Check exchange or Dutch exams
Plan your Dutch licence route early
For a valid licence issued outside the EU/EFTA, the ordinary resident driving period is the first 185 days after relocation. That period is not extended by a pending exchange application.
This issuing country is not on the ordinary RDW exchange list. Check whether an exception applies, such as an approved Expat Scheme decision or a qualifying former Dutch licence. Working in the Netherlands alone does not establish eligibility. If you cannot exchange, both Dutch theory and practical tests are required.
Be precise about where your licence was issued
Use the issuing country or territory shown on your driving document when checking the official rules. A mainland Chinese licence should not be treated as a Taiwanese licence, and a person's nationality does not determine the issuing authority. Tell the school exactly which document you hold rather than relying on a broad description.
Check the RDW route before buying an exam programme. If an exchange exception may apply to your circumstances, investigate that first. If supporting documents or a translation are requested, confirm the requirements with the responsible authority before paying for a service that might not be accepted.
Choose explanations you can use while driving
English instruction is useful only if you can understand it comfortably while controlling the car. Ask how the instructor explains a correction, checks your understanding and introduces new terminology. A first lesson is a good opportunity to assess that communication as well as your driving skills.
If you prefer Mandarin or another language, ask the school directly; a listing or a country's name does not establish language availability. Also distinguish the language used during lessons from arrangements for official tests. Those are separate questions, and a school's lesson language does not guarantee the same test format.
- Who will teach me, and in which language?
- How will we practise and review unfamiliar traffic vocabulary?
- Which questions about official tests should I confirm separately?
Build confidence beyond a familiar lesson route
Describe the journeys you expect to make, whether that means local shopping, commuting or visiting family. Ask for practice reading signs, identifying priority and observing cyclists in a range of situations. The aim is a repeatable way to assess the road, not a script tied to one junction.
Request a clear assessment summary and ask what the next lessons are intended to improve. Check the lesson duration, the type of car and what a quoted package includes. Leave room to review progress before committing to more lessons, particularly if you are also deciding whether English instruction suits you.
Understand every step
Learning in English, with clarity.
Feeling comfortable asking questions matters. Confirm lesson language with the school before you book, including how your instructor will explain road situations and give feedback.
Explore driving schoolsYour lessons
Ask for an instructor who can teach in English. Discuss your experience and learning goals, rather than assuming a school offers your preferred language.
Your theory test
The CBR car theory test is available in English. Check the current booking and language options on the CBR website.
Your practical test
Agree language arrangements with your school in advance. Do not assume an English-speaking examiner; a practical-test interpreter must meet the CBR conditions.
A fair comparison
Look beyond the lesson price
A lower advertised price is only useful when you know what it covers. Ask each school for a written quote you can compare on the same basis.
- 01Time behind the wheel
- Check the lesson duration and whether it includes pick-up or travel time. Compare an equal number of minutes, rather than the word “lesson”.
- 02What the quote includes
- Ask about assessment lessons, learning materials, exam booking and use of the car during a test. Check which charges are separate.
- 03Flexibility and your car
- Confirm manual or automatic, lesson cancellation terms, package expiry and refunds. Choose a realistic schedule before committing to a package.
Before you get started
A few useful answers
Are rules for mainland China and Taiwan interchangeable?
No. Identify the issuing authority on your actual licence and use the matching official information. This guide is for people moving from China; it does not substitute one document's rules for another's.
Does Rijmaatje guarantee Mandarin-speaking instructors?
No. Confirm language availability with the school and the instructor who would teach you. Ask for clear answers about lesson explanations, written feedback and communication before choosing a package.
What should a beginner discuss at the first lesson?
Explain that you are starting from the beginning, confirm the car type and agree how instructions will be introduced. Ask how the school will record progress and decide when you are ready for the next skills.
Can I arrange English lessons through every school on Rijmaatje?
Language availability is set by each school. Contact the school before booking and confirm that your instructor can explain lessons and feedback in English. Also agree how language will be handled during test preparation and the practical test.
Go straight to the source
Official rules. A clearer next step.
RDW sets the foreign-licence and exchange conditions; CBR explains the tests. Check the full rules for your own document and situation.
Official guidance reviewed .