Exchange a driving licence from Caribbean Netherlands
A driving licence which was issued in Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba or Sint Eustatius is valid for only a short period in the Netherlands. When you come to live in the Netherlands, you may still use your foreign driving licence for a maximum of 185 days. After that, you will need to have a Dutch driving licence. You can exchange your valid foreign driving licence for a Duch driving licence at the municipality.
- 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).
- The RDW will review your application and send you a notification when you can collect the licence at the municipality.
- You pick up your driving licence in person at the 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 authorities in the country which issued it.
Flowchart: Convert a valid foreign driving licence and how to fill in the medical statement
(PDF, 1.7 MB)- You must have a valid driving licence.
- You must be registered in the Municipality of The Hague.
- You must have lived 185 days in the country where you got the driving licence. This is a half year plus 5 days.
- 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..
- A valid form of identification.
- The valid driving licence you want to exchange. You will not get it back.
- A Begin link: Statement of Health, end link. .
- Has your foreign driving licence been lost or stolen? Then you first need to fill in a declaration of loss with the police. Make sure to bring the police report as well as a declaration from the authority which issued the driving licence.
Exchanging a driving licence costs € 52.10.
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.
To exchange your driving licence you must visit a Public Service counter in person. You can make an appointment to do this.