Do you need Dutch to get a driving licence (rijbewijs) here?
Short answer: no, not for a car licence. Long answer: it depends on which exam, and a little Dutch makes every step easier. Here is what each step actually needs.
| Step | Dutch needed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Car theory exam | No | Available in English at every centre. Six terms stay Dutch (APK, autoweg, brommobiel, erf, snorfiets, speed pedelec). |
| Motorcycle or moped theory | Yes, or an interpreter | No English version exists; an interpreter from a contracted agency, booked 14 days ahead. |
| Driving lessons | No | Schools that teach in English exist in most cities; the CBR Rijschoolzoeker shows each school's pass rate. |
| Practical exam | Some, or an interpreter | The examiner speaks Dutch. A sworn interpreter or your instructor (WRM-pas) may translate from the back seat. |
| Signs and the road | A little | Some signs carry Dutch text (uitgezonderd, doorgaand verkeer); the theory exam tests them. |
| Health declaration and Mijn CBR | Some | Mijn CBR and the health declaration are Dutch-language services; your school usually helps. |
Sources: CBR, theory exam in another language, interpreter at the practical exam, theorie-examenplan auto; read 6 September 2026. The lessons and Mijn CBR rows are our experience, not a CBR statement.
If you want to learn some Dutch anyway
A few weeks of Dutch make the signs, the examiner and Mijn CBR less of a guess. DutchClassFinder compares Dutch language schools in the Netherlands. It is made by the maker of this site.
Facts read on the CBR pages on 6 September 2026. Guidance, not legal advice; the CBR pages linked above are the authority.