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Road-traffic offenses include: driving under the influence (Art. 8), dangerous driving (Art. 5), joyriding (Art. 11), speeding, and crash consequences. At AAG ≥ 571 µg/L or BAC ≥ 1.31‰, upon test refusal, or with 50 km/h speeding, the police will usually seize your license. Sanctions may include fines, community service, and a disqualification (up to 5 years, doubled to 10 on repeat); Article 5 punishes endangerment with up to two months’ detention or €3,800 and a 2–4 year ban. Joyriding can mean up to six months’ custody and compensation. The CBR may conduct assessments (alcohol/drugs, medical, driving skills) and impose LEMA/EMA/EMG; non-cooperation can lead to invalidation. In some cases the vehicle may be confiscated, e.g., after refusal or repeated offending. You can contest retention; a court may order temporary return pending the main decision.

The Dutch Central Office for Motor Vehicle Driver Testing (CBR) may - independently of any criminal case - initiate administrative proceedings against you where a police notification and established facts indicate a road-safety risk. Typical triggers include driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medications that impair driving, involvement in a serious crash, very substantial speeding, repeated violations, or suspected dependency. The CBR then assesses whether you still meet fitness and competence requirements. Launching a case does not automatically mean punishment, but temporary restrictions may apply until a decision is made. You will receive a letter stating the grounds and next steps - respond on time and keep your correspondence address current; failing to respond can lead to a decision without your input.

In practice, the CBR uses three assessment tracks. The alcohol/drugs assessment examines whether - and under which circumstances - substance use affects your driving; it includes an interview, document review, and toxicology if needed. The medical examination evaluates your fitness to drive (e.g., medical conditions, prescribed medication, episodes of loss of consciousness). The driving skills test is a practical on-road assessment. The CBR schedules the date and location; you must cooperate, bring valid ID, and arrive on time. Refusal, lateness, or an unexcused no-show is treated as an adverse result and can lead to revocation or suspension of your driver’s license. Afterward, you receive a reasoned decision with the next steps, such as an educational measure or an additional exam. The focus is traffic safety, not criminal guilt.

Depending on the outcome, the CBR may impose educational measures. These are mandatory programs, at your expense, that run alongside any criminal case: LEMA (Light Educational Measure Alcohol and Traffic) for less severe cases, EMA (Educational Measure Alcohol and Traffic) for higher readings or aggravating factors, and EMG (Educational Measure Behavior and Traffic) for dangerous conduct or gross speeding. Attendance at all sessions, completion of assignments, and sobriety rules are compulsory. Failure to attend, dropping out, or an unsatisfactory result may lead to invalidation of your driver’s license until you again meet the requirements and complete the program. The CBR sets timelines, locations, and payment deadlines; late payment is treated as refusal to participate. Keep confirmations and certificates - they support appeals and restoration of your entitlement.

CBR decisions affect your administrative driving entitlement: they may include a temporary suspension or invalidation of your driver’s license when you no longer meet safe-driving requirements. These measures do not replace any criminal judgment; they run in parallel and can continue even if the criminal case ends favorably. To regain your license, you must show renewed compliance: complete required courses, provide medical documentation, and, where applicable, pass a driving-skills test or extra exam. Additional conditions may apply, such as periodic checks or follow-up evaluations. The decision explains deadlines and appeal options - act quickly, as delay prolongs time off the road. Driving while suspended exposes you to criminal liability and further administrative action, so verify your status and that all CBR obligations have been fully satisfied before you return to driving.

You can appeal a CBR decision. File your objection within the stated period - typically six weeks from delivery. If you need more time, submit a pro forma objection and supplement it once you have the file and expert input. Identify factual errors and attach evidence: medical statements, toxicology results, course certificates, and any documents showing your fitness and driving competence. If the decision is immediately enforceable, request a stay of execution pending review. Track deadlines and incoming mail closely - those dates determine how quickly you can return to the road. If the CBR maintains its position, you may take the matter to the administrative court. Legal counsel helps with file access, counter-expertise, and demonstrating that any identified risk has been removed through treatment, education, or sustained sobriety. Keep copies of submissions and delivery receipts.

Unauthorized temporary use of a vehicle (“joyriding”) is a criminal offense in the Netherlands under Article 11 of the 1994 Dutch Road Traffic Act. This provision prohibits intentionally and unlawfully using on the road a motor vehicle that belongs to someone else. If you commit this offense, you face up to 6 months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to €7,600. In addition to criminal penalties, you can be required to compensate the owner for any damage. For minors, resolving the case out of court is often crucial, as it can limit entries on the criminal record and knock-on effects at school or work. The police may detain and question you, but the Public Prosecution Service decides whether to prosecute. A conviction results in a criminal record entry. The court may also impose community service or a driving ban. Making restitution, showing remorse, and cooperating can mitigate the sentence.

Article 5 of the 1994 Road Traffic Act prohibits conduct that creates or may create danger on the road, or that hinders or may hinder traffic. Breaching Article 5 is an offense punishable by up to two months’ detention or a fine of €3,800. The court may also impose a driving disqualification of up to two years, and up to four years for repeat offending. Typical examples include extreme speeding, aggressive maneuvers, tailgating, overtaking where prohibited, running red lights, and handheld phone use while driving. Authorities assess the full context and the evidence available (video, traces, witness statements). Police may seize your license on the spot and refer the case to the prosecutor; the matter can also be sent to the CBR for a fitness-to-drive and driving-skills review. Where a collision occurs — or other offenses accompany the conduct - sanctions are typically more severe, and parallel administrative measures may follow.

After the police seize your license, the document is forwarded to the public prosecutor or the Central Processing Office of the Public Prosecution Service (CVOM) in Utrecht. Within ten days a decision is taken on whether the license will be retained. Your case is usually concluded within about six months — either before the court or at a prosecutor’s hearing. You may wait for that hearing, but in the meantime it is advisable to file a complaint with the district court against the retention; the judge may order the license to be returned pending the merits. Unlike the prosecution, the judge will more readily consider the incident’s context and your personal situation, such as work, commute, or family duties. After a successful complaint, renewed retention at the main hearing is generally not imposed unless new, significant facts emerge. Keep copies of correspondence and timelines.

For a first speeding offense up to 50 km/h over the limit you will usually receive a fine. The Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB) sends a payment notice with a settlement proposal. If you pay on time, no further criminal prosecution follows. Note that the offense is recorded in your Dutch criminal record (Justitiële Documentatie) and, upon a similar repeat offense, counts as an aggravating factor. If you exceed the limit by 50 km/h or more, or in case of repeat offending, your driver’s license will be seized. If the police stop you for such an offense, they are legally obliged to take your license. A driving ban may range from several months suspended to a year or more unconditional in serious cases. Serious speeding - especially when combined with alcohol, drugs, medications, or an accident - may also trigger referral to the CBR for an assessment of your fitness and driving competence.

After the police seize your license, the document is forwarded to the public prosecutor or the Central Processing Office of the Public Prosecution Service (CVOM) in Utrecht. Within ten days a decision is taken on whether the license will be retained. Your case is usually concluded within about six months — either before the court or at a prosecutor’s hearing. You may wait for that hearing, but in the meantime it is advisable to file a complaint with the district court against the retention; the judge may order the license to be returned pending the merits. Unlike the prosecution, the judge will more readily consider the incident’s context and your personal situation, such as work, commute, or family duties. After a successful complaint, renewed retention at the main hearing is generally not imposed unless new, significant facts emerge. Keep copies of correspondence and timelines.

For a breach of Article 8 of the Road Traffic Act - driving under the influence - the police may seize your driver’s license once the reading is ≥ 1.31‰ BAC or ≥ 571 µg/L AAG. This also applies if you exceed the limit by more than 50 km/h, refuse to cooperate with breath or blood testing, or create serious hindrance or danger to road safety. If a serious crash is involved, seizure may likewise follow. When you are stopped for such an offense, officers are legally required to take the license; from that moment you may not drive. Driving despite seizure is a criminal offense and may lead to a harsher disqualification. In cases of a collision or repeat offending, penalties are usually more severe. The case is referred to the public prosecutor, and alongside the criminal route a separate administrative track may be started with the CBR to assess fitness to drive and impose additional measures.

After the police seize your license, the document is forwarded to the public prosecutor or the Central Processing Office of the Public Prosecution Service (CVOM) in Utrecht. Within ten days a decision is taken on whether the license will be retained. Your case is usually concluded within about six months — either before the court or at a prosecutor’s hearing. You may wait for that hearing, but in the meantime it is advisable to file a complaint with the district court against the retention; the judge may order the license to be returned pending the merits. Unlike the prosecution, the judge will more readily consider the incident’s context and your personal situation, such as work, commute, or family duties. After a successful complaint, renewed retention at the main hearing is generally not imposed unless new, significant facts emerge. Keep copies of correspondence and timelines.

In the event of a serious crash, the police and the Public Prosecution Service usually conduct a comprehensive investigation into cause and fault. This serves not only settlement between the parties but also a criminal purpose. As a road user you may be liable for an offense, especially where conduct was careless or reckless; if a fatality occurs, a summons for manslaughter by negligence may follow. In some situations the prosecution may seize your driver’s license, for example after driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs and/or medications that impair driving. Statements made during the first interview are recorded in a formal report and can be used as evidence. You are entitled to a caution, may decline to answer questions, and can have the report read back and corrected. Stick to the facts, avoid speculation, and do not make firm statements unless you are sure - vague wording makes later clarification harder.

If you are involved in a traffic accident, you must stop, secure the scene, render assistance, and remain there until the police arrive. Leaving the scene is a criminal offense. Article 184 of the 1994 Road Traffic Act provides an option: within twelve hours of the incident - and before arrest or questioning as a suspect - you may voluntarily report to the police or prosecution. At that point you must disclose your identity, your vehicle details, and describe the circumstances of the incident. Where safe, record witness details and take photos of damage and traces - avoid commenting on social media. Keep copies of correspondence, receipts, and the case number - this speeds up later handling and helps verify what happened. Stay calm and precise; complete, consistent information reduces misunderstandings and unnecessary risk.

Driving a vehicle — including a bicycle or moped — under the influence is an offense under Article 8 of the Dutch Road Traffic Act. The ban covers alcohol, drugs, and/or medications that can be expected to impair driving ability. The measured alcohol level determines the type and severity of the penalty; in many cases a settlement (fine) is offered. If your breath alcohol (AAG) is 571 µg/L or higher, or your blood alcohol (BAC) is 1.31‰ or higher, the prosecution will seek a driving ban. That ban can range from six months suspended to five years unconditional in very serious cases; with repeat offending it may be doubled up to ten years. Police may administer a roadside breath test and conduct further testing at the station; for suspected drugs or if you cannot blow, blood is taken. Refusal is a criminal offense and is often treated similarly to a high reading. Seizure of your driver’s license can follow immediately after the stop.

After the police seize your license, the document is forwarded to the public prosecutor or the Central Processing Office of the Public Prosecution Service (CVOM) in Utrecht. Within ten days a decision is taken on whether the license will be retained. Your case is usually concluded within about six months — either before the court or at a prosecutor’s hearing. You may wait for that hearing, but in the meantime it is advisable to file a complaint with the district court against the retention; the judge may order the license to be returned pending the merits. Unlike the prosecution, the judge more readily considers the incident’s context and your personal situation (work, commute, family duties). After a successful complaint, renewed retention at the main hearing is generally not imposed unless new, significant facts emerge. Keep correspondence and delivery receipts to verify deadlines and speed up decisions.

In specific circumstances the police may seize your car or motorcycle. This can occur at an AAG of 571 µg/L or higher in Article 8 cases, if you refuse alcohol/drug testing, or after two repeat offenses within the previous five years. Seizure is used to preserve evidence or prevent further offenses. The vehicle is towed to an impound and you receive a receipt; you may collect personal items. Towing and storage costs are borne by the owner and accrue daily. You can request release of the vehicle; the court weighs necessity and proportionality, whether the car is essential (e.g., for work), and any risk of reoffending. Release may be conditional — a bond, a restriction on you driving, or use by another authorized driver. If a third party owns the vehicle, include proof of ownership to expedite release. Failure to act or pay increases costs and prolongs storage.