Driving in the Netherlands on an Australian licence

Your Australian licence has a use-by date the day you move to the Netherlands. You get 185 days, then you need a Dutch one.

The short version

You can drive on a valid Australian licence for the first 185 days after you relocate to the Netherlands. After that you need a Dutch licence, even if your exchange is still being processed [1][3].
Australia has no licence exchange agreement with the Netherlands, so a straight swap isn't possible for most Australians [1][2].
If you qualify for the Dutch expat scheme (the 30% ruling), you can exchange a licence from any country, including Australia [1][2].
Everyone else must pass the CBR theory and practical tests, which takes months and usually means paying for lessons [2][5].
In Amsterdam, owning a car is expensive and parking is hard. Many Australians find they don't need one.

How the 185-day clock works

The Netherlands treats your Australian licence as fine for a visitor and temporary for a resident. Here's what the official sources say:

Source	What it says
RDW (Dutch vehicle authority)	A non-EU licence can be used for the first 185 days after you relocate to the Netherlands [3]
Australian Embassy in The Hague	Australian licences can be used for a maximum of 185 days from arrival [1]
Smartraveller	You must apply for a Dutch licence once you've been in the Netherlands 185 days [6]
Dutch government traffic guide	Non-EU citizens living in the Netherlands for more than 185 days need a valid Dutch licence [7]

Some expat sites say the clock starts when you register with your gemeente. The RDW's own wording ties it to your relocation date [3], so we'd count from the day you moved and not take the risk.

The key word is "after". Once day 185 has passed, you can only drive with a Dutch licence, even if your exchange application is in progress [3]. An exchange takes at least 15 working days, plus a CBR medical form that takes its own time [3]. So start early.

Carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) with your Australian licence in those first months. Police checking your licence may ask for one, and rental companies may want it for insurance [1][6]. Get it from your state's IDP issuer before you leave Australia. An IDP isn't a licence by itself [1].

Route 1: exchange with the 30% ruling

This is the shortcut. Highly skilled migrants working in the Netherlands who fall under the expat scheme can exchange a driving licence from any country [2]. Because Australia isn't on the RDW's list of countries with exchange agreements, this is usually the only way an Australian can swap without tests [1][2].

What you need

A valid Australian licence. It must be exchanged before it expires [2].
Registration in the BRP (the Dutch population register) and a Dutch residence permit [2].
A valid decision from the Belastingdienst confirming the expat scheme applies to you [2].
Proof that you lived in Australia for at least 185 days in the year your licence was issued [2].
A CBR Health Declaration (Gezondheidsverklaring). You can submit this after starting the exchange at the gemeente [2].
A passport photo meeting Dutch rules and valid ID [4].

The RDW page doesn't set out separate rules for partners of expat scheme holders, so ask the RDW before assuming a partner can swap too.

Step by step

Get your 30% ruling decision. Your employer applies; the decision letter is what the gemeente needs. If you're still waiting for it at month four, start lessons as a backup.
Fill in the CBR Health Declaration through Mijn CBR, using DigiD. Do this early, because it can take weeks [3].
Book an appointment at the gemeente. In Amsterdam, that's a Burgerzaken appointment. Bring your Australian licence, ID, a photo and your ruling letter [4].
Pay the fee. Municipalities charge a fee for the exchange, generally around €50–60 in 2025–2026 [4][5]. There's no urgent service for exchanges [4].
Wait for the RDW letter. You should hear within 15 working days, and you can collect the licence at the gemeente after five working days [2].

What happens to your Australian licence

You won't get it back from the RDW [2]. The Australian Embassy says Dutch authorities usually send it to the embassy, which holds it until it expires. You can ask in writing for it to be returned to a Dutch address, giving your name, address and date of birth [1].

Think about this before you swap. If you'll be visiting home and driving there, you'll want either your Australian licence back or a plan with your state road authority. The embassy can't renew or replace Australian licences; only the state or territory that issued it can [1].

Route 2: sit the Dutch tests

No 30% ruling? Then you get a Dutch licence the same way a Dutch 18-year-old does [2].

Book the CBR theory exam. It's available in Dutch and English, and the English version costs a little more [5]. Results are immediate [5].
Fill in the CBR health declaration (eigen verklaring). You need it before the practical test [5].
Take lessons. Dutch instructors commonly recommend 20 to 35 lessons before the practical exam, even for experienced drivers [5]. That sounds excessive until you meet a Dutch roundabout with cyclists on two sides.
Pass the practical exam within 18 months of your theory pass [5].
Collect your licence at the gemeente, within about five days of the CBR passing your result through [5].

Budget seriously. Exam fees alone are a few hundred euros, and once lessons are added, a Dutch licence commonly costs a few thousand euros. Test waiting times vary by region, so book the practical as soon as your instructor thinks you're close.

Experienced Australian drivers often fail first time on things that are habits at home: not checking blind spots for bikes, not yielding to traffic from the right, or rolling through a crossing. Dutch examiners are strict about observation.

Owning a car in Amsterdam

Before you spend months on a licence, ask whether you need a car at all. In Amsterdam, most people don't.

Cost	What to expect
Parking permit	Residents' permits in many districts have waiting lists, some measured in months or years
Street parking	Paid parking applies across most of the city, with high hourly rates in the centre
Motor vehicle tax (MRB)	Charged quarterly, based on weight, fuel type and province
Insurance	Compulsory third-party at least; foreign no-claims history may not be recognised
APK roadworthy test	Required regularly for older cars
Fuel	Petrol is markedly dearer than in Australia

Alternatives Australians use:

Bike and public transport for daily life. See our cycling guide.
Car sharing for trips to IKEA or the coast.
Car hire for holidays, which you can do on your Australian licence and an IDP within the 185-day window, or on your Dutch licence later.
Park and Ride (P+R) at the edge of the city if you're driving in from elsewhere.

Smartraveller says road conditions are similar to Australia's but some basic rules differ [6]. The big ones: drive on the right, give way to traffic from the right at unmarked junctions, and watch for trams and bikes everywhere [7].

When you move back to Australia

A Dutch licence is an EU licence, so it's easy to use across Europe. When you go home, each state and territory decides how overseas licences are converted. Check with your state road authority before you go, and keep your old Australian licence details handy. Our living-abroad guide to Australian licences abroad covers renewals from overseas.

Want to compare notes on CBR wait times or driving schools that teach in English? Ask in Cooee Netherlands, our Facebook group for Australians in the Netherlands. Someone has usually just done the test you're booking.

Driving in the Netherlands on an Australian licence: the 185-day clock