Vehicle requirements

Motor carriage: All engine-driven vehicles. These may not require rails for mobilisation (such as a train, metro or tram). This does not include bicycles with pedal assistance. Attention: does include trolley buses an all types of mopeds, including the speed pedelec!
Driver of a motor carriage: The one driving the motor carriage, or under whose immediate supervision a motor carriage is being driven. For the latter, think of a driving instructor or examiner.
Keeper/holder of a motor carriage or trailer: Someone who rents, borrows or leases a vehicle for an extended period of time. This is not the same as the owner.

To be able to drive a vehicle on public roads, it must meet certain technical requirements. If a manufacturer decides to release a new type of vehicle, it must first be type-approved by the Road Traffic Service (RDW) before it can be sold in the Netherlands.

If you modify something on your vehicle yourself, it might be in violation with its type-approval. You are then no longer allowed to enter the road with this vehicle. The vehicle then no longer meets the permanent technical requirements and must be re-approved.

rollentestbank 1 — A boosted moped no longer meets the set requirements. The police check for this and as a consequence can give you a fine and declare your vehicle registration certificate temporarily invalid.

andere uitlaat — Replacing the exhaust for a different type of exhaust may also cause trouble for the type-approval.

Vehicle registration number: A unique combination of digits and letters which is issued to a type-approved and registered vehicle subject to registration. The vehicle can be recognised by this number. This vehicle registration number is printed on a number plate.
Number plate: Rectangular plate on which the vehicle registration number is applied. This plate must be attached to the vehicle the registration number belongs to.
Vehicle registration certificate: Proof given to the owner or holder. The information about the vehicle and the vehicle registration number are on this.
Vehicle registration register: National register in which all vehicle registration numbers and corresponding information is saved.

Waiting for approval (WOK)

If it is noticed that something is wrong with your vehicle during an inspection, the vehicle registration certificate may be temporarily declared invalid. You run this risk when you, for example, boost your vehicle. But the vehicle registration certificate may also be temporarily declared invalid after an accident because your vehicle has been damaged too much.

In that case, the annotation ‘prohibited to drive on the road’ is made in the vehicle registration register. This is also called a ‘Waiting for approval’ or ‘WOK-status’. The vehicle must then be re-approved at the RDW. You are not allowed to drive the vehicle until it is re-approved.

In case of a WOK-status, your vehicle registration certificate is not actually confiscated, but it is nationally registered that this vehicle may not be driven.

In addition, an authorised person could also require you to make your vehicle available at an agreed time, for example for further investigation.

General periodic inspection (APK)

The general periodic inspection (APK) is compulsory for passenger cars every once in a while. For mopeds, snorfietsen, speed pedelecs and brommobielen there is no mandatory APK. Despite that, it is wise you regularly have your vehicle serviced. Always ask for advice if you experience problems, see error codes, or doubt whether something is wrong with the vehicle.