Vehicle requirements
- Motor carriage
All vehicles that are propelled by means of an engine. It is not allowed to be propelled by rails (like a train, metro or tram). Bicycles with pedal assistance do not fall under the motor carriages. Note: trolley buses and all kinds of mopeds, including the speed pedelec, do!
- Driver of a motor carriage
The one who operates the motor carriage or the person who is supposed to have the motor carriage driven under their immediate supervision. For the latter, think about a driving instructor or examiner.
- Keeper/holder of a motor carriage or trailer
The one who rents the vehicle long term, or borrows or leases, is the holder of this vehicle. This is not the same as the owner.
To be able to use a motorcycle on public roads, it should meet certain technical requirements. If a manufacturer decides to release a new type of motorcycle, it must first be type-approved by the Road Traffic Service (RDW) before it can be sold in the Netherlands.
If you modify anything about your motorcycle yourself, it might be in violation of this type-approval. You are then no longer allowed to enter the road with this vehicle. The motorcycle then no longer meets the permanent technical requirements and must be approved again.
Replacing certain components may cause the vehicle to fail to meet the technical requirements.
Replacing the exhaust for a different type of exhaust may 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 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 motorcycle during an inspection, then the vehicle registration certificate can be temporarily invalidated. For example, this could be because you changed something yourself. But the vehicle registration certificate can also be temporarily invalidated after a collision with damage.
In that case, an 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 motorcycle must then be approved again by the RDW. You are no longer allowed to ride it 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 motorcycle may no longer be ridden.
In addition, an authorised person could also decide that your motorcycle must be available at an agreed time, for example for further investigation.