Thousands of Dutch people are behind the wheel with an invalid driver’s license

April 20, 2022

Driving with an invalid driver’s license

Anyone who gets behind the wheel with a big gulp and gets caught runs the risk of having to surrender his driver’s license . The reason for taking the driving license can also have other causes, such as drug use, dementia or impaired vision.

Hand in driver’s license

Anyone who is no longer allowed to drive must send their driver’s license to the Central Bureau for Driving Skills. The CBR does not have the authority to claim invalid driving licenses itself. The CBR does send two letters, asking you to send your pass. But whether you actually do that is not checked. It is an offense to be in possession of an invalid driver’s license. Anyone caught risks a maximum prison sentence of three months and a fine of up to 8,300 euros.

10,000 invalid driving licenses

In 2021, according to the Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer (RDW), more than 10,000 pink cards were declared invalid. However, 4,240 people have not yet surrendered their invalid driver’s license. This does not mean that everyone who still has their invalid driver’s license will actually get into the car. However, the police are catching more and more people with an invalid driver’s license. Last year, no fewer than 5,000 motorists were pulled over for driving without a valid ticket. That equates to 13 people per day. The actual number of drivers illegally driving is probably much higher.