Once you settle in the Netherlands, you might want to get a car. To help you navigate the practical aspects of car ownership or rental, here is our guide on how to buy or rent a car in the Netherlands.

Buying a car

One of the first decisions is buying a new or used car. Of course, each has pros and cons, which can all depend on your financial situation and how much you plan to use the car.

New Car

Naturally, buying a new car is more costly than using a second-hand car. Also, the first owner of a new car must pay a one-off Private vehicle and motorcycle tax (BPM) to register the car in their name. That makes a new car more expensive in the Netherlands.

On the other hand, although costly, you’ll at least know what you’re getting with a new car. Everything from safety features to technology and maintenance checks will be up-to-date.

To buy a new car, you can head out to the official dealership, but recently, more and more people are looking to buy a car online in the Netherlands. You can also check the website Broekhuis and choose a car brand, price range to see your options.

Second-hand Car

If you decide to buy a second-hand car, you should consider the car's history, such as previous ownership and usage. The RDW offers a license plate check to look up the car history, where they list all details of the car, like previous owners.

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You should always request an inspection test from the seller, and if the previous inspection test is “lost” or was a long time ago, you can feel free to ask for a new one.

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There are many places to pick up a used car in the Netherlands, from dealerships to online marketplaces. However, Marktplaats, Bynco and Wijkopenautos the most known ones. Bynco also help you throughout the process, such as inspection, registration, etc.

After buying:

• Registration: You must register your car when you buy a car in the Netherlands. The RDW, the national authority for road traffic, does this. They will give you a credit card-shaped vehicle registration certificate (kentekenbewijs).
• Road tax: After registering your car, you will receive a bill for road tax. The amount depends on the type of car you have and which city you live in. You can pre-calculate the costs for the road tax on the tax authority's website.
• Insurance: By law, you need to have insurance for your car in the Netherlands. It covers you against any damage or injury to others caused by your vehicle. You can compare Dutch car insurance policies using comparison websites like Pricewise and Independer.
• Inspection: Once you have your car, you must get it periodically inspected by an RDW-approved professional, testing station. This test, called an APK, is comprehensive and not expensive. How often you need to get an APK depends on several factors, such as the type of car you are driving and how many years it has been on the road. However, usually, the test needs to be performed every year or every two years.
• Parking: If you live in a big city, you’ll need a parking permit, and there may even be a waiting list.

Renting a car

If you don’t like arranging your time based on public transportation timetables, renting a car in the Netherlands is the ideal way to travel, providing you with the freedom to go where you want, when you want, with lesser responsibility than buying a car.

It is easy to find car rental companies in the Netherlands because there are many available car rental options for you to try. Hertz, Sixt, and Enterprise are popular in the Netherlands with their efficiency, good/clean cars, and friendly customer service.