How do I renew my Dutch driving licence?
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Detailed explanation, checklist and sources
Renew through RDW if you meet its online conditions; otherwise use your municipality. Check expiry, categories and any medical assessment first. You may not drive with an expired licence; applying does not extend its validity.
On this page
1. Check expiry and procedure
This guide concerns renewing a Dutch licence. Check the front and the expiry dates of individual categories on the back. A first licence, foreign licence, loss or confiscation needs a different procedure. Applying does not permit driving with an expired or invalid licence. Applying for your first driving licence after passing the test? Go to the municipality where you are registered with a valid passport or identity card and a colour passport photo. This is not an online renewal. For a lost or foreign licence or a special residence situation, first check the specific official procedure.
2. Choose RDW or your municipality
Online renewal requires, among other things, a Dutch licence issued after 1 October 2006, a Dutch BRP address and suitable DigiD with ID check or an eligible identity document with PIN. The licence may have expired but must not be reported lost or stolen. SMS verification alone is insufficient. If online renewal is unavailable, contact your municipality.
3. Arrange any medical assessment
A medical examination is required if your licence expires on or after your 75th birthday. Rijksoverheid advises submitting the health declaration four months before expiry. Category or health can also require assessment. Follow CBR instructions; starting four months ahead is no guarantee of a timely decision. CBR assesses fitness; RDW or the municipality renews the licence.
4. Prepare the online application
Have a digital photograph taken by an RDW-approved photographer or booth. They securely send the photo and signature to RDW. The application code you receive is valid for six months. Then apply and pay through RDW’s official service. An ordinary photo upload or having a photo taken alone does not complete the application.
5. Plan collection and costs
Check current fees: the licence, photo and any examination cost separately. RDW normally indicates two working days; applications from Friday through Monday may take three. Municipal counter applications normally take five working days. Medical assessment and local appointments are separate. Follow the collection notice and surrender your old licence. Need an urgent application? Ask your municipality about the earliest appointment, application cut-off time, collection date and surcharge. Local arrangements differ; urgency does not guarantee an earlier medical decision. Compare application fees, urgency surcharge, photo and any medical examination separately. Check current fees before paying.
RDW · Online verlengen en voorwaarden ↗
6. Check the result and get suitable help
RDW requires collection within three months; after that you must apply again. Ask the photographer or booth provider about a missing photo code, RDW about other online problems and the municipality about collection. Keep your own checklist; do not upload licence or medical records here. A disputed CBR decision has a separate appeal route.
May I drive while renewal is being processed?
Only if your licence is still valid and no other restriction applies. A pending application does not restore an expired or invalid licence.
Documents to prepare
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- Expiry and categories
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View the current application processSources
Need personal assistance? Request a lawyer through our chat. We explain the next step; submitting a request does not engage a lawyer. The links below support the legal information.
RDW · Online verlengen en voorwaarden ↗Rijksoverheid · Geldigheid en verlengen ↗Rijksoverheid · Verlengen vanaf 75 jaar ↗RDW · Rijbewijs ↗Gemeente Utrecht · Rijbewijs ↗Sources may be in Dutch. General information about Dutch law, not individual legal advice.