RDW (organization)
Dienst Wegverkeer, commonly known as RDW, is the organization that handles the type-approval and registration of motorized vehicles and driving licences in the Netherlands. This is not limited to passenger cars, but also includes trucks, tractors, bicycles, scooters, drones and more. The RDW is an independent administrative body of the Dutch government. Up until 1996, the organisation was known as "Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer".
The official English name of RDW is: the Netherlands Vehicle Authority.
History
The RDW was established on 1 September 1949 as the Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer, through the merger of the Technical Service of the Rijksverkeersinspectie and the Bureau Inschrijvingen Motorrijtuigen en Aanhangwagens of Rijkswaterstaat.In 1951, responsibility for vehicle registration was fully centralized under the RDW.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the agency expanded its services to include the systematic issuance of driving licences and the implementation of safety inspections; in 1974, a portion of its operations was transferred to a newly opened office in Veendam to promote regional decentralization of government services.
The introduction of the APK, the Netherlands’ mandatory periodic motor‑vehicle inspection, was legislated in 1985; the RDW was charged with certifying and supervising all inspection garages.
In the early 1990s, the RDW began digitizing its vehicle‑registration database and launched its first online services for both citizens and commercial partners, marking the start of its transition toward e‑government operations.
On 1 January 1996, under the Dutch Public Bodies Act, the RDW became an independent administrative authority, granting it greater operational autonomy while remaining under ministerial oversight.
In 2004, the RDW was designated by the European Commission as a notified body for motor‑vehicle type approval, enabling vehicles approved by RDW to be marketed EU‑wide without further national testing.
In 2014, the traditional paper registration document was replaced with the secure, chip‑embedded “Kentekencard” to prevent forgery and streamline enforcement checks.
Since 2019, RDW has organised the annual Self Driving Challenge, inviting student teams from Dutch universities to develop autonomous‑kart software and race on real circuits, reflecting RDW’s engagement with emerging vehicle technologies.