How much Dutch road tax will I pay?

6 October 2026 · Calcosmo editorial team

Dutch road tax for a passenger car (motorrijtuigenbelasting) depends on three things: the car’s weight, its fuel type and the province you live in. With those three details you can work out the amount in seconds with the Dutch road tax calculator.

Step 1: find the massa rijklaar

The tax uses the massa rijklaar: the weight of the empty car plus 100 kg for driver and fuel. You’ll find it on the registration certificate (kentekenbewijs) or by entering the licence plate on the RDW website. Don’t rely on brochure weights; they often differ.

Step 2: choose the fuel type

Petrol is the base rate. Diesel, LPG and other fuels pay a surcharge, and diesels without a particulate filter pay an additional particulate surcharge. Fully electric cars pay 70% of the rate in 2026. See how big the differences are in Dutch road tax for petrol, diesel and LPG.

Step 3: choose your province

On top of the national part, provinces charge a surcharge (opcenten): a percentage of a base amount that also depends on weight. Zuid-Holland has the highest surcharge, Noord-Holland and Overijssel the lowest. For the same car, that easily makes an 8% to 10% difference.

Step 4: calculate

Example for a petrol car with a massa rijklaar of 1,250 kg, amounts per quarter in 2026:

Watch the weight classes

The rate rises per 100 kg, counted in classes: up to and including 1,250 kg massa rijklaar you are in the same class as a 1,151 kg car. At 1,251 kg you move up a class. In Noord-Holland you then pay €172 instead of €145 per quarter: €27 more for one kilo. When buying a car, check the exact weight.

Payment and exemptions

• The Dutch Tax Administration bills per quarter; with direct debit you can pay monthly.
• Cars aged 40 years or older are exempt.
• If you won’t use your car for a while, you can suspend the registration at the RDW. You then pay no road tax, but you can’t drive or park on public roads.
• New to the Netherlands with a foreign car? You must register it with a Dutch plate within a short period once you become a resident; road tax applies from then.
• Driving electric? Read how much road tax electric cars pay.