Have you thought about buying a car in the Netherlands? Is your old car crumbling to pieces? Or have you just moved and are in search of your perfect Dutch car?
You’ve gone through opening a bank account in the Netherlands, worked yourself silly, and stuffed that account full of euros for your car.
Although it may seem like scary foreign territory, we can help you make sense of it all. Here are seven things you need to know about buying a car in the Netherlands — if we can do it, then you can do it too!
Buying a car in the Netherlands is a big investment — so naturally, you’ll want to do it right. We’ve teamed up with Univé, the experts in car insurance, to tell you everything you need to know when buying a car in the Netherlands.
1. You need to have the correct driving license
Before you even begin the whole task of buying a car in the Netherlands, you need to hold a valid driver’s license in order to actually hit the road. In the Netherlands, that means you need to have an EU/EFTA license.
If you already hold one, then this means that you can drive on this license for 15 years or until it runs out (then you must switch to a Dutch one).
If you have a foreign licence, you can exchange it for a Dutch one as long as it’s on this list. To do so, you will need to make an appointment with your local Stadhuis (city hall) and bring the following documents:
- Valid passport or ID
- YourDutch residence permit
- A recent passport photo
- Your foreign driving licence (and a translation, if issued in a foreign language)
- Evidence of the30% ruling (if applicable)
- A certificate of medical fitness
Then, the municipality will forward your documents to the Driving Test Organisation, who will exchange your licence. The whole process takes between 2 and 4 weeks. After that, you’re good to go!
People with a licence from a country that’s not on the list will have to pass a theoretical exam and a practical driving test to obtain a Dutch licence.
2. You need to research your cars beforehand
Make sure you do your research before buying a car in the Netherlands. You don’t want to end up with a car with a reputation for being unreliable (or expensive to run!) or a car that was not looked after by its previous owners.
Buying a car is an investment, so you must choose a car that’s right for you. Consider a few things, like whether you’re using the car for your daily commute, for road trips, or just for convenience, the size of the car (especially important for road tax!), and the mileage.
After you’ve thought about these factors, you can narrow your car search and save time only by looking at cars that’ll fit your preferences.
3. Know where to look for cars (and be prepared to haggle)
When buying a car in the Netherlands, you have the choice between going to a car dealership or finding a private seller.
The biggest Dutch car dealerships include Broekhuis, Emil Frey NL, Van Mossel and Hedin, and they have locations throughout the Netherlands. You can also use RDW’slocator tool to find dealerships in your area.
Alternatively, you can find a second-hand car online and buy it from a private seller. The most popular websites for this are AutoDealers.nl, AutoScout24.nlandauto.nl.
Tip: If needed, you can use your browser’s built-in translation tool to translate these websites into English.
Whether you’re going to a car dealership or a private seller, nine times out of 10 you should be prepared to haggle! This can be stressful if you’re someone who doesn’t like to haggle (or even know how to haggle in the Netherlands).
4. You must register with the RDW to buy a car in the Netherlands
You may have found your dream car by now, but now what? The car is not officially yours until you officially register it in your name. You need to go to the RDW for that. The RDW (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer)is the Dutch authority for vehicles and transport.
You must register your cars with them because they deal with road tax and liability insurance, and you agree to those terms. It is illegal to drive a car which isn’t registered with the RDW.
How do you go about this? If you’re an expat, the chances are that you don’t have a Dutch ID. If you do, all you have to do is turn up at your local post office with your ID and all car/registration documents, and you’re all set.
If you don’t have a Dutch ID, you’re going to have to go to an RDW inspection station. Bring your gemeente (municipality) documents, car documents, certificate of ownership, passport, and driver’s license!
Tip: Before you start looking into buying a car in the Netherlands, make sure you set up your BSN (citizen service number) and DigiD. The car-purchasing process will be so much easier if you have these two things set up beforehand.
Thankfully, there is a way to avoid all of this. If you buy your car from a good car dealership, theytake care of the official registration at RDW. It’s one less thing not to worry about.
5. Double-check your road tax and parking permits
Part of the reason why buying a car in the Netherlands is so expensive comes from all the associated costs you have to consider. Road tax (known as BPM in the Netherlands) is the tax you have to pay if you own any type of motor vehicle in the Netherlands.
READ MORE | Having a car in the Netherlands: everything you need to know
Road tax is calculated based on your car’s CO2 emissions, so generally, the larger the car, the higher the road tax.
If you live in an area where you have to pay for car parking (usually in big cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam), you can apply for a parking permit with the municipality. This permit is particularly handy because it lets you park in the city without paying at a parking meter or via a parking app.
Most homes don’t have their own parking spaces or garages, and if you’re travelling a lot within a city using your car, a parking permit could be extra handy.
6. Consider Dutch sustainability efforts
The Dutch pride themselves in their sustainability efforts. The result? You can’t just go out and drive any car you want wherever you want. Instead, there are some sustainability regulations you have to keep in mind.
As of 2020,national rules apply to certain municipalities that have low-emission zones. In these zones, municipalities may ban older diesel cars, lorries and buses that cause a lot of air pollution.
In Amsterdam, for example, you may not enter the low-emission zone with a diesel car with an emissions standard of Euro 3 or lower.
The Netherlands also strongly encourages the use of electric cars, and the government offers various benefits to electric vehicle owners, such as tax incentives, reduced registration fees, and even free parking in some areas.
Tip: If you plan to own an electric vehicle, look into and sort out what you’re going to do about your charging station. If you don’t have the option to charge at home, you can work out your situation with shared charging stations around your neighbourhood with your neighbours.
7. Don’t forget about car insurance
It’s official, you have a car! Before you get too excited and drive off with it, you’ve forgotten one more thing: car insurance. It’s illegal not to have car insurance in the Netherlands, so this is an absolute must before taking your new ‘whip’ for a spin.
When you get car insurance in the Netherlands, the car is insured, not the person. This means that, as long as they have your permission, anybody can legally drive your car. This may be different from what you’re used to in your home country.
You can go on online comparison sites (some are in English too). Pick the best deal, register with them, and you’re all set. (Now it’s just the monthly payment you have to worry about 😉).
Buying a car in the Netherlands is a big investment — so naturally, you’ll want your car to be insured. Don’t wanna deal with the hassle of price comparisons and reading through policies? We recommend Univé! Univé’s car insurance offers 24/7 road assistance, a replacement vehicle in case of damage, and competitive prices. Sounds like a good deal to us! 🤝
Once you’ve got all of these in the bag, then you’re well on your way to buying your perfect car in the Netherlands. Enjoy the ride! 😉
Did these tips help you on your car-purchasing journey? Tell us what you think in the comments!
This article was originally published in June 2018, and was fully updated in October 2023 for your reading pleasure.
Emma Brown
A familiar face at DutchRevew. Emma arrived in Holland in 2016 for a few weeks, fell in love with the place and never left. Here she rekindled her love of writing and travelling. Now you'll find her eating stroopwafels in the DutchReview office since 2017.
