Exchanging your foreign driving licence

If you can exchange, you take no exams at all. Here is who qualifies, what to bring to your gemeente, and how long you are left without a licence.

means trading your foreign licence for a Dutch one without taking any exams. The application always goes through your ; the assesses it.

What "exchanging" actually means

Exchanging is a document swap, not a new qualification. The recognises the licence you already earned abroad and issues you the Dutch equivalent in its place.

No exams, no lessons

You do not sit the theory or practical exam and you do not need a driving school. What happens is that your existing entitlement to drive is recognised.
You keep the same categories

The on your foreign licence carry over to the Dutch one. You do not gain categories you did not already hold.
You hand your old licence in

Your foreign licence goes to the RDW when you apply, and you do not get it back. Count on a few weeks with no licence in your pocket.
You arrange it at your gemeente

You apply in person at the where you are registered. They forward the application to the RDW, who assess it and produce the licence.

Is there a deadline to apply?

The 15 years and the 185 days are deadlines for driving, not for applying. Once they pass you may no longer drive on your foreign licence — but you can still start the exchange. How you get around in the meantime is then your problem.

EU, EEA and Switzerland

Your licence is even allowed to be expired when you exchange it. What you lose by waiting is the right to drive, not the right to exchange.

Outside the EU/EEA

Stricter here: the RDW cannot exchange an expired licence at all. Apply while your licence is still valid and inside your 185 days.

Who can exchange?

Anyone with a valid licence from the EU or (EEA plus Switzerland), provided you are registered in the .
Holders of a licence from a country on the RDW exchange list — see the full list below. The condition: you lived in that country for at least 185 days in the year you obtained the licence.
People covered by the (expat scheme) — for them no country list applies.
People who previously held a valid Dutch licence issued after 30 June 1985.

RDW: exchange a foreign driving licence

The full exchange list

Besides a licence from the EU or EFTA, you can also exchange a licence from one of these countries or territories — often only for specific categories. The condition still applies: you must have lived in that country for at least 185 days in the year you obtained the licence.

Andorra category B only
Canada — Alberta category B only
Canada — Québec category B only
Gibraltar all categories
Great Britain all categories (BE needs a separate exam)
Guernsey all categories
Isle of Man all categories
Israel category B only
Japan categories A and B
Jersey all categories
Monaco all categories
Northern Ireland all categories
Singapore categories A and B
Taiwan category B only
Former Netherlands Antilles (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten) all categories
South Korea category B only

This list can change — check the RDW's current list if in doubt. Not on it? You can still exchange if you're covered by the 30% ruling, or previously held a valid Dutch licence issued after 30 June 1985.

The 30% ruling exemption

What is the 30% ruling?

It is a tax arrangement for employees who come to the Netherlands from abroad for work that is hard to fill here. Your employer may pay out part of your salary tax-free as compensation for the extra costs of living here temporarily. You apply for it together with your employer at the Belastingdienst, and receive a as proof.

What does that mean for your licence?

If you are covered by it, you may no matter which country issued it. The RDW country list simply does not apply to you: no theory exam, no practical exam, no driving lessons. For many expats that saves months and a few thousand euros.

If you work in the Netherlands for an employer and hold a valid expat scheme decision from the Belastingdienst, you can regardless of the issuing country. That skips the entire exam route.

You apply for that decision together with your employer. Bring a copy to your appointment at the gemeente.

Partners and children registered at the same address can in practice usually use it as well, as long as the ruling is active. Have your gemeente or the RDW confirm this before you count on it.

What to bring

Your valid foreign driving licence (with a sworn translation if it is not in Latin script).
Valid proof of identity.
A recent passport photo that meets the Dutch requirements.
For a licence from outside the EU/EFTA: a certificate of fitness, via the in (€46.90).
For the 30% ruling: the expat scheme decision from the Belastingdienst.

How it works

1 You book an appointment at the municipality where you are registered and fill in the application form there.
2 The gemeente forwards your application and documents to the RDW. You cannot apply to the RDW directly.
3 The RDW assesses your application; expect around 15 working days, with your licence ready to collect a few days later.
4 You collect your Dutch licence at the gemeente and pay the there (around €50 — your gemeente sets the amount).

Important: you hand in your foreign licence and will not get it back. Without a licence on you, you cannot prove you are allowed to drive if you are stopped, and you risk a fine. Arrange other transport for the gap between handing it in and collecting the new one.

Proving you hold a Dutch licence

Lost your licence abroad, has an authority asked for official proof, or is your card simply lost or stolen here? There are three routes, all through the .

View your data in the driving licence register

You can look up your own driving licence data with the RDW and download it as a PDF. Useful for yourself, but it is not an authenticated document.
Request a certificate of authenticity

This one is an original, authenticated document, issued in English, with your details, your licence number and its date of issue. You apply for it at the RDW — for instance if you live abroad and have lost your licence.
Replace a lost or stolen licence

You don't need to file a police report. Report the loss or theft online with the RDW — it's free and blocks your licence immediately — then apply for a replacement in person at your gemeente. It gets the same expiry date as the original and is usually ready within about 5 working days. Find your old licence afterwards? It stays invalid — hand it in anyway.

Renewing your Dutch licence

A Dutch driving licence is normally valid for 10 years. From age 65 the terms get shorter, and from 75 you need an approved Health Declaration to renew.

Under 65

Your new licence is valid for 10 years, same as before. No Health Declaration needed unless you already had a medical condition on file or are adding a category.

65 to 70

Renew in this age bracket and your new licence is valid until your 75th birthday — which can end up longer or shorter than 10 years.

70 and older

Your licence is then valid for a maximum of 5 years. From 75 you also need an approved Health Declaration, assessed by a doctor and the CBR.

Renewing online with the RDW

Only works with a Dutch licence issued after 1 October 2006 that is not registered as lost or stolen.
You need the DigiD app with ID-check — a username and password alone is not enough.
You get a digital passport photo taken at an approved photographer, who sends it and your signature to the RDW. You receive an application code valid for 6 months.
You pay €53.65 online. After about 2 working days your new licence is ready to collect at your gemeente — pick it up within 3 months or the application lapses.

Don't meet the conditions for online renewal — for instance you're over 75 and need a Health Declaration — then you renew at your gemeente instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does the 30% ruling mean for my driving licence?

If you work in the Netherlands and hold a valid expat scheme decision from the Belastingdienst, you can exchange your licence regardless of the issuing country — so without a theory or practical exam. Bring the decision letter to your appointment at the gemeente.

Do I have to exchange within 15 years?

No. The 15 years is how long you may keep driving on an EU licence, not a deadline for your application. An EU or EFTA licence is even allowed to be expired when you exchange it. A licence from outside the EU/EFTA is different: once it has expired it can no longer be exchanged at all.

Can I drive while my exchange application is being processed?

You hand in your foreign licence when you apply and do not get it back, so you cannot show that you are allowed to drive if you are stopped, and you risk a fine. Count on being without a licence for around three weeks.

What other countries can I exchange my licence from?

Besides the EU and EFTA, Gibraltar, Great Britain, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Monaco, Northern Ireland and the former Netherlands Antilles are on the exchange list for all categories, and Andorra, Canada (Alberta and Québec), Israel, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea for specific categories. See the full list above.

How often do I need to renew my Dutch driving licence?

Every 10 years in principle. From age 65 the validity period gets shorter, and from 75 you need an approved Health Declaration to renew.

What do I do if I lose my Dutch driving licence or it gets stolen?

You don't need to file a police report. Report it free of charge online with the RDW — your licence is then blocked — and apply for a replacement in person at your gemeente. It's usually ready within about 5 working days and carries the same expiry date as the original.

Need to take the theory exam?

Practise in English with more than 1,700 questions. Every answer includes an explanation, and the mock exams follow the CBR format.

Sources

Rules and fees checked in September 2026. If anything is unclear, check the official source before you act.