Buy a car in the Netherlands and a recurring bill follows it around: the wegenbelasting. You pay it simply for owning the car, whether you drive it or not. Here is what sets the amount, why diesels pay more and EVs less, and how to pay.
What it is, and what sets it
As the government explains motorrijtuigenbelasting, wegenbelasting (officially motorrijtuigenbelasting, MRB) is the road tax for owning a car. The amount depends on:
- the car’s gewicht (weight),
- its brandstof (fuel type), and
- your province, which adds provinciale opcenten (a provincial surcharge that varies).
As the Belastingdienst’s MRB calculator shows, you get the exact figure by entering your kenteken (number plate).
Diesel pays more, EVs pay less
Fuel type matters a lot. As the ANWB’s road-tax guidance explains:
- Diesel carries a surcharge (~25% above base), so diesels cost more.
- Fully electric (0 g/km) gets a big discount, around 30% off the base in 2026 to 2028, easing to 25% from 2029 and the full rate from 2030.
- Oldtimers over 40 years are generally exempt.
How and when to pay
You pay the Belastingdienst monthly or quarterly, for as long as the car is registered to you. Easiest is automatische incasso (direct debit) so you never miss it.
Crucial: the tax stops only when you deregister or sell the car and the kenteken transfer is finalised, don’t skip that step, or you’ll keep being billed for a car you no longer own.
Two more points for newcomers. If you bring a car from abroad and put it on a Dutch kenteken, MRB starts from registration (and a one-off BPM registration tax may apply too). And if you’ll not use a car for a while, you can sometimes schorsen (suspend) the registration to pause the tax, useful, but a schorsing means the car may not be parked on the public road. Check the rules before relying on it.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de wegenbelasting | road tax |
| de motorrijtuigenbelasting (MRB) | (official) road tax |
| het kenteken | number plate |
| de provinciale opcenten | provincial surcharge |
| de brandstof | fuel |
| de vrijstelling | exemption |
Where it connects
Wegenbelasting is one of the recurring costs of Dutch car ownership, alongside keeping the car legal at the garage and APK, avoiding milieuzone bans, contesting a flitspaal fine, and converting your foreign driving licence. Pay it like any tax bill.
The bottom line
Wegenbelasting (MRB) is the Dutch road tax for owning a car, set by weight, fuel and province (the opcenten). Diesels pay a surcharge; fully electric cars get a big discount (to 2028); oldtimers are exempt. Pay the Belastingdienst monthly or quarterly, ideally by direct debit, and always finalise the kenteken transfer when you sell. Learn wegenbelasting, kenteken and provinciale opcenten, and the bill holds no surprises.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the car-admin Dutch you need, wegenbelasting, motorrijtuigenbelasting, kenteken, provinciale opcenten by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can understand the bill and avoid missing a payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is wegenbelasting and how is it calculated?
Wegenbelasting (officially motorrijtuigenbelasting, MRB) is the road tax you pay just for owning a car in the Netherlands. The amount depends on the car’s weight (gewicht), its fuel type (petrol, diesel, electric), and the province you live in, because provinces add their own surcharge (provinciale opcenten). You can calculate the exact amount by entering your kenteken (number plate) in the Belastingdienst tool.
Why do diesel cars pay more road tax, and what about EVs?
Diesel cars carry a surcharge (around 25% above the base rate), so they cost more in wegenbelasting than petrol. Fully electric cars (0 g/km emissions) get a large discount, around 30% off the base rate in 2026 to 2028, reducing toward 25% from 2029 and the full rate from 2030. The tax is weight-based, and EVs are heavy, which is why a discount applies rather than a permanent free pass.
How and when do I pay wegenbelasting?
You pay it to the Belastingdienst, usually per month or per quarter, for as long as the car is registered in your name. It’s easiest by automatic direct debit (automatische incasso) so you never miss it; otherwise watch for the assessment. Cars older than 40 years (oldtimers) are generally exempt. If you sell or deregister the car, the tax stops, so always finalise the kenteken transfer.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for car ownership and admin?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the car-admin Dutch you need, wegenbelasting, motorrijtuigenbelasting, kenteken, provinciale opcenten, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you understand the bill and avoid missing a payment.
