Rules of the road
Driving in the Netherlands
Every value below links to the official source it was checked against, with the date it was checked. What is not verified yet says so.
Which side of the road
Speed limits
Speed limit on the motorway
100 km/h
During the day, 06:00 to 19:00, on nearly all motorways. In the evening and at night most rise to 120 or 130, and a few routes are 130 all day. The overhead matrix signs always show the limit that applies — follow them, not the clock.
Checked 6 Aug 2026 · official source
Speed limit in towns and cities
50 km/h
Many streets are signed 30.
Checked 6 Aug 2026 · official source
Alcohol
Alcohol limit for drivers who passed their test recently
0.2 g/l
For the first five years of holding a licence.
Checked 6 Aug 2026 · official source
What you must carry in the car
Phones at the wheel
Seatbelts and children
Tolls and city charges
Low-emission zones
In some cities
Zones in Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague and Utrecht apply to DIESEL cars only, by emission class — petrol and electric cars always enter. Check a diesel's plate on the government's milieuzones.nl before driving in.
Checked 6 Aug 2026 · official source
If something goes wrong
33 rules not yet verified for the Netherlands
These rules exist, but no value has been checked against an official source yet. Missing beats wrong.
- Which side you overtake on
- Speed limit on a dual carriageway
- Speed limit in living and residential zones
- Speed limit in rain or snow
- Speed limit for drivers who passed their test recently
- Speed limit when towing a trailer or caravan
- Alcohol limit for professional drivers
- Youngest age you may drive
- Youngest age you may rent a car
- Whether you need an International Driving Permit
- How long you may drive on your own licence
- What you should carry, but do not have to
- When you must switch your headlights on
- Headlights in tunnels
- Turning at a red light
- Who has priority at a roundabout
- Priority to traffic coming from the right
- Age below which a child needs a child seat
- Height below which a child needs a child seat
- Youngest age a child may sit in the front
- What the lines and painted kerbs mean
- How you pay to park
- Parking on the pavement
- Parking facing against the traffic
- How far you must park from a junction or crossing
- What happens if you park wrongly
- Winter tyres
- When winter tyre rules apply
- Snow chains
- How you pay for motorways
- Congestion charges
- Typical fines
- Whether police can fine you on the spot