New Rules for Fast Disabled Vehicles

Disabled vehicles that drive faster than 20 km/h will have to be nationally inspected in the future. Currently, the RDW is determining how this approval process should look. This “fast” category includes Canta-like vehicles, which resemble small cars.

At the moment, no disabled vehicle requires (type) approval, while some resemble, for example, microcars – for which a European type approval does apply. A mandatory national inspection not only ensures safer disabled vehicles but also creates a level playing field.
 

The ministry is still exploring whether more rules should be introduced for this faster category. Currently, some people buy disabled vehicles simply because they offer many usage advantages. For example, parking on the sidewalk or driving without a license.

For disabled vehicles that drive slower than 20 km/h, the admission remains the same: the manufacturer is responsible for the technical safety of the vehicle and must assess whether it can safely be driven on the road. Most disabled vehicles in this slower category are mobility scooters.

Minister Tieman: “Disabled vehicles are essential for their users in daily life. Some people cannot go outside at all without these vehicles. I therefore find it important that we as the government keep the admission threshold low, while at the same time I see that relatively many victims occur with these vehicles. That is why it is crucial to carefully look at the conditions: not more rules than necessary, but enough to ensure safety.”

More information about additional rules for the “fast” category of disabled vehicles will be available in the summer of 2026. When the policy is further developed, the ministry will start working on legislation.