Minister Tieman: “With this law, it becomes much easier to electronically renew, replace, or extend your drivers license to an additional category. Not only does it save time for citizens and municipalities, but the application also becomes more resistant to fraud, and with better photo quality, identity verification can be improved. The expectation is that this will also lead to lower costs when more digital applications come in.”
The electronic application will be handled by the Road Traffic Service (RDW). They manage the drivers license register and have access to the personal data needed for this. The RDW has recognized photographers who can take high-quality passport photos and send them directly to the RDW.
It will still be possible to submit a physical application at the municipal office, just like now. The first application for a drivers license must even still take place physically due to the identification and registration of the applicant in the drivers license register. However, it is possible to use digital submission of the passport photo and signature for this first application.
Legal Anchoring
Following the experiment, work has been done on a legislative amendment. The aim is to have this law and regulations come into effect on January 1, 2027. In the meantime, it has been decided that the digital handling will be tolerated.
