Where to exchange a foreign driving licence in the Netherlands

Applications start at your municipality, so pick your city

Only your municipality can send an exchange application to the RDW, so you apply where you are registered. Where you book, whether you phone first and when you collect the new licence once the RDW has checked your application all depend on the municipality.

About this serviceBrowse offices by city
1 office in Alkmaar

  • Alkmaar

    Stadskantoor Alkmaar — Mallegatsplein

    Mallegatsplein 10, 1815 AG Alkmaar

    Check whether your country’s licence qualifies, book an appointment and allow several weeks, as there is no urgent exchange.

    Book an appointmentOffice website+31 72 548 8888

    Bring the foreign licence, valid identity or residence document, compliant colour photo under six months old and payment card. RDW (Dutch vehicle and driving licence authority) may require a health declaration, translation, former Dutch licence or valid expat-ruling decision. Do not assume the application receipt authorises driving: you must still have a valid driving entitlement and may be fined if unable to show the licence. If your licence was issued outside the EU/EFTA and is nearing expiry, start the exchange process with the municipality before it expires. RDW says supplementary documents such as CBR (Dutch driving test and medical fitness assessor) health clearance can follow later; confirm submission arrangements with the municipality. If relying on the Ukrainian temporary-protection driving exception, check your status and RDW’s current guidance before applying ordinary driving deadlines. For an exchange, check the tax ruling and document-validity requirements separately: permission to drive with an expired Ukrainian licence does not guarantee that it can be exchanged.

Guides

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Netherlands

Driving license

Netherlands Foreign Licence Exchange

Validity, RDW exchange, and CBR tests

Find out if you can exchange your foreign driving licence in the Netherlands, calculate your validity deadlines, and prepare your municipal application.

Driving LicenceRDWCBR
14 min readRead guide

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Exchange a foreign driving licence

For newcomers with a licence from another country: who can exchange, what to bring and what happens if an exchange is not possible.

Exchange a licence in the Netherlands

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