EU-issued car licence
Check validity before booking a full course
A valid category B licence issued in Poland or Germany can usually be used in the Netherlands under the RDW conditions. The normal 15-year period runs from the licence issue date, while the licence remains valid; it does not start again when you move.
Older licences and licences issued while you already lived in the Netherlands need particular attention. Check your dates and the complete RDW rules. You may only need familiarisation or refresher lessons.
Check your existing document before choosing an exam route
If your licence was issued in Germany, use the official information for EU-issued licences to check your document and categories. An existing EU licence and an application for a first licence are different starting points. A change of address should not simply be treated as an instruction to book a driving test.
If you are German but your licence was issued in another country, check that issuing country's route instead. Ask the school to distinguish any document questions from its assessment of your driving. That keeps the lesson recommendation focused on what an instructor can actually observe and help you improve.
Use familiar skills while checking unfamiliar situations
Experience on German roads can give you a useful starting point, but let the instructor assess your own driving rather than make assumptions based on your country of origin. Bring specific questions about junction priority, cycle crossings, local signage or parking. The goal is to understand the situation in front of you.
If your new routine includes cross-border journeys, ask what the school can offer within its lesson arrangements. Do not assume that instruction automatically includes driving abroad. Lessons can help you read road signs and respond when an environment changes.
- Which unfamiliar road situations should we assess first?
- Can I explain why a priority or positioning decision is correct?
- What lesson arrangements are actually included in the quotation?
Match the lesson vehicle to your purpose
Changing from a familiar car to another size, transmission or seating position can be a reason to seek focused practice. Tell the school what you already drive and what you expect to drive here. It can then explain whether its available lesson vehicle is a useful match for your goal.
For beginners, ask how the programme moves from basic control to independent traffic decisions. For experienced drivers, ask what the assessment found and when to review further lessons. Confirm English or German instruction directly, and compare written quotes using actual lesson minutes rather than relying on a shared package name.
Understand every step
Learning in English, with clarity.
Feeling comfortable asking questions matters. Confirm lesson language with the school before you book, including how your instructor will explain road situations and give feedback.
Explore driving schoolsYour lessons
Ask for an instructor who can teach in English. Discuss your experience and learning goals, rather than assuming a school offers your preferred language.
Your theory test
The CBR car theory test is available in English. Check the current booking and language options on the CBR website.
Your practical test
Agree language arrangements with your school in advance. Do not assume an English-speaking examiner; a practical-test interpreter must meet the CBR conditions.
A fair comparison
Look beyond the lesson price
A lower advertised price is only useful when you know what it covers. Ask each school for a written quote you can compare on the same basis.
- 01Time behind the wheel
- Check the lesson duration and whether it includes pick-up or travel time. Compare an equal number of minutes, rather than the word “lesson”.
- 02What the quote includes
- Ask about assessment lessons, learning materials, exam booking and use of the car during a test. Check which charges are separate.
- 03Flexibility and your car
- Confirm manual or automatic, lesson cancellation terms, package expiry and refunds. Choose a realistic schedule before committing to a package.
Before you get started
A few useful answers
Does moving from Germany mean I need Dutch driving exams?
Not automatically. Check the official conditions for your existing licence. Someone with a German-issued EU licence and someone applying for a first licence need different guidance; your nationality alone does not determine the route.
Can I ask for only a short refresher programme?
Explain that goal and request an assessment. Ask the instructor to identify specific skills and agree when to review progress. The appropriate length depends on your needs rather than a standard promise for German drivers.
Can I assume a nearby school teaches in German?
No. Confirm the teaching language with the school and actual instructor. The school's location, name or proximity to the border does not establish German-language availability.
Can I arrange English lessons through every school on Rijmaatje?
Language availability is set by each school. Contact the school before booking and confirm that your instructor can explain lessons and feedback in English. Also agree how language will be handled during test preparation and the practical test.
Go straight to the source
Official rules. A clearer next step.
RDW sets the foreign-licence and exchange conditions; CBR explains the tests. Check the full rules for your own document and situation.
Official guidance reviewed .