You have handed over the car and the transfer is done, but the resident parking permit for your street still carries your old number plate (kenteken). Parking permits are issued by the municipality (gemeente). The RDW has no part in them, so nothing in the car sale tells the municipality that the car has gone. This post explains what the permit is tied to, what the three biggest cities say about changing it, and what to do when you have no replacement car.
The steps that belong to the sale itself are in what to do after you sell your car. The permit comes on top of that list, and it differs per city.
What the permit is tied to
A resident permit is linked to the number plate of one car. The Rotterdam municipality says so directly: the permit is tied to a car’s plate and you change it permanently or temporarily when the car changes. The Hague works the same way, with an online form for the plate change.
That has a practical consequence. When the car is sold, the plate on the permit belongs to someone else’s vehicle. The pages we read for this post do not say that a permit ends by itself when the car is sold, so treat it as something you report to the municipality yourself. If a municipality tells you something different, follow the municipality. Rules, fees and conditions for permits are set locally and change from time to time.
Amsterdam
The Amsterdam municipality lists changing the plate and cancelling as standard actions on its resident permit page. Plate changes are made online through the city’s parking services, so open the page and follow the current steps for your permit type. If you are leaving the country, find out before you go whether you need DigiD for that, because the ID check for DigiD needs a Dutch passport, ID card or driving licence.
Amsterdam also has other kinds of parking arrangements, for example garage subscriptions and exemptions for particular streets, and each has its own page and its own way of changing the plate. Check which type you hold before you start.
If you want to know how the city treats a permit with no car attached, ask the municipality. We do not state a rule that we could not confirm on the official pages.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam gives the most detail. According to the municipality’s page on changing the plate:
- Changing the plate on a permit is free.
- You can report the change online with DigiD or eHerkenning, or by post. Online changes take effect immediately. Changes by post are processed within four weeks and you receive a letter when they are done.
- A permanent change needs the new car to be registered in your name. For a company car the registration must be in the company’s name.
- A temporary change lasts up to two weeks, and you can make up to five temporary changes in a calendar year.
- Without DigiD you can call the municipality on 14 010.
The page does not cover what to do when you sold the car and have no other one. For that case, Rotterdam tells people to call 14 010.
The Hague
The Hague has an online form for changing the plate. You enter your postcode and house number and choose whether the change is temporary or for a longer period. The municipality describes the service as free. You can change the plate up to four times per calendar year, and you may park with the new car only from the change date you entered on the form.
For a newly bought car that is not yet in the RDW system, the municipality asks for a scan of the purchase receipt, the old paper registration (kentekenbewijs) or the registration card (kentekencard). A leased car needs a scan of the lease contract. The page says nothing about a sold car, and it suggests calling 14070 or using the online chat.
When you have no replacement car
If you are not buying another car, there is no new plate to put on the permit. In that case contact the municipality and ask how to end the permit and what happens with any amount you have already paid. We cannot tell you whether a refund applies, because that is decided per municipality and the pages above do not describe it.
Do this before you stop living at the address. A municipality writes to the address it has on record for you, and a message about your permit will not reach you after you have moved abroad.
Keep proof of the sale
Whichever route you take, keep the proof of transfer (vrijwaringsbewijs) from the sale. The RDW says it proves you are no longer liable for the vehicle. If a parking charge or a question about the permit arrives later, you can show the date on which the car left your name. The post fines after you sold your car explains how that works for traffic fines.
If you are moving abroad, read the moving abroad checklist for your car so the permit does not get lost between the other tasks.
Once the permit is dealt with, you can get an offer for the car. There is no obligation, and we answer in English.
Frequently asked questions
Does the parking permit end when I sell my car?
The municipal pages we read do not say that it does. The permit is linked to a number plate, so report the sale or change the plate yourself and ask your municipality how it treats a permit without a car.
Can I put my permit on my new car?
In Rotterdam and The Hague you can change the plate on the permit, subject to conditions. In Rotterdam the new car must be registered in your name for a permanent change. In The Hague the number of plate changes per calendar year is limited. Check your own municipality for its conditions.
Do I need DigiD to change the plate?
In Rotterdam online changes need DigiD or eHerkenning, and without it you can call or post the change. Amsterdam handles plate changes online. Ask your municipality which options you have if you do not have DigiD.
Will I get money back for the unused period?
We cannot say. Refunds for parking permits are decided by each municipality, so ask yours when you cancel or change the permit.
What if I am leaving the Netherlands before the permit ends?
Deal with the permit before you deregister from your municipality, while letters still reach you. Keep your proof of transfer and a note of when you reported the change.
