{
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "last_verified": "2026-09-02",
  "sources": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.rdw.nl/het-rijbewijs/buitenlands-rijbewijs/buitenlands-rijbewijs-omwisselen",
      "note": "RDW: exchange process and documents",
      "verified": "2026-09-02"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/rijden-en-uw-gezondheid/buitenlands-rijbewijs-omwisselen",
      "note": "CBR: health declaration for exchange",
      "verified": "2026-09-02"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/veelgestelde-vragen/kan-ik-het-theorie-examen-in-een-andere-taal-doen",
      "note": "CBR: theory exam in English",
      "verified": "2026-09-02"
    }
  ],
  "EXCHANGE": [
    {
      "id": "ex-1",
      "text": "If a health declaration is required (shown above), submit it first via Mijn CBR (€46.90). CBR advises doing this 6 months before your licence stops being valid here. The approval can take ~4 weeks, longer if a medical exam is triggered.",
      "link": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/rijden-en-uw-gezondheid/buitenlands-rijbewijs-omwisselen",
      "conditional": "health_declaration"
    },
    {
      "id": "ex-2",
      "text": "If your licence is not in Latin characters, get a sworn translation (typically €40–€90) from a sworn translator, your embassy, or consulate.",
      "link": "https://www.rdw.nl/het-rijbewijs/buitenlands-rijbewijs/buitenlands-rijbewijs-omwisselen",
      "conditional": "translation"
    },
    {
      "id": "ex-3",
      "text": "Get a colour passport photo that meets Dutch requirements (fotomatrix standard), no older than 6 months.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "ex-4",
      "text": "Book an appointment at your gemeente (Amsterdam allows walk-ins at most Stadsloketten). Bring: your foreign licence, translation if needed, valid ID or residence permit, the photo, and your health-declaration approval if required.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "ex-5",
      "text": "Hand in your foreign licence. You will not get it back (RDW sends it to the issuing country). Ask for a copy and a receipt.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "ex-6",
      "text": "RDW decides within 15 working days of a complete application; most cities say 2–4 weeks overall. Collect your Dutch licence at the gemeente. In Den Haag, collect within 3 months, or it is destroyed and you pay again.",
      "link": null
    }
  ],
  "EXCHANGE_VIA_EXPAT_SCHEME": [
    {
      "id": "xp-1",
      "text": "Apply while your expat-scheme decision is valid. Once the exchange is done, losing the 30% ruling changes nothing, but the application must happen while it is valid.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "xp-2",
      "text": "Get the Beschikking expatregeling (the Belastingdienst decision letter) from your employer; the gemeente will ask for it. Cohabiting family members of the ruling holder can also use this route.",
      "link": "https://business.gov.nl/staff/employing-staff/the-expat-scheme-30-percent-ruling-in-the-netherlands/"
    },
    {
      "id": "xp-3",
      "text": "Submit the health declaration via Mijn CBR (€46.90). It is required for every non-EU/EFTA exchange. Do this first; approval can take ~4 weeks.",
      "link": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/rijden-en-uw-gezondheid/buitenlands-rijbewijs-omwisselen"
    },
    {
      "id": "xp-4",
      "text": "If your licence is not in Latin characters, get a sworn translation (typically €40–€90).",
      "link": null,
      "conditional": "translation"
    },
    {
      "id": "xp-5",
      "text": "Book the gemeente appointment. Bring: the beschikking, your foreign licence (still valid!), translation if needed, valid residence permit, colour photo ≤6 months, health-declaration approval.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "xp-6",
      "text": "Hand in your foreign licence (not returned); RDW decides within 15 working days; collect ~5 working days after approval.",
      "link": null
    }
  ],
  "RETEST": [
    {
      "id": "rt-1",
      "text": "Create a Mijn CBR account (DigiD) and submit the health declaration (€46.90). You need an approved one before the practical exam.",
      "link": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/rijden-en-uw-gezondheid/gezondheidsverklaring-invullen"
    },
    {
      "id": "rt-2",
      "text": "Book the car theory exam in English (€57.00): 50 questions, 30 minutes, 44 correct to pass, available at every CBR centre. Tip from the maker of this site: book it three to four weeks out first, then book your course, so the date is a deadline to study to. Six terms stay in Dutch: APK, autoweg, brommobiel, erf, snorfiets, speed pedelec.",
      "link": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/veelgestelde-vragen/kan-ik-het-theorie-examen-in-een-andere-taal-doen"
    },
    {
      "id": "rt-3",
      "text": "Take a theory course in English first: about €30 for two weeks online, up to about €129 with a one-day class added. The pass rate for English exams was 35.9% in 2025, so preparation pays for itself.",
      "link": null,
      "cta_slot": "retest_theory_course"
    },
    {
      "id": "rt-4",
      "text": "Choose a driving school and authorise it in Mijn CBR. Compare schools by their practical-exam pass rate in the CBR Rijschoolzoeker (higher is better; the national average is around 50%).",
      "link": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/rijschoolzoeker"
    },
    {
      "id": "rt-5",
      "text": "Your theory certificate is valid 18 months, so plan lessons and the practical exam (€143.50) inside that window.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "rt-6",
      "text": "Experienced driver? You don't need 40 lessons. Most experienced drivers retesting need 10–20; the exam tests Dutch-specific behaviour, not whether you can drive.",
      "link": null,
      "conditional": "experienced_driver"
    }
  ],
  "KEEP_DRIVING": [
    {
      "id": "kd-1",
      "text": "Note the exact date your licence stops being valid for driving in the Netherlands (shown above). Driving past it means driving unlicensed, and uninsured.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "kd-2",
      "text": "Six months before that date: if you can exchange, submit the CBR health declaration and book the gemeente appointment. If you must retest, book the theory exam; waiting times for practical exams can be months.",
      "link": "https://www.cbr.nl/nl/rijden-en-uw-gezondheid/buitenlands-rijbewijs-omwisselen"
    },
    {
      "id": "kd-3",
      "text": "Check your insurance: some Dutch insurers ask about your licence status; driving on a foreign licence is legal within the window, but tell your insurer the facts.",
      "link": null
    }
  ],
  "EXPIRED_OR_UNDETERMINED": [
    {
      "id": "un-1",
      "text": "Run the official RDW checklist. It is the authoritative self-check and covers edge cases this tool flags rather than guesses.",
      "link": "https://www.rdw.nl/het-rijbewijs/buitenlands-rijbewijs/buitenlands-rijbewijs-omwisselen"
    },
    {
      "id": "un-2",
      "text": "If your licence has expired: renew it in the issuing country if you can (an expired non-EU/EFTA licence cannot be exchanged), or plan for the full CBR route.",
      "link": null
    },
    {
      "id": "un-3",
      "text": "Ukrainian licence under temporary protection: you may keep driving (even expired). For exchange questions, contact RDW and check IND guidance.",
      "link": "https://ind.nl/nl/oekraine/richtlijn-tijdelijke-bescherming-oekraine",
      "conditional": "temporary_protection_ukraine"
    }
  ]
}