About the pilot licence and operator number

Insurances and flight permits

See what the rules are for flying a drone and whether your drone must be insured on the website of Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT).

Showing your pilot licence

Keep your pilot licence well. You must be able to show it while flying (printed out or on your cell phone). You can also easily and quickly find your pilot licence in our RDW vehicle app. For more information, see Viewing your data (only available in Dutch).

Under the age of 16

Young people under the age of 16 with a pilot licence may only fly when accompanied by someone over 16 with a pilot licence.

Flying someone else's drone

Are you using someone else's drone? If so, you must attach your own operator number to the drone. You must also have your own pilot licence that is required for that type of drone. Also, the same flying rules apply to you as to the owner. Every pilot is personally responsible for all the risks involved in flying a drone. This also applies to damage caused by the drone.

Attaching an operator number to your drone

Do you have an operator number? If so, you need to attach it to your drone.You only need to attach the part before the dash to the outside of the drone in a clearly visible way. For example, with a sticker. Leave out the last 3 letters. Does your drone have software that allows you to program the number? If so, you must also program the complete number.

Validity pilot licence

The pilot licence is valid for 5 years from the date you pass the online theory exam. After 5 years you take another exam and apply for a new pilot licence.

Validity operator number

The operator number is valid for 1 year. Six weeks before it expires, you will receive an email to remind you to renew your operator number. You can renew the operator number from then on. The expiration date will then remain the same extended by 1 year. You always remain responsible for renewing on time.

Since 29 November 2021, we have been issuing a new model of pilot licence. That model is also in English and holds a QR code, among other things.

By scanning the QR code, you will arrive at an internet page where you can read all the information on the pilot licence. The QR code is easy to read with a QR reading app or the camera function on the mobile phone.

1. Logo European Aviation Authority: EASA
2. Issuing country: NL (Netherlands)
3. Logo registration authority: RDW
4. Category or categories for which the pilot licence is valid 'A1/A3' or ' A1/A3 and A2' or 'A1/A3 and STS
5. Legal name of the pilot licence
6. Personal details of the pilot (first name in full, other first names only an initial), document number and expiry date of the pilot licence
7. QR code referring to web page with the data associated with the pilot licence

The most recent proposal from the EASA (Notice of Proposed Amendment September 2021, NPA-2021) has been used for this pilot licence.

Until 29 November 2021, the RDW issued a pilot licence without QR code. This document is only in Dutch and looks like this:

1. Logo European Aviation Authority: EASA
2. Issuing country: The Netherlands
3. Logo registration authority: RDW
4. Category or categories for which the pilot licence is valid
5. Legal name of the pilot licence
6. Personal details of the pilot, document number and expiry date of the pilot licence

This pilot licence complies with the standards of the EASA Regulation of July 2020.