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A hearing about return of your driving licence

You have filed a complaint about your confiscated driver's license. Discuss with your lawyer what this hearing will cover. The purpose differs from the substantive assessment of the traffic case.

Duration: 1:33

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Criminal Law in the Netherlands.

You have filed a complaint about your confiscated driver's license. Discuss with your lawyer what this hearing will cover. The purpose differs from the substantive assessment of the traffic case.

Keep the seizure record and decisions about your driving licence. Make a timeline of the roadside check, seizure and correspondence. Have missing or unclear decisions requested specifically.

Explain what you need the driver's license for, for example work or care responsibilities. Substantiate this with documents. Simply saying that driving is indispensable does not make the necessity verifiable.

Map public transport, help from others and adjusted working hours. Explain factually why an alternative is insufficient. Have your lawyer connect the relevant interests with the assessment.

After a favourable decision, check how the driving licence will be returned. The physical card and any other driving restrictions require separate attention. A CBR procedure may still matter.

Ask exactly what was decided and what you must do to receive the licence. Check your legal entitlement to drive before driving and keep the relevant confirmations.

Read the full explanation on the Criminal Law in the Netherlands website.

Understand the supporting sources

Sources and supporting information

Here you can find the sources for this page. Open the original publication for the full explanation, conditions and exceptions.

  1. Public Prosecution Service: petition and complaint for return of driver's licenseOpens in a new tabom.nlhttps://www.om.nl/onderwerpen/v/verkeer/handhaving/rijbewijs/klaagschrift
  2. Public Prosecution Service: Instruction regarding the confiscation of driving licenses (2022I004)Opens in a new tabom.nlhttps://www.om.nl/onderwerpen/b/beleidsregels/instructies/verkeer/instructie-inzake-de-invordering-van-rijbewijzen-2022i004
  3. Jurisprudence: complaint for return of driver's license and the procedureOpens in a new tabrechtspraak.nlhttps://www.rechtspraak.nl/onderwerpen/klaagschrift-teruggave-rijbewijs/procedure
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