Driving in the Netherlands with a UK licence, and getting around Amsterdam without a car

Your UK licence works for 185 days after you move to the Netherlands, then it must be exchanged for a Dutch one, no test needed. In Amsterdam itself, though, the car is often the slowest and dearest way to get anywhere.

The short version

• Once you live in the Netherlands, you can drive on a UK licence for up to 185 days; to keep driving after that you must exchange it [1].
• The UK has an exchange agreement with the Netherlands, so there's no driving test. In Amsterdam you apply in person at a City Office, and it costs EUR 64.65 (about £54) [2][3].
• You hand in your UK licence and can't drive for the 2 to 4 weeks the exchange takes [3].
• On visits, you can drive on your UK licence; carry it with your insurance, vehicle documents and photo ID [4].
• Most Brits in Amsterdam get by with a bike and the GVB trams, where tapping in with a bank card is capped at EUR 10.50 a day (about £8.75) [7].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = EUR 1.2002).

Your UK licence after you move

The FCDO's Living in the Netherlands guide is clear: licences issued in the UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man let you drive in the Netherlands for up to 185 days, and to keep driving after that you must exchange your licence [1]. Apply before the 185 days are up, because processing takes time [1].

Two points catch people out:

• You can't renew or replace a UK licence from here. GOV.UK says you cannot replace or renew any of these licences while you live in the Netherlands [1]. If your UK photocard is near its ten-year expiry, exchange it promptly: the RDW can't exchange an expired licence [2].
• The old Brexit deadline has gone. Brits who were living here before 31 January 2020 had until 1 May 2021 to exchange on the old terms [1]. Newcomers simply follow the 185-day rule.

If you don't exchange in time, you'll have to register with the gemeente, get a certificate of fitness and pass the Dutch theory and practical tests, just like a learner [1]. That's an expensive faff, so put the date in your diary on day one.

How to exchange your licence in Amsterdam

The RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, lists Great Britain as a country with an exchange agreement for all categories, except that the BE category (car and heavy trailer) only transfers if you took a separate test for it. Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar licences are on the list too [2]. You must be registered in the BRP, the Dutch population register [2].

1. Register at the gemeente first. You must be registered in Amsterdam to apply [3]. Our guide to BSN, DigiD and registering at the gemeente explains how.
2. Check whether you need a health declaration. The RDW says you may need a health declaration from the CBR, the driving test agency, even for some licences issued within the EU, so check its page for your age and categories before you go [2][3].
3. Get a passport photo that meets the Dutch requirements [3].
4. Go to a City Office. No appointment is needed in Amsterdam itself; in Weesp you book one [3]. Bring your valid UK licence, your passport or residence document and the photo. If you qualify for the 30% ruling, bring a copy of your Belastingdienst decision letter too [3].
5. Pay EUR 64.65 (about £54) [3].
6. Wait 2 to 4 weeks. The RDW writes within 15 working days, and you collect your Dutch licence from the City at least five working days later [2][3].

You hand over your UK licence for good: the RDW keeps it and you won't get it back [2]. Until the Dutch card arrives you can't drive, so plan the exchange around holidays and any trips that need the car.

Our guide to driving abroad on a UK licence covers the UK side, including what happens if you later move home.

Driving rules that differ from home

The FCDO's travel advice sets out the basics for visitors, and they apply to residents as well [4]:

• Paperwork in the car. Carry your licence, insurance and vehicle documents and photo ID such as a passport or residence permit. A UK-registered car may need a UK sticker [4].
• Trams have priority. You must stop if a tram or bus stops in the middle of the road to let passengers on or off [4].
• Speed cameras everywhere. Speed traps and unmarked police cars are common, motorway limits change by time of day and stretch of road, and you must obey the overhead lane signals when they're lit [4]. Fines are steep and often paid on the spot; ask for a receipt [4].
• No provisional licences. You can't drive here on a UK provisional licence [4].
• Cyclists and mopeds. They have right of way over motor vehicles in many places and ride fast. Check your mirrors twice before every right turn [4].

Two more worth knowing: the Dutch drink-drive limit is lower than in England and Wales, and stricter again for drivers in their first five years, so the only safe amount is none. And a car is driven on the right, which you'll remember after your first roundabout.

Parking in Amsterdam

Parking is where Amsterdam really tests your love of the car. Street parking across most of the city is paid, and it isn't cheap; check the City's parking pages for the rates in your street [6].

To park near home you need a residents' parking permit, and the rules are tight [5]:

• You must be registered at the address, and the car must be in your name, or you must be the only authorised user of a lease or company car [5].
• Diesel cars must meet emission standard 5 or higher, and other fuels standard 4 or higher. Electric cars get priority on the waiting list [5].
• New-build developments never get permits, and some areas allow only two per address [5].
• Many neighbourhoods have a waiting list. The City's permit-area checker shows the area, the waiting list and the cost for your exact address [5].

If you're visiting the city by car, use the Park and Ride (P+R) sites on the edge and take public transport in [6].

Getting around without a car

Trams, buses and the metro

GVB runs Amsterdam's trams, buses, metro and the free ferries across the IJ to Noord. You don't need a special card: check in and out with a contactless bank card, phone or the new OV-pas [7]. Its 2026 fares [7][8]:

GVB Vrij covers all its metros, trams and night buses and can be cancelled monthly [8]. Bikes can go on the metro and tram 26 outside the rush hours (7am to 9am and 4pm to 6.30pm on weekdays) [7]. For trains to Schiphol, Utrecht or The Hague you need NS, the national railway, which also accepts contactless cards.

The bike

For most Brits the bike becomes the main way around within weeks. It's cheap, it's quick, and the city is flat. Pedestrians beware: GOV.UK warns that cycle paths are busy and cyclists ride fast, often ignoring red lights, so look both ways at every crossing [4]. Our guide to cycling in Amsterdam covers the rules, fines and how not to lose your bike to the thieves.

So do you need a car?

Before you ship a UK car over, remember the steering wheel's on the wrong side, and you'll need to import and register it with the RDW once you live here.

Swap tips on the best bike shops and the quickest way to Schiphol in our community group for Brits in the Netherlands.

Sources

1. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in the Netherlands (last updated 23 December 2025)
2. RDW: Exchanging a foreign driving licence
3. City of Amsterdam: Exchange a foreign driving licence
4. GOV.UK (FCDO): Netherlands travel advice, safety and security (updated 11 August 2026, checked 8 November 2026)
5. City of Amsterdam: Residents' parking permit
6. City of Amsterdam: Parking
7. GVB: Travel occasionally and E-purse balance (2026 rates)
8. GVB: GVB Vrij season ticket (2026 rates)

Keep reading

• Cycling in Amsterdam: rules, theft and the right bike
• BSN, DigiD and registering at the gemeente
• Cost of living in Amsterdam vs London and the UK average
• Driving abroad on a UK licence