Exchanging a foreign driving licence

• You can exchange an EU/EFTA driving licence.
• Is your driving licence not from an EU/EFTA country? Then check the list of countries. Do you have a driving licence from a country that is not on the list, for example a driving licence from America? Then you cannot exchange.
• Do you benefit from the 30% tax rule? Then you can exchange your driving licence (from any country).

You must have lived in the country for 185 days in the year you obtained the licence. Only then can you exchange.

Driving licences from countries outside the EU/EFTA that can be exchanged

You will get the licence category listed below. Do you have a driving licence from a country that is not on the list, for example a driving licence from America? Then exchange is not possible.

Country	Category
Andorra	Category B (passenger car)
Canadian province of Alberta	Category B (class 5, passenger car)
Canadian province of Québec	Category B (class 5, passenger car)
Gibraltar	All categories
Great Britain	All categories (the BE category only if you have taken a separate exam for this)
Guernsey	All categories
Israel	Category B (passenger car)
Japan	Categories A and B (1B, passenger cars and motorcycles with cylinder capacities of more than 400 cm3)
Jersey	All categories
Isle of Man	All categories
Monaco	All categories
North Ireland	All categories
Singapore	Category A (class 2, motorcycles with cylinder capacities of more than 400 cc), category B (class 3, passenger car)
Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)	Category B (passenger car)
Former Netherlands Antilles (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten)	All categories
South Korea	Category B (1st and 2nd class ordinary licence)

Previously held a Dutch driving licence?

Do you have a driving licence from a country that has no agreement with the Netherlands? But have you had a Dutch driving licence in the past that was valid after June 30, 1985? If so, it is possible to exchange your driving licence. You will then get the same categories you had on your Dutch driving licence.

1. Please, bring the following
   • A colour passport photo. View the photo matrix for requirements.
   • Your foreign driving licence. Do you have a driving licence with characters not used in the Netherlands, such as Japanese or Greek? Then you must have the licence translated by a certified translator, the embassy or consulate.
   • Any expired Dutch driving licence if you have one.
   • Proof of approval (‘Beschikking Bewijsregel’) from the Dutch tax authorities if you are in the Netherlands for work. See If you are in the Netherlands for work.
   • A health certificate from the Dutch driving test organisation CBR if you have a driving licence from outside the EU/EFTA. You may need this certificate for EU/EFTA driving licence, too. Please check the CBR website.
2. Complete the application form and pay the fee. These vary by municipality.
3. Your municipality will forward the application with all documents to us. Only the municipality can submit the application.
4. Is everything correct? If so, you will receive a letter within 15 working days. This states that you can collect your Dutch driving licence from the municipality after 5 working days. If we need more information, we will send you a letter. This explains what information we need from you. The exchange will then take longer.
5. Your driving licence will not be returned to you.

Additional documents required in the case of expired driving licences from Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland

Do you have an expired driving licence from Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland? Then bring an original statement from the issuing authority stating that it has no objection to the issuance of a Dutch driving licence.

Are you from Ukraine and does the Temporary Protection Directive (residence permit 46) apply to you? Then you may continue to drive with your Ukrainian driving licence. Even if it has expired. You can also take a theory and practical exam and apply for a Dutch driving licence.

You cannot exchange a Ukrainian driving licence. Only if the 30% tax rule applies to you. Read more at If you are in the Netherlands for work. Do you have a driving licence from an EU/EFTA country? Then you can exchange if you meet all the conditions. Read more about the conditions under the heading 'Conditions for exchange' at the top of the page.

Are you in the Netherlands for work as a highly skilled migrant? If so, the 30% tax ruling may apply to you. You can exchange your foreign driving licence from any country for a Dutch driving licence. You get all the categories that your foreign driving licence has.

To exchange your foreign driving licence these 2 conditions apply: 

• Your foreign driving licence is still valid.
• You have lived 185 days in the country in the year you obtained your driving licence.

To apply for a Dutch driving licence, you will need a valid Proof of approval (Beschikking Bewijsregel) from the Dutch tax authorities. You can apply for this together with your employer.

You can decide to continue driving during the application. You may drive a vehicle if you have a valid driving licence to do so. If you are stopped by the police as a driver, you must be able to show your driving licence. The police may fine you if you cannot do so. The chances of the police stopping you are small if you follow traffic rules. It may occur (for example, during a traffic stop)? Then the police can check with us to see if an exchange request was made and if you turned in a valid driving licence. So, the chance of a fine is small, but still exists. It is up to you whether or not to take this risk.

The Public Prosecutor’s Penalty Database (Boetebase) shows the fine for failing to show a driving licence.

Passport or identity card

If you do go driving, make sure you can show a document that proves who you are (identify yourself). These documents include your passport or identity card.

Insurance

Do you have a valid driving licence and insurance? Then you are insured as usual. Even if you cannot show the driving licence at that time. For more information, contact your insurer.

Other countries

We do not recommend driving in other countries during the application. They cannot always retrieve the data. And foreign rules and consequences may be different.

Do you no longer want to use a category on your driving licence ? You can give up this category. To do this, you fill out a so-called waiver form.

Recover category

You have not permanently lost your category. When you go to renew your licence, you can get the licence category back. You must then complete a health statement.

Waiver foreign driving licence(pdf, 175kb)