Travel alerts & warnings
Netherlands driving guide.
The Netherlands has well-maintained roads, clear signs and short driving distances between historic towns, national parks and coastal landscapes. Expect busy motorways, expensive city-centre parking and frequent cycle crossings; park-and-ride sites are often the easiest option for city visits.
- Advisory
- Increased caution
- Drives on
- Right
- Best season
- April to June or…
- Permit honored
- Yes
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Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Exercise increased cautionin the Netherlands due to terrorism.
- Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in the Netherlands. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. Possible targets include:
- Tourist locations
- Transportation hubs and airports
- Markets and shopping malls
- Local government facilities
- Hotels, clubs, and restaurants
Driving there
Your permit in Netherlands
- Netherlands honors the International Driving Permit. The permit is a translation of your license into ten languages — it is not a license on its own.
- Carry your valid U.S. driver's license with the permit at all times. The permit is valid for one year and only while your U.S. license is valid.
- Rental companies and local police can be stricter than national law. Confirm the requirement with your rental company before you travel.
Advisory information is published by the U.S. Department of State and reproduced here for convenience. It can change at any time — always check the official advisory before you travel. USIDA does not issue travel advisories.
Before you drive
Top travel tips for Netherlands
Road rules and cyclists
Give way to traffic from the right at unsigned equal-priority junctions, unless signs or road markings indicate otherwise. When turning, yield to cyclists and pedestrians continuing straight alongside you. Holding a phone while driving is prohibited. The blood-alcohol limit is 0.05%, reduced to 0.02% for novice drivers, generally during their first five years.
Tolls and city access
Most roads are toll-free, but the A24/Blankenburg connection near Rotterdam uses electronic tolling without booths. Unless automatic payment is arranged, pay through e-tol.nl within 72 hours after driving through; confirm how your rental company handles it. Check municipal environmental-zone rules before entering cities, especially with an older diesel vehicle.
Fuel and charging
Petrol is labelled 'benzine': Euro 95 is usually E10, while premium petrol is often E5. Diesel is commonly labelled B7; check the rental car's fuel flap before filling. Unattended stations commonly require a payment card and may place a temporary hold. For an electric rental, confirm charging-card or app access before departure.
Speed limits
Unless signed otherwise, limits are generally 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside them and 100 km/h on expressways marked 'autoweg'; many residential streets are 30 km/h. Most motorways have a 100 km/h daytime limit from 06:00 to 19:00, with signed exceptions. Night-time limits vary between 100, 120 and 130 km/h. Follow posted and electronic signs; average-speed enforcement is common.
Rental documents and police checks
Carry your original valid driving licence, your International Driving Permit where required, identification and the rental agreement. An IDP supplements your licence; it does not replace it. Confirm the rental company's age, licence-tenure and payment-card requirements before booking. Keep the vehicle registration and insurance documents supplied by the rental company available for police checks.
Worth the drive
Places to see in Netherlands
Keukenhof and the bulb fields
Lisse, South Holland · About 25–35 minutes from Leiden.
Spring gardens and colourful flower-growing landscapes; Keukenhof normally opens only from late March to mid-May. Book ahead and do not enter working flower fields without permission.
Kinderdijk
South Holland · About 30–40 minutes from Rotterdam.
A UNESCO-listed network of windmills and waterways showcasing Dutch water management. Use designated visitor parking and explore the mill paths on foot.
De Hoge Veluwe National Park
Gelderland · About 25–35 minutes from Arnhem to the Schaarsbergen entrance.
Heathland, woodland and dunes, with the Kröller-Müller Museum inside the park. Park at an entrance and use the park's white bicycles when available.
Giethoorn
Overijssel · About 35–45 minutes from Zwolle.
Canals, wooden footbridges and thatched farmhouses. Leave the car in visitor parking and explore the historic village on foot or by boat.
De Haar Castle
Haarzuilens, Utrecht · About 25–30 minutes from Utrecht.
A dramatic turreted castle surrounded by landscaped gardens and parkland, with dedicated visitor parking.
Zaanse Schans
Zaandam, North Holland · About 25–35 minutes from Amsterdam.
Historic windmills, green wooden houses and traditional craft demonstrations beside the River Zaan. Arrive early and use the designated visitor car park.
Heading to Netherlands?
Apply online in about ten minutes. We print and mail your permit, and you can track it the whole way.