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.
Check exchange advice against your own circumstances
Stories from friends who moved earlier can be helpful, but they may have used an exception that does not apply to you. A South African licence being written in English does not by itself establish exchange eligibility. Check the current RDW conditions using your licence and your own circumstances.
If someone recommends the Expat Scheme route, confirm the official requirements before treating an exchange as available. Keep that document decision separate from a driving assessment. Even where an exchange is possible, you may want refresher instruction; where it is not, the school should explain a suitable learning and exam plan.
Give the change of road position proper attention
For drivers accustomed to the left, driving on the right can feel straightforward in some situations and unfamiliar in others. Tell the instructor when you hesitate, especially when setting off, turning or choosing a position at a junction. Those details help shape practice more usefully than a general confidence rating.
Ask for practice that combines road position with observation of cyclists and pedestrians. If you already manage a manual car confidently, say so; it may let you focus the assessment on traffic decisions. If not, discuss whether the vehicle choice introduces another skill to learn alongside the new road environment.
- Explain which left-to-right changes feel least familiar.
- Ask to review observation and road position together.
- Agree how progress will be assessed across different situations.
Ask for a plan with a clear purpose
A newcomer with driving experience and a first-time learner should not automatically receive the same programme. Ask the school to describe what it observed, which skills need work and how it will decide that you are ready to move on. Previous experience is useful information, not a guaranteed lesson count.
Confirm English instruction with the actual school and ask how feedback will be given. Compare quotations using lesson minutes and the services included, with any exam-related costs explained separately. If your goal is a limited refresher course, make that clear before considering a larger package.
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
Can I assume a South African licence can be exchanged?
No. Use the current official conditions and check whether an exception applies to you. Another South African driver's successful exchange does not establish eligibility for your own document or circumstances.
Will lessons help me adapt to driving on the right?
A school can assess your needs and propose targeted practice. Explain which situations feel uncertain and ask for a plan covering road position, observation and independent decisions, rather than a promised fixed number of lessons.
Are English lessons different from an English official test?
Yes, they are separate arrangements. Confirm the language used for teaching with your school, and check official test arrangements separately. Do not assume one automatically includes the other.
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 .