Exchange a driving licence from EU/EEA or Switzerland

• Go in person to the Public Service counter at City Hall Spui or the Leyweg City Office to exchange your driving licence.
• A municipal official will take your foreign driving licence. You will get a copy and a receipt.
• The municipal official will forward your application and foreign driving licence to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW).
• Has everything been approved? You will get a notification from the RDW when you can collect the driving licence at the municipality. Your Dutch driving licence is valid for a maximum of 10 years.
• You pick up your driving licence in person at Begin link: City Hall Spui or the Leyweg City Office, end link. (depending on where you applied for it). You must collect it within 3 months after you apply for it. After that the document will be invalidated and the municipality will be obliged to destroy it. Do you still want a driving licence after this 3-month period? Then you have to fill in a new application and pay for it again.
• You will not get your old driving licence back. The RDW will send it to the country which issued it.

• A passport photo. There are strict requirements for passport photos. Read these requirements on the Begin external link: website of the Government of the Netherlands(External link), end external link..
• Begin link: A valid form of identification, end link. .
• The driving licence you want to exchange. You will not get it back.
• Would you like to exchange a driving licence which is only written in an alphabet which is not used in the Netherlands (for example, Japanese)? Then you will need to bring a translation of the driving licence with you to the municipal counter. The translation must be made by a sworn translator, the embassy or the consulate.
• A Begin link: Statement of Health, end link. , depending on your situation.
• Are you a foreign student? Then you also need to provide proof of enrolment from your educational institute.
• Have you lost your foreign driving licence or has it been stolen? Then you will need to submit a police report or a declaration of loss from the municipality. You will also need to submit an original certified declaration (not older than 6 months) from the authority which issued the driving licence. The declaration should state whether the driving licence is still valid and when it was issued.

You are registered in the Municipality of The Hague.

Look at all the conditions on the Begin external link: website of the RDW(External link), end external link..

Citizenship requirements

To obtain a Dutch driving licence, you must meet 1 of the following conditions:

• You are a citizen of 1 of the Begin external link: EU countries(External link), end external link., Begin external link: EEA countries(External link), end external link. or Switzerland.
• You have a valid residence permit.

Exchanging a driving licence costs € 51.10 (in 2024) or € 52.10 (in 2025).

These fees must be paid upfront when you submit your application. You can pay in cash or use a bank card at City Hall Spui. You can only use a bank card at the Leyweg City Office. Unfortunately it is not possible to pay with a credit card.

The Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) will notify you when you can pick up your driving licence at the municipality. Your Dutch driving licence is valid for a maximum of 10 years.

Make an appointment to exchange your driving licence.

• Begin link: Exchange a driving licence from outside EU/EEA or Switzerland, end link.
• Begin external link: Which countries are members of the EU/EEA?(External link), end external link. (website of the IND)
• Begin external link: Exchanging a foreign driving licence(External link), end external link. (website of the RDW)
• Begin external link: Participating in Dutch Traffic(External link), end external link. (Government.nl)
• Begin external link: Road Traffic Signs and Regulations in the Netherlands(External link), end external link. (Government.nl)