Driving in the Netherlands with a US license

Your US license gets you 185 days on Dutch roads after you move. After that, unless you qualify under the 30% ruling, you'll be back at driving school. The good news: in Amsterdam, you may not miss the car.

The short version

185 days: a valid license from outside the EU, including a US one, works for the first 185 days after you move to the Netherlands [1].
No swap for most Americans. The US isn't on the Dutch exchange list. RDW, the Dutch vehicle and license agency, uses an American license as its own example of one you can't exchange [2].
The exception: if you work here as a highly skilled migrant and the 30% ruling ("expat scheme") applies to you, you can exchange a license from any country [2].
Get an IDP. RDW suggests one when your license doesn't use the European A to E categories [1]. AAA issues them for USD 20 [3].
Public transport now runs on OVpay. Tap a contactless debit or credit card, or the new OV-pas. The old OV-chipkaart is being phased out [4][5].

Your US license: the 185-day clock

RDW's rule for licenses issued outside the EU and EFTA is simple. If your license is valid, "you may continue to use it for the first 185 days after you relocated to the Netherlands" [1]. After that, you may only drive with a Dutch license [1]. As a tourist, without registering as a resident, you can keep driving on your US license [1].

The clock starts when you move, not when you finally get around to registering. And RDW is blunt that once the 185 days are up, you can't keep driving while an exchange application is pending [1].

Do you need an International Driving Permit?

RDW says that if your license categories don't use the designations A, B, C, D and E, "it is wise" to carry an international driving permit as well, obtained in the country that issued your license [1]. US state licenses use their own class systems, which don't line up with the European categories, so an IDP is cheap insurance against a confused traffic cop or rental counter.

In the States, AAA issues IDPs for USD 20, in person, by mail or online [3]. AAA can't issue one if you hold only a foreign license, and it won't issue an IDP more than six months before the date you want it to start [3]. If you're already abroad, AAA has an online route and a mail-in address, with a few weeks of turnaround [3]. Do it before you leave if you can.

Exchanging your license: who can and who can't

Here's where life gets less fun than at your local DMV. RDW's exchange page lists the non-EU countries and regions whose licenses can be swapped. It includes the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Québec, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Taiwan and a handful of others, but no US state [2]. The page puts it plainly: if your license comes from a country that isn't on the list, and it names America as the example, and the expat scheme doesn't apply to you, exchange isn't possible [2].

The 30% ruling exception

If you're in the Netherlands for work as a highly skilled migrant and the expat scheme applies to you, you can exchange your driving license from any country [2]. That "expat scheme" is the 30% ruling, the Dutch tax break for recruited foreign workers. When you apply, RDW asks you to bring a valid decision from the Dutch tax authority showing it applies to you [2]. Our guide to the 30% ruling for Americans explains who qualifies.

Other conditions apply to everyone [2]:

Condition	What RDW asks for
Registration	You're registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP)
Residence	A temporary or permanent residence permit (not just a pending application)
Time where you got the license	You lived in the issuing country for 185 days in the year you got it
Medical	A Health Declaration from the CBR for non-EU licenses
Photo	A color passport photo
Fee	Paid at the city; it varies by municipality

Your old license won't come back once you exchange it [2]. And if you once held a Dutch license that was valid after June 30, 1985, you may be able to exchange even without the 30% ruling [2].

How the exchange works, step by step

Check your eligibility on RDW's list and confirm your 30% ruling decision.
Apply for the CBR Health Declaration early, since that takes time [1].
Book an appointment with the City of Amsterdam and bring your US license, photo, tax decision and fee [2].
Wait about 15 working days for RDW, then pick up your Dutch license at the city after a few more days [2].
Plan around the gap. RDW advises against driving in other countries while the exchange is processing [2].

Everyone else: back to driving school

If you can't exchange, you'll need to pass both the theory and practical tests at the CBR, the Dutch driving test agency [1][2]. Expect lessons first. Dutch tests have a reputation for being tougher than a typical DMV road test, with lots of attention to cyclists, trams and right-of-way rules.

Driving in Amsterdam: should you even bother?

Many Americans in Amsterdam never buy a car. The old center was built for boats and bikes, not SUVs. A few heads-ups if you do drive:

Bikes are everywhere and often have priority. Check your mirrors before turning right, every time.
Trams have their own rules, and you'll share streets with them.
Speed limits and drink-driving limits are stricter than many states. Watch the posted limits, and assume the alcohol limit is lower than the 0.08 you know from back home.
Parking in the city is scarce and expensive. Street parking in much of the city needs a permit, and the city has proposed raising permit prices [6]. Park and Ride (P+R) lots at the edge of town are the visitor's workaround [6].

Getting around without a car

OVpay: tap and go

The Netherlands has replaced its old system with OVpay. Trans Link Systems, the company behind both, says "The OV-chipkaart is stopping" and asks travelers to switch [4]. You can now check in on trains, buses, trams and metros anywhere in the country with [4][5]:

a contactless debit or credit card,
a phone or smartwatch wallet, or
the new OV-pas, a dedicated transit card you top up through your OVpay account.

Hold your card on the reader when you board and again when you get off. Forgetting to check out is the classic newcomer mistake, and the OVpay app lets you fix a missed check-out [4]. OVpay's site says it works with all well-known Dutch banks [5]. If you're using a US card, test it on a short trip first.

If you'll commute daily, look at a subscription. OVpay's Switch Helper walks you through choosing between the OV-pas and a bank card and moving any subscriptions over [4].

NS trains

Dutch Railways (NS) runs the national trains, including the trains between Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam [7]. You can check in with the OV-chipkaart, a debit card or the OV-pas [7]. NS also sells season tickets and discount subscriptions, with options for kids, teens and commuters [7]. Coming from Amtrak, you'll find Dutch trains wonderfully frequent.

GVB: trams, metro, buses and ferries

GVB runs Amsterdam's city trams, metro and buses, and the ferries across the IJ to Amsterdam Noord. Its site explains how to check in with OVpay and has an English customer line, 0900 8011 [8]. We're not quoting fares here because they change each January; check GVB's fares page for the current hour and day tickets.

And then there's the bike

You knew this was coming. For most daily trips under about 5 km (3 miles), a bike will beat the tram. Our guide to cycling in Amsterdam covers buying a bike, the rules of the road and not getting yours stolen. For more on the city from people who've done the move, try our community group for Americans in the Netherlands.

Driving in the Netherlands with a US license, and getting around Amsterdam without one