Can I use my Dutch driving licence abroad?
If you have a Dutch driving licence and are going to drive abroad, check whether it is valid in your situation.
Whether you're in the Netherlands or abroad, you are only allowed to drive if you have a valid driving licence. Driving with an expired licence is an offence and you will not be insured in the event of an accident. So you should always check before your trip how long your licence will be valid.
I am or will be travelling abroad
If you are going abroad for a temporary stay (up to 8 months), for example for a holiday or for work, you may be able to drive using your Dutch driving licence. This depends on whether you are going to a country in the European Union (EU) or not.
If you have a valid Dutch driving licence you can drive in any EU country and in Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. If your driving licence was issued by a country that is not part of the EU and you then exchanged it for a Dutch driving licence, you will also be able to use it in all of these countries.
In some cases you will need an International Driving Permit in addition to your Dutch driving licence. This is a translation of your Dutch driving licence into several languages.
Check which countries require you to have an International Driving Permit
If you are going to a country that is not part of the EU for a temporary stay, you will be able to use your Dutch driving licence in most countries.
International Driving Permit
In some cases you will need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in addition to your Dutch driving licence. This is a translation of your Dutch driving licence into several languages.
Check which countries require you to have an International Driving Permit (information in Dutch)
Local driving licence
In some countries, you are not allowed to drive with a Dutch driving licence together with an International Driving Permit (IDP). You will need a driving licence issued by the country in question. These can usually be bought after you have shown your Dutch driving licence and International Driving Permit (IDP) and are generally valid for the duration of your visit.
Check what you should do if you want to drive in the following countries (information in Dutch):
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Cambodia
- China
- Dominica
- Ethiopia
- Grenada
- Guinea-Bissau
- Myanmar
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Sri Lanka
I live, or will be living, outside the Netherlands
If you live outside the Netherlands or plan to do so, your Dutch driving licence will not always be valid in your country of residence. This depends on whether you live, or will be living, in a country the European Union (EU) or not.
If you live, or will be living, in another EU country, you will be able to use your Dutch driving licence until it expires.
If your driving licence was issued by a country that is not part of the EU and you then exchanged it for a Dutch driving licence, not all EU countries will accept your exchanged licence as valid. This applies for instance to Germany and France. Contact the organisation responsible for issuing driving licences in your new country of residence. They can tell you whether your driving licence is valid there, and if not what you will need to do if you wish to drive a vehicle.
If your Dutch driving licence expires soon, you will not be able to renew it. You can however exchange it for a driving licence issued by the country where you live.
If you live outside the EU or plan to do so, you will not always be able to use your Dutch driving licence in your new country of residence. Contact the organisation responsible for issuing driving licences in the country where you live. They can tell you what you will need to do if you wish to drive a car there.
If your Dutch driving licence is accepted in your country of residence, but it is due to expire soon, you can apply to the RDW to renew your Dutch driving licence from abroad.