
- If your driving licence contains one of the following categories C, C1, C1E, CE, D, D1, D1E and/or DE (heavy vehicle driving licence) and you want to extend these categories on your new driving licence.
- In some cases a Statement of health is also needed when exchanging your foreign driving licence for a Dutch driving licence.
You can purchase this medical declaration from the Central Office for Motor Vehicle Driver Testing (CBR) Please note that the website is in Dutch). Inhabitants of Soest of 75 and over can also buy this Statement of health at the municipal counter. Please allow for long processing time at the CBR. A direct digital application with the CBR helps with the processing time. A Statement of Health costs € 41,50 (2022).
Adding extra categories to your driving licence
Do you already have a driving licence, for example for a passenger vehicle? Have you recently passed another category driving test, for example for a motorcycle? Then you need to apply for a new driving licence. Your new driving licence will show the new category.