The registration requirement will be considerably expanded from 2022. Agricultural and construction vehicles in particular must also be registered with the RDW. That is now progressing nicely, but a special category remains behind.
Roughly speaking, everything that can go faster than a walker – faster than 6 km/h – and drives on a public road, must be registered. However, the term ‘public road’ is much broader than you might think at first glance. “The public road, for example, is also private property that is accessible to others,” according to the RDW. Not only agricultural and construction vehicles must therefore be registered, but also vehicles that drive on areas accessible to others. The first category has now been registered for the most part, another is lagging behind.
“A registration has now been requested for about 85 percent of the numbers of vehicles we assumed,” a spokesperson for the RDW told NU.nl. “Especially the quads, golf carts and, for example, lawnmowers that are wider than 1.30 meters, are lagging behind.” The owners of only half of these vehicles have come forward. The RDW is based on estimates, because exact numbers are not yet available. The registration obligation for all kinds of vehicles that were able to drive around ‘anonymously’ so far is a result of European legislation. The Netherlands is lagging behind in this regard. The bill in which a number of things had to be regulated was only saved last year.
Registration should contribute to road safety. “It also facilitates enforcement. Not only in the field of vehicle requirements, but also the control of speed, load or an exemption for certain roads,” according to the RDW. Until January 1, it costs vehicle owners €18 to register a quad, golf cart, mower or tractor. Anyone who does not do it on time must first have the vehicle inspected after 1 January. “At one of our sixteen inspection stations. That costs at least €140 in inspection and registration costs. Often much more.”
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl