I amsterdam - Driving in Amsterdam

Official Organisations
www.rijbewijs.nl is the official site of the Dutch government regarding driving laws and provides information and downloadable brochures in English as well as other languages. More information can also be obtained by contacting the RDW (the Dutch Department of Road Transport) in Veendam at telephone number 0900 0739 (€ 0.10 p.m.) from within the Netherlands.

Insurance and Other Obligations
Besides obeying clearly defined rules of the road, drivers of motor vehicles must also satisfy strict rules and regulations. In the Netherlands, for example, it is obligatory to arrange third-party insurance for your car or motorcycle, to register your vehicle, and to have a valid driving licence when driving or riding your vehicle.

Valid Driver's License 
'Drivers in international traffic', such as tourists, can in many cases use the driving licence they obtained in their country of origin. In some cases an international driving licence is required. The rules are as follows:

• A driving licence issued in one of the countries of the European Union or Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway is always valid in the Netherlands for drivers in international traffic.
• If you have a valid licence issued in a country other than the aforementioned or in the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba, you may be obliged in certain cases to show on demand an international driving licence. An international driving licence can be obtained at automobile clubs. Your embassy can give you more information about the specific cases when an international driving licence is required.

A person drives as a 'Resident' if his or her usual place of residence is located in the Netherlands. The usual place of residence is where the person normally lives (for at least 185 days a year). For the residents, please refer to the driving license article in the Living section of this site.

Brochure
Rijbewijs.nl has provided a brochure that covers the validity for driving licences issued outside the Netherlands. On the basis of this information, you can determine whether your driving licence is valid in the Netherlands. If it is not valid, this brochure tells you what to do to obtain a driving licence that allows you to legally drive or ride a motor vehicle in the Netherlands.

Speed Limit
The speed limit in cities is 30 miles (50 km) per hour and on highways about 70 miles (120 km) per hour. Obviously there are exceptions, particularly where road construction is going on, in built-up, and high volume areas.