Exchanging a driving licence from Singapore in the Netherlands (omwisselen)
Exchange for categories A and B only. Other categories are lost; the licence must still be valid.
From the RDW rules, verified 2 September 2026. The details, sources and costs are below.
The facts for a licence from Singapore
- How long you may drive on it: 185 days from the date you register at a Dutch address (BRP registration). After that, you need a Dutch licence to drive here.
- Exchange: Yes, with limits. The Netherlands has an agreement with Singapore: categories A and B only can be exchanged, provided the licence is valid and you lived there at least 185 days in the year it was issued. Other categories are lost on exchange.
- The 30% ruling (expat scheme): a valid decision lets you exchange a licence from any country, with all its categories, if the licence is still valid and you hold a residence permit.
- What you cannot keep: only categories A and B only come back; other categories are waived on exchange.
- Translation: Latin script: no translation needed.
- International Driving Permit: recommended by the RDW when the categories on your licence are not labelled A, B, C, D, E; never required for the 185 days.
- Health declaration: needed before an exchange or the practical exam (Gezondheidsverklaring, €47 via Mijn CBR).
- Note on the document: Class 2 (motorcycle over 400 cc) and Class 3 (passenger car).
Sources: RDW exchange checklist, RDW, driving with a foreign licence, RDW, exchanging a foreign licence; verified 2 September 2026.
Which International Driving Permit can Singapore issue, and do I need one?
- The RDW never requires an International Driving Permit for your 185 days; it advises one when the categories on your licence are not labelled A, B, C, D, E, so that they can be read.
- The permit is a translation of your licence, obtained in the issuing country, and it never extends the 185 days.
- Singapore is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (since 29 November 1972).
- It is not a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
- Its permit follows the 1949 model and is valid for one year from the date of issue.
- The Netherlands is a party to both conventions, so the 1949 permit is recognised here.
Sources: RDW, driving with a foreign driving licence (read 7 September 2026), UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic: status (read 7 September 2026), 1949 Convention on Road Traffic, Annex 10 (validity of the permit) (read 7 September 2026).
A worked example
Registered at a Dutch address on 1 September 2026: you may drive here until 4 March 2027 (185 days). After that you need a Dutch licence.
Computed by the same rules engine as the checker; your own dates give your own deadline. Get yours →
What it costs: the exchange route
about €116(€111–€121)
| Item | Typical | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal exchange fee (national maximum) | €54 | |
| Health declaration (Gezondheidsverklaring) | €47 | |
| Passport photo (fotomatrix standard)estimate | €15 | €10–€20 |
CBR fees: CBR tariff table 2026; estimates are labelled. Adjust lessons, city and attempts in the checker. Compare the routes →
Timeline
About 3–6 weeks, in 5 steps:
- Health declaration via Mijn CBR(~4 weeks (CBR processing))
- Passport photo
- Gemeente appointment
- Hand in your foreign licence
- Collect your Dutch licence(RDW decides within 15 working days; collect ~5 working days later)
Common mistakes with agreement-country licences
- Counting on all categories coming back. Only the categories on the agreement list are exchanged; the others are waived on a waiver form (afstandsverklaring). source
- Letting the licence expire first. The RDW cannot exchange an expired non-EU licence. source
- Forgetting the residency test. You must have lived in the issuing country for at least 185 days in the year the licence was issued. source
- Driving past day 185 while the exchange is pending. The 185 days run from your registration; the pending application does not extend them. source
Why this is confusing
Three things must all be true for the exchange: the licence is still valid, the category is on the list, and you lived in the issuing country 185 days in the year of issue. The exchange returns only the listed categories.
Exams in your language
The CBR car theory exam exists in English; every other language uses an interpreter, booked 14 days ahead. The practical exam allows a sworn interpreter or your own instructor to translate.
Which exams do I need? · Theory exam in English · Theory exam with an interpreter · Interpreter at the practical exam · Do you need Dutch?
Rules version 1.2.2, verified 2 September 2026. Source: RDW. This is guidance, not legal advice. Confirm with the official RDW checklist. Municipal licence fee: at most €54 in 2026. This page as data: JSON; all rules: rules index.