Apply for driver's license

Do you want to renew your driver's license because it is about to expire? Or have you gained an additional category? You can arrange this easily and quickly online via RDW. You can pick up your license after 2 working days at the town hall. Are you applying for a driving license for the first time? Or has your license been lost or stolen? Then make an appointment at the municipality.

Rule at RDW

Make an appointment

Approach

Digital renewal

Do you want to renew your driver's license? Or have you added a category? You can quickly and easily arrange this digitally at the RDW.

You have a passport photo taken by an RDW photographer or an RDW photo booth. This may also be done in another municipality.
The photographer or photo booth sends your passport photo and signature digitally to RDW.
RDW will send you an e-mail or text message.
You can renewyour driver's license digitally on the RDW website. You pay with iDEAL.
Pick up your driver's license after a notice at the municipality. Bring your old driver's license with you. You do not need to make an appointment.

Applying to the municipality

You always make an appointment to apply for the driver's license at the municipality if:

You passed a driver's license for the first time.
You want to exchange a driver's license. (For example, exchange a foreign driver's license)
Your driver's license is lost, stolen or badly damaged
you need a driver's license quickly.

Bring to your appointment

a photo taken according to the rules
your proof of identity
Debit card or cash. You pay for your driver's license at the time of application. Please pay by debit card.
possibly a health certificate. Request it online from CBR.
Your old driver's license, if you want to renew or replace your license.

Cost

Rates 2025

€52.10 (online) application for a driver's license
€13.80 extra if you report loss or theft to the municipality
Free if you report the loss or theft online at the RDW
€ 39.65 extra for urgent application
€ 45.25 health declaration 75-plus

Please pay by pin.

Apply for a health certificate (self-declaration) with medical certificate online at the CBR. Apply only on the CBR website . Other websites sometimes charge extra.

Description

You need a valid driver's license to drive a car or motorcycle on public roads. You cannot apply for your license until you have passed your driving test.

Validity

A driver's license for car or motorcycle is valid for 10 years. Are you older than 65? Then your driver's license is not valid for as long. This is because you must have a medical examination from the age of 75. Read more about your driving license from age 75 on Rijksoverheid.nl.

Foreign driving license

Has your driving license not been issued by the Netherlands, but by another EU country or an EFTA country? Then you may use that driving license in the Netherlands as long as it is valid.

17 years

If you are 17 years old, you can apply for a youth driving license. You may then drive a car with a companion next to you. To do this, you need to apply for a companion pass at the Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer (RDW). Read more about the youth driving license at 2todrive.nl.

Moped Driving License

Do you want to ride a scooter, moped or moped on public roads? Then you need a moped license.

You also need a moped license for:

electric bicycles that also have pedal assistance above 25 km per hour (such as some fatbikes, or a speed pedelec)
electric bikes with a throttle (such as some fatbikes). It then doesn't matter how fast the electric bike can go.
mopeds

A Canta is a disabled vehicle, just like a mobility scooter. You do not need a driver's license for it.

Do you already have a license to drive a car or motorcycle? Then that already counts as a moped license. You do not need to apply for a moped license.

Requirements

The main Requirements for applying for a driver's license are:

You have passed your driving test or you have a Dutch driving license.
You have the Dutch nationality, or the nationality of another person EU country or an EFTA country. Either one of these situations applies to you:
- You have a valid residence permit.
- You have Ukrainian nationality and are covered by the Temporary Protection Directive.
- You are in the Netherlands because of Association Decision 1/80 of the EEC/Turkey Association Council.
You lived in the Netherlands for at least 184 days in the past year.
You apply for your license or new category within 3 years of your driving test. Otherwise, you must take the exam again.
You are 18 years of age or older, or
You are 17 years old and you have a companion pass. You can apply for a companion pass through the RDW website.

Lost or stolen?

Has your driver's license been lost or stolen? Report it online at RDW. Then go to the municipality to apply for a new driving license. You do not have to report it to the police.

Term

After 5 working days, you can pick up the new driver's license at the municipality. You have 3 months to collect your driver's license.

Rush request

Does 5 business days take too long? Then apply for your driver's license with an urgent application. If you apply for the driver's license before 2 p.m., it will be ready after 2 working days at the latest. You do pay extra money for an urgent application.

Has your driver's license been lost? Then an urgent application is not always possible. Ask the municipality about this.

There is no need to make an appointment for pickup.