Car parks in the Netherlands

Rules of the road: Netherlands

Speed: motorway limits depend on the time

Unless signs say otherwise, cars are limited to 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on rural roads and 100 km/h on expressways (autoweg). On almost every motorway the limit is 100 km/h from 6:00 to 19:00; from 19:00 to 6:00 many stretches allow 100, 120 or 130 km/h, as shown on the signs. Electronic gantry signs above the lanes display the limit in force at that moment. In a woonerf, a residential street shared with pedestrians, the limit is 15 km/h.

Alcohol: stricter for new drivers

The general limit is 0.5 ‰ alcohol in the blood. Anyone who has held a licence for less than 5 years counts as a novice driver and must stay below 0.2 ‰. The authorities point out that riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs is also banned on bicycles, mopeds and scooters, so hiring a bike after a dinner with wine does not get you round the rule. Not drinking at all before driving remains the safest choice.

Priority to the right and trams

At a junction without lights or signs, traffic coming from your right has priority, including cyclists and pedestrians. White triangles painted across the road, known as haaientanden (shark's teeth), mean you must give way to everything arriving from both sides, and they are used very widely. Trams always have priority. Inside built-up areas, a bus pulling out from a stop also has right of way, so let it merge.

Cyclists everywhere

When turning left or right you must give way to cyclists and pedestrians going straight ahead, a situation that comes up constantly at traffic lights. Cycle paths carry e-bikes, cargo bikes and mopeds, often faster or wider than you expect: look twice before opening a door or turning. In a fietsstraat, a red-surfaced street with its own sign, cyclists take centre stage. Stopping on a cycle lane marked on the carriageway is prohibited.

Phones: hands-free only

While driving you may not hold a phone, satnav, tablet or music player in your hand, nor wedge a phone between shoulder and ear. Use is allowed only through a hands-free set-up. The ban covers cars, motorcycles, mopeds and scooters, and the official guide for visitors extends it to people on bicycles too. Fix your satnav in a holder and enter the destination before setting off.

Milieuzones: diesel only

Amsterdam, Arnhem, Den Haag and Utrecht have a milieuzone for diesel cars or vans. The green zone in Den Haag requires at least emission class 4; the blue zones in Amsterdam, Arnhem and Utrecht require at least class 5. Petrol, LPG and electric vehicles may enter all of them. The rules apply to foreign plates, but there is no advance registration (except for the Maasvlakte industrial area): cameras read number plates. The fine has been €130 since 26 November 2025.

Vans and zero-emission zones

Since 1 January 2025 several city centres also have zero-emission zones for vans and lorries. Class 5 vans lose access on 1 January 2027; class 6 vans first registered before 1 January 2025 may enter until 1 January 2029. These rules also apply to foreign vehicles, which can request a one-day exemption from the RDW. If you hire a van, check its emission class before heading into a city centre.

Paying for parking by number plate

On the street there is no ticket to leave behind the windscreen: at the meter you type in your number plate (kenteken) and pay by debit or credit card, then a scan car checks that you have paid. You can also pay by phone through the apps of parking providers, without going to a meter at all. On the outskirts, P+R sites are cheaper or even free if you continue by public transport; in Rotterdam, for example, free parking requires travelling with an OV card.

Parking discs and yellow lines

In a parkeerschijf-zone, or in bays marked with a blue line, you need a clearly visible parking disc showing your arrival time, which may be rounded up to the next full or half hour. The maximum stay and the days or hours it applies are on the sign. A solid yellow line along the kerb means no stopping; a broken one means no parking. Parking is also banned within five metres of a junction and in front of a driveway.

Sources:Rijksoverheid (1), Rijksoverheid (2), Overheid.nl, Reglement verkeersregels en verkeerstekens 1990 (RVV 1990), Government of the Netherlands, Participating in Dutch Traffic, Government of the Netherlands, Milieuzones in Nederland (1), Milieuzones in Nederland (2), Milieuzones in Nederland (3), Op weg naar ZES (1), Op weg naar ZES (2), Op weg naar ZES (3), Gemeente Utrecht, Gemeente Rotterdam (1), Gemeente Rotterdam (2). Information checked in October 2026.