License plate

Registration certificate part 1A (vehicle certificate)

This registration certificate contains information about the car itself. The registration certificate is only renewed when it is damaged or missing, and when certain changes have been made to the vehicle. Registration certificate part 1A contains information about the car, such as the number on the number plate, make and type of car, mass, chassis number, year of construction, type of fuel, number of cylinders and the date the registration certificate was issued.

Registration certificate part 1B (registration certificate)

This registration certificate contains details of the current registration holder. If the vehicle changes hands, the registration certificate must be transferred and a new registration certificate is issued. You must carry the complete registration certificate part 1 (both part 1a and part 1b) and be able to show it to the police upon request.

Need transfer certificate?

The registration certificate is needed to transfer the license plate to another name. You should not take this registration certificate with you, but keep it in a safe place separate from registration certificate part 1. If someone comes into possession of both Part I and Part II of the registration certificate, he/she can transfer the car to his/her name without difficulty. Have you lost the registration certificate? Then read here what to do.

No payment without registration certificate?

If your car is stolen and you do not have all parts of the registration certificate, some car insurance companies may not pay out. If the car is stolen, limited collision or all risk insurance usually covers the damage. There are many car insurance companies that only pay out upon receipt of all license plate parts. Requesting a new registration card after theft is not possible, due to a theft report at the RDW that the vehicle then has. Reporting theft immediately is important to stop insurance and prevent violations with the car in your name.

It's not always the case that nothing will be paid out in the event of theft if you can't hand over all the registration documents. Some insurers pay out anyway, provided that the theft of the license plate is reported. To prevent wrecks from being traded together with the documents, all insurers do ask for all car and registration papers in case of irreparable damage (total loss).

Lost license plate what now?

Read here what to do if the license plate is lost.

Registration number suspension via the internet

Vehicle owners have been able to suspend the license plate online at the RDW since April 2009. Whereas you used to have to go to the post office to suspend a license plate, these days you can do so on the RDW website.

The central RDW telephone number: 0900 - 0739 (€ 0.10 p.m.).

You can have your license plate suspended if you plan not to use public roads with the vehicle for an extended period of time. Then you don't have to meet the vehicle-related obligations. You will be indemnified when your vehicle is sold or scrapped. The vehicle is then no longer in your name and you are therefore no longer obliged to pay insurance and road taxes.