The Netherlands is a beautiful country known for its tulips, windmills and vibrant capital city. And its stroopwafels, of course. Mmmmmmm…
If you’re planning a trip to see the Netherlands’ best sights, it’s easy to get there from the UK. Flights are readily available and usually inexpensive, while there are three different ferry routes from the UK to the Netherlands, from Harwich, Hull and Newcastle. Or you could take the EuroTunnel to France and drive from there.
Once you’ve docked in the Netherlands, it’s easy and enjoyable to drive there. And taking your car means you can bring as much luggage as you can carry, and you can go where you like without having to rely on public transport.
- Driving in the Netherlands requirements
- Checklist
- Rules for driving in the Netherlands
- Speed limits
- Dutch road signs
- Low-emission zones
- Toll roads
- Electric car charging
- Parking
- Driving a UK car in the Netherlands
- Towing
- Hiring a car
Driving in the Netherlands requirements

You need to be at least 18 years old to drive a car in the Netherlands. This also applies to bikes with engines bigger than 125cc. Motorcyclists and passengers must wear a helmet.
Make sure to bring your passport, UK driving licence and driving documents in the car when you’re driving in the Netherlands. You’ll also need a UK identifier on your car, which can be on the number plate or on the bodywork/glass. Older GB stickers are no longer valid and should be replaced.
Headlamp converters are required for right-hand-drive cars, unless your car has flat-beam headlights or you can change the direction of the beam in a settings menu. Remember to remove them as soon as you’re back in the UK.
A warning triangle is not compulsory but is highly recommended.
UK residents do not need an International Driving Permit (IDP) or insurance green card to travel to the Netherlands.
Checklist
Here’s what you need to drive in the Netherlands:
- Passport (valid and in-date)
- Full driver’s licence (valid and in-date)
- UK car sticker or registration plate identifier. GB stickers are no longer valid
- Proof of insurance
- V5C logbook (if applicable)
- Headlamp beam deflectors (if needed)
Recommended items for driving in the Netherlands:
- European breakdown cover
- Warning triangle
- Spare bulbs (if they’re replaceable)
- A high-vis jacket for everyone in the car
- First-aid kit
- Up-to-date road atlas (especially if travelling in rural areas with limited GPS signal)
- A Camping Card International pass
Rules for driving in the Netherlands

You drive on the right-hand side of the road in the Netherlands. Overtake on the left, where appropriate, although trams can often be overtaken on the right in busy city centres. You just need to make sure you’re not putting any pedestrians or other road users in danger.
It should be easy in most circumstances to see who has priority, because intersections are clearly marked – often with stop signs or similar markings to our ‘give way’ junctions. At roundabouts, give way to vehicles already on the roundabout. On dirt roads, you’ll need to give way when joining an asphalt road. Buses have priority when leaving a bus stop, while emergency vehicles on lights and sirens have priority over all other traffic – like in the UK. Trams have priority in areas where cars and trams are together.
If fitted, seatbelts must be worn at all times, or you could be liable for a €180 fine. Children under 135cm tall must be in a suitable child seat, and it’s illegal to travel at all with children under three years old who aren’t in a child seat.
You cannot use speed camera detectors or radar jammers. If your sat nav gives you speed camera locations, you must turn this function off.
Bicycles must have a white light or reflector at the front, and a red one at the rear. A bell is compulsory but cycle helmets are not.
The drink-drive limit in the Netherlands is lower than it is in most of the UK – 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. We’d advise sticking to alcohol-free options if you’re going to be driving in the Netherlands. The blood alcohol limit is lower still if you’ve been driving for less than five years or for moped riders until they’re 24 years old.
You must not sound your horn in built-up areas unless there’s extreme danger. In many built-up areas, horns are specifically banned overnight.
Speed limits

Typically, the speed limit will be 50km/h (31mph) in urban environments, 100km/h (62mph) on main out-of-town roads, and between 100km/h and 130km/h (81mph) on motorways. Additionally, you may find even lower speed limits in very built up areas. Dutch speed limit signs are usually well posted and clear.
Speeding fines depend on the type of road you’re on and how far you exceed the speed limit. On most roads, if you get caught at over 30km/h above the speed limit, you’ll face a driving ban too.
Dutch road signs
Many Dutch road signs are recognisable – the pictorial ones are usually similar to UK equivalents. Red-edged triangular signs provide warnings; red circle signs are prohibitions.
Distances are measured in kilometres and metres.
Dutch road signs you may come across | English translation |
Vergunning houders | Parking for permit holders only |
Fietspad | Cycle path |
Fietsstraat | Street where cyclists have priority |
Let op | Caution |
Niet inhalen | No overtaking |
Uitgezonderd | Except [certain types of vehicles] |
Omleiding | Diversion |
Uit | [Motorway] exit |
Slagboom | Barrier |
Low-emission zones

The Netherlands has low-emission zones called milieuzones. Usually, the zone will prohibit large trucks and coaches from entering, but often diesel-powered cars and vans may be banned from entering as well. In some milieuzones, there’s a minimum emissions standard you’ll need to hit to be allowed in. The restrictions vary by city.
Unlike in other European countries, you don’t need to display an emissions sticker to enter low-emission zones in the Netherlands.
Toll roads in the Netherlands
There are only a couple of toll roads in the Netherlands, both in tunnels. These are the Kiltunnel and Westerschelde Tunnel, and the latter is only payable if you’re in a vehicle that’s more than 3m tall.
Electric car charging in the Netherlands

According to one EV charging app, there are over 140,000 electric car charging points in the Netherlands, making it the world leader in EV chargers per capita. Combined with the fact that it only takes around three or four hours to drive from one side of the country to the another, it means the Netherlands is a fantastic place to drive an electric car. Keep your eyes peeled and you may see some unfamiliar models, such as cars from Lynk & Co and Nio.
The plug sockets for electric cars are the same Europe-wide, so there’s no need for adaptors or new cables. Depending on the EV chargepoint network in question, you may need to download an app and preload it with credit before charging, or you may be able to pay by card at the chargepoint. Some networks also have dynamic pricing, where you’ll pay more in peak times, and idle fees that kick in if you leave the car in the space once it’s finished charging.
Parking in the Netherlands
Expect to pay for parking in the majority of spaces – which can usually be done on your credit or debit card.
You’re not allowed to park along yellow-lined areas, in tunnels, in bus stops and on cycle paths or footpaths. The Netherlands uses the same ‘no parking’ sign as you’ll see in the UK – a red cross-through circle on a blue background – and you’re also forbidden from parking within five metres of an intersection or pedestrian/cycle crossing.
Driving a UK car in the Netherlands

There are considerations when driving a right-hand-drive car on the right-hand side of the road. For example, you’ll struggle at toll booths, car park barriers and drive-thrus unless you’ve got a front-seat passenger with you. Your blind spots will be different to what you’re used to, and you’ll find it difficult to overtake slower vehicles if you’re on single-lane carriageways.
However, if you’re fine with all of that, the Netherlands is a lovely country to drive in. All the roads are smooth, well maintained and clean, and typically main roads don’t get too congested.
Almost every driver follows the rules of the road and is considerate towards other road users, making for a more chilled driving experience than in parts of the UK. It’s best to take it easy and give yourself plenty of time to watch for cyclists. In fact, there are more bicycles in the Netherlands than people!
On the motorway, you may find that drivers get quite close to you when they want to get past you. Proceed at a legal pace and pull across to let them pass when possible, but don’t put yourself or other road users in danger.
Multi-lane roundabouts are often separated by a kerb in the middle of the lanes. This helps to keep cars in their lane and not drift across, although it does mean you need to have a good idea of which lane to be in before you get to the junction.
Dial 112 in an emergency, or there are yellow emergency phones every 2km on motorways.
Towing in the Netherlands

On a standard driving licence, you can tow a trailer weighing up to 750kg (fully laden). In comparison, UK drivers can drive a car and trailer weighing a combined 3,500kg – something to bear in mind if you’re taking a car trailer across to the Netherlands, for example.
You cannot tow more than one trailer with one vehicle at a time.
Campervans, or car-and-caravan combinations, are not allowed to be more than 12m long, 4m tall or 2.55m wide.
For towing vehicles (with a combined car-and-trailer weight of up to 3,500kg), the speed limit drops to 90km/h on motorways and main roads. Campervans weighing up to 3,500kg can travel at the same speeds as cars, while heavier examples are limited to 80km/h.
A-frames should not be used for towing a car behind a campervan abroad – you should tow the car on a trailer instead.
Hiring a car in the Netherlands

To hire a car in the Netherlands, you must be at least 21 years old and have held your licence for at least two years. You’ll need to show your passport and your driving licence, and you’ll need a credit card to pay a deposit with. Check with your hire car company before booking if you’re planning to take a Dutch-registered hire car into other countries.
You’ll be pressured to take out car hire excess insurance. Get this before you travel – it’ll be much cheaper than at the hire desk.
Planning on driving a hire car in the Netherlands with young children? We’d strongly advise you to take your own child seats if possible. Make sure they’re well packaged if you’re flying as they’ll be chucked into the hold. You won’t know the availability and condition of any child seats at the hire car firm, and they’ll be expensive add-ons.