What categories of personal data does the RDW process? In the context of its statutory duties, the RDW processes the following personal data, among others:

• Information about you as a person, such as your name, title, date of birth, place of birth, gender and, for instance, vehicle registrations in your name and driving qualifications.
• Information about where you live or reside, such as your address details.
• Identifying numbers that are associated with you, such as your citizen service number, DigiD.
• And information relating to communication: E-mail address, IP address and where applicable, a correspondence address. 

The RDW also processes so-called ‘special categories of personal data’, but only information that is strictly necessary for the RDW to be able to perform its (statutory) duties and within the applicable legal framework. This is information concerning , for instance, a person’s health (e.g. the requirement to wear glasses) which we are required by law to record in the Driving Licenses Register.

Finally, the RDW may also process personal data concerning criminal convictions and criminal offenses, such as a “APK” (periodic vehicle technical inspection) fine that has been imposed or the requirement that a alcohol ignition interlock device be installed in a vehicle. 

What is the purpose of the processing and what are the legal bases for the RDW’s processing?

The RDW processes personal data in order to allow us to carry out our legal obligations and assigned tasks. The RDW never processes more data than strictly necessary.

The RDW processes personal data on the following legal bases:

• In order to comply with a legal obligation. Many of the RDW’s statutory obligations are set out in the Road Traffic Act. These statutory duties are aimed at safeguarding safety, sustainability and legal certainty in mobility;
• For the performance of a contract between the RDW and you as citizen, client or business relation;
• Where the RDW has a legitimate interest;
• and If the data subject has given consent for the processing.

In performing its statutory tasks, the RDW also uses automated decision making. Automated register comparisons are used to check for mandatory liability insurance for motor vehicles and to check that the APK requirement has been fulfilled, for instance. It is possible in this context to object to such a decision.

What retention period does the RDW use for personal data?

The RDW will only store personal data for as long as it is required for the for the purposes of the data processing it was collected for. We will also adhere to any legal or regulatory requirements for keeping or deleting the data(such as contained in the Road Traffic Act). 

With whom does the RDW exchange personal data?

In carrying out our legal obligations the RDW also shares personal data with other organisations. The sharing of personal data takes place with, among others:

• Government bodies that are responsible for implementing statutory schemes and public duties, (for instance, the tax authority, the public prosecution department, the judiciary, investigative agencies, the Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB), municipalities and the police);
• Certain categories of professionals designated by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management (for instance, insurance companies, solicitors);
• National Contact Points of the member states of the European Union, for the enforcement of traffic offences, for instance, and in connection with charges for road use (e.g. tolls or parking tax).
• Information providers designated by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management.

The vehicle register: Who else can retrieve data?

An important system managed by the RDW is the Vehicle Register. This contains information on the registered keeper of a vehicle. The Vehicle Register Data Processing Regulations 2009 and accompanying policy rules provide for the release of information from the Vehicle Register In principle, anyone can retrieve data from the Vehicle Register. This information concerns the characteristics of the vehicle exclusively.

Personal data are only provided from the Vehicle Register to the registered keeper, unless this individual has given prior consent for his/her data to be released to another party.

The RDW never releases personal data of, for instance, registered keepers to market parties such as car dealers or garages for marketing purposes.

The RDW ensures that the personal data that you provide to us are treated confidentially and are adequately protected. The RDW ensures appropriate that technical and organisational measures are in place to secure your personal data in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

The RDW holds the Privacy Audit-proof Quality Mark for the Vehicle Register. Every year, the RDW must demonstrate that it takes adequate measures to protect the privacy of citizens.

Data Protection Officer

The RDW has a Data Protection Officer. The Data Protection Officer advises the RDW on the protection of personal data and supervises compliance with the GDPR internally. You can easily contact the Data Protection Officer with any questions you may have about how the RDW handles your personal data. You can also contact the Data Protection Officer if you have a complaint about the processing of your personal data. You can do this in writing, by telephone or by email:

RDW Data Protection Officer
PO Box 777
2700 AT Zoetermeer
Telephone number: +31 79 345 79 05

Email: you can submit a question by email using the contact form.

If you have a complaint about the RDW's data processing, we ask that you contact the RDW's Data Protection Officer. You also have the right to contact the Dutch Supervisory Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, AP).

Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens
PO Box 93374
2509 AJ THE HAGUE

You have the right of access to your personal data. You also have the right to request the rectification, erasure or restriction of processing of your personal data and you can object to the use of your personal data. Because much of the data processed by the RDW is on the basis of a legal obligation, a request for data erasure or an objection to the processing of personal data will not always be granted.

If you want to know what personal information the RDW processes in relation to you, you can submit a written request to access this information. The RDW must inform you within one month about execution of your request.

If it emerges that your personal data are incorrect, incomplete or irrelevant, you can submit a request to have your personal data corrected or supplemented. You can submit a request as a “data subject”, authorised representative or legal guardian (of persons under the age of 16).

You may send a written request accompanied by a copy of valid means of identification and, if applicable, an authorization, to:

The RDW, Unit IV
Re: GDPR request concerning personal data
PO Box 30000
9640 RA Veendam

If you have other questions about the rights you have under the GDPR in relation to the processing of your personal data, you can also contact the RDW’s Unit IV using the details above.

The RDW's websites use cookies. These are small, simple text files that are placed on your computer, tablet or cell phone when you visit the RDW’s websites. If you visit the website again using the same device, the information in these files is consulted, so that the RDW recognises you.

Three types of cookies are used:

1. Necessary cookies Some cookies are necessary to enable a better functioning RDW.nl. It means you do not need to re-enter certain information each time, such as your user name and preferences.
2. Cookies that improve the website In addition to necessary cookies, the RDW uses cookies to make the website better and more user-friendly. These are so-called tracking cookies. The information these cookies collect is used to investigate how the website can be improved. These cookies are used to follow visitors’ browsing behavior. The data used cannot be traced back to an individual person. The cookies are not used by parties other than the RDW. You can block the placing of cookies. You configure this via your browser's privacy settings. Refusing cookies could result in you no longer being able to use all the functionalities of the website, however.
3. Cookies from third-party websites In certain sections of the RDW websites, cookies are placed by third-party websites. These are convenient extra features: such as a Google map with interactive directions, a Facebook “like” button or the possibility of re-tweeting something. Because of these cookies, the website you are viewing “knows” whether you are logged into Google, Facebook or Twitter.

Tracking pixels

A tracking pixel is a pixel that is incorporated in an element of a web page and can be used to record someone's browsing behavior. The RDW does not use tracking pixels to share the browsing behavior of website visitors with other parties. Tracking pixels are exclusively used to ensure specific functionality is working properly within the RDW's website(s) (for instance, in checking whether a web form has been filled out and sent by the user).