Vehicle registration plates of the Netherlands


Vehicle registration plates of the Netherlands are vehicle registration plates issued by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority,.
RDW vehicle registration plates are assigned bearing the same "number" as that shown on the vehicle's registration document. The numbering scheme used bears no relation to the place of a vehicle's registration or ownership, and numbers–which are issued in strict time order–identify the vehicle, not its owner. Thus, if a vehicle changes ownership, the registration number remains unchanged.

Earlier schemes

The Netherlands introduced a system of vehicle registration plates on 26 April 1898–the third country in the world to do so, after France in 1893 and Germany in 1896. A plate bearing the number 1 was issued to one J. van Dam, who purchased the first Dutch-built motorcar, which was manufactured at his own Groninger Motor-Rijtuigen Fabriek. Plate numbers stayed with the owner, unlike the present system. From 1906, a new system used the format, where was a province code and a serial number. This system lasted until 1951, when the current system was introduced.

Province codes

The current Dutch licence plate system uses black letters on a light-reflecting yellow background, although white reflecting letters on a dark-blue background are allowed for vehicles built prior to 1977. Since 2000, the blue band with the European flag and NL has been mandatory for all vehicles except vehicles built prior to 1977.
Dutch car number plates can be formatted as follows:
YearFormatFormat Comment
1951–19651This series is currently in use for imported oldtimers, using leftover serial letters not originally issued. The series DE, DH, DL, DM, DR, AE, AH, AL, AM, AR and DZ are used for cars, ZM, ZF and NM for motorcycles and BE for commercial vehicles.
1965–19732This series is currently in use for special permit vehicles.
1973–19783This series is currently in use for imported "youngtimers", starting with Y
1978–19914Yellow plates started in this series. The letters K and Y were used as serial letters in this series.
This series is currently issued to semi-trailers.
1991–19995
1999–20086In 2000, the Controlled Issuance and Intake of License Plates license style started with the F series in this series. All license plates except some oldtimer registrations were mandated to change to GAIK plates.
This series is currently in use for motorcycles and trailers above 750 kg.
2006–present7This series is currently issued for heavy goods vehicles.
2006–present8In this series, the first letters G, H, J, P, and R are not used, as to not clash with former export license plates.
The letter L is reserved for agricultural vehicles.
2006–present9
2011–present10This series is currently issued for private vehicles, starting at G-001-BB.
2015–present11This series is currently issued to mopeds and to light commercial vehicles.
Yet unused12
2016–present13This series is currently in use for fast motorboats.
Yet unused14

Nowadays the letters used do not include vowels, so as to avoid profane or obscene language. To avoid confusion with a zero, the letters C and Q are also omitted. Letters and numbers are issued in strict alphabetical/numeric order. Thus a Dutch licence plate gives an indication of the date of registration of a car, but no information about where in the country the car comes from, or to whom it belongs.

Other formats

With the introduction of the GAIK series, several other formats have been introduced as well. All background colours used are retroreflective.
FormatComment
Taxi plates are mandatory since December 2000 for vehicles used to transport people, but aren't part of the public transportation system.
Trader plates, used by automotive companies to register current stock under their insurance, these plates are to be used if the car is used for a test-drive and has no insurance on its own license plate. It is forbidden to park a car on the public road with trader plates fitted.
Used for trailers with a maximum weight of less than 750 kg, registration matches the vehicle pulling the trailer. Also used for export, temporary and provisional vehicles.

Recent changes

The licence plates have subtly changed shape in 2002, when not only the letter type changed, but also a few other changes were made.

Motor cars

*
D/FBS-01-D to D/FBS-99-D and D/FBS-01-S to D/FBS-99-S are not used, to avoid SD and SS combinations. Also in the future, D/FxS-01-D to D/FxS-99-D and D/FxS-01-S to D/FxS-99-S will not be used; and this also for D/FSD-01-B till D/FSD-99-Z and D/FSS-01-B till D/FSS-99-Z for the same reason.

Trucks/Lorries (weighing more than 3.5 tons)

VBS-01-D to VBS-99-D and VBS-01-S to VBS-99-S are not used, to avoid SD and SS combinations. Also in the future, VxS-01-D to VxS-99-D and VxS-01-S to VxS-99-S will not be used, for the same reason.

Trailers

This list is not exhaustive. The Dutch Wikipedia article :nl:Nederlands kenteken contains more exceptions.

Vehicle registration

Since January 1, 2014, the Netherlands has an all-plastic vehicle registration in credit card format. This and the driving license are the only things needed to bring along while driving in the Netherlands. This registration has the same green appearance for every vehicle category, only the information on the card differs. It has a chip with more detailed information about the vehicle. All previously issued vehicle registrations will remain valid until the car changes ownership, or until the owner requests replacement vehicle registration documents. While a so-called overschrijvingsbewijs was needed previously to sell the vehicle, this has now been replaced with a code. The registration card and the correct code are enough to sell the vehicle, even without the original letter stating the code as issued during new car registration.