Facts
My van is about 4100 kg.
I have a Philippine Driving License.
The Philippines has slightly different vehicle weight rules than Europe for handling driver's licenses.
Risks
In a worst case scenario, if I get pulled over in the Netherlands, there are 3 things they won't like:
I'm officially a Dutch Resident but I'm driving a vehicle with foreign plates. Technically once you become a Dutch resident you're not allowed drive a foreign vehicle. This is a tax violation because you should be paying tax on this vehicle.
I've officially lived here for over 185 days and I'm still driving on a foreign license (technically you need to convert to a Dutch license asap).
I'm driving a vehicle that would be considered "C Category" in Europe, but my license is technically "B Category" license. (This is murkier because of the license thing).
Penalties
For driving a vehicle without a Dutch license plate...
First offence: Warning + requirement to import or remove vehicle
Subsequent offence: BPM + MRB back-taxes (up to 5 years) + penalty up to 100% of taxes owed
Real case examples show total assessments of €8,000–€13,000+ including penalties
For driving on a foreign license...
€430 fine (Article 107 WVW – "wrong category/invalid")
For "driving a category C vehicle on a category B license" (murky)...
Penalty: €430 fine (same Article 107 – "verkeerde categorie")
Insurance risk: Insurer may refuse coverage or pursue recovery if accident occurs
Costs & Process
| Area | Cost | Effort |
| Getting a C1 License | €1,500–€2,500 | 2–4 months (theory + practical exams) |
| Getting Dutch License Plate | €2,100–€3,400 (BPM €1,200–€2,000 + fees €200–€500 + first year MRB €700–€900) | RDW inspection, BPM declaration, potential taxatie report |
| Ongoing MRB (Road Tax) | €700–€900/year (2025) → €1,400–€1,800/year (2026+) | Annual, automatic – camper half-tariff from 2026 |
Takeaways & Plan
Voluntary compliance now costs ~€4,000–€6,000 total (licence + import)
Getting caught after 2–3 years could cost €6,000–€12,000 (taxes + penalties)
Resale problem: RHD + Dutch plates + 4,100 kg = 20–30% value loss (€6,000–€9,000 on €30k van)
Three realistic options:
Go Dutch: High upfront cost, ongoing MRB, painful resale
Keep Irish, store in Ireland: No cost, but can't use van in NL
Sell in Ireland