Driving licence in the Netherlands
| Driving licence in the Netherlands | |
|---|---|
| Issued by |  Holland |
| Type of document | Driving licence |
| Purpose | Identification |
In the Netherlands, the driving licence of a car (licence B) can be obtained at the age of 17; however, within an experiment that will run until 2016, the drivers must be supervised.[1] When two serious offenses are committed within five or seven (in case of obtaining the licence at the age of 17) years of a licence being issued to a new driver, the holder will have their licence revoked and must undergo the examination process again to reobtain their licence.
The offences include:
- Tailgating
- Exceeding the speed limit by at least 30 km/h (19 mph)
- Drunk driving (blood alcohol content of 0.2 per mille or above)
- Death or injury by dangerous driving
A moped can be driven by persons aged 16 or over who are in possession of a moped licence (category AM). Since March 1, 2010 every driver is required to do a practical exam in addition to a theory exam. Holders of a category A or B licence are automatically allowed to drive a moped without any additional documents or testing.[2]
From 1 July 2015, a driving licence is required for a tractor designated with T. From 16 years of age persons can obtain a drivers licence T.[3] People with a drivers licence for cars (B) can drive a tractor without additional exams, though this is only for people who already have a driver's licence on or before July 1, 2015.
Obtaining a driver's licence
There are a few steps one needs to follow to obtain a licence. One has to go to a driving school (rijschool) where they start to learn how to drive car. One also is obligated to make a theory exam at the CBR (Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen). During the lessons, one not only learns how to change gear, stear, give gas and brake, but also how to watch other traffic. In Netherlands, bicycles are considered a very important part of the licence. Cyclists are everywhere and cars need to yield to them quite frequently. Not yielding to a cyclist on your exam, means you have failed automatically. It's also possible to learn how to drive in an automatic vehicle, which means one is only, legally, able to drive an automatic vehicle (code 78). The amount of lessons can vary, for instance, when one know how to drive he needs fewer lessons than someone who starts from zero. There is no minimum amount of lessons taken.
When the student has obtained his theory exam, he can request a, so called, TTT (TussenTijdse Toets). This is a practise exam where the students needs to do two special manoeuvres, if he or she completes this suffiently, he or she gets an exemption for those manoeuvres on the real exam. The manoeuvres include:
- Parking
- Stopping (stopopdracht), meaning: stop behind a vehicle and drive away
- Turning
If one has completed his theory-exam, he can start his practical exam, but only if the student is suitable to drive. The CBR decides whether the student is suitable or not. One has to fill out an EV (Eigen Verklaring), which is a list containing eleven questions about your general health (like: have you ever been treated for a mental illness or do you have diabetes)[4] An exam contains all the things one has learned in his lessons: looking in the inside mirror, then outside mirror and then over one's shoulder at every turn (twice per turn), driving onto and on motorway, knowing what is under the bonnet, what all the lights on the dashboard mean, and so on.
When one has passed is exam, one has to go to the town/city hall with an approved passport picture,[5] a few days later, the licence is finished and can be collected. When the practical exam is completed by a 17 year-old, he or she also needs a pass to get their licences. The pass includes the name of the driver and the name(s) of the supervisors, meaning only the supervises on the pass can supervise [6]
