Number of driving licence holders and car owners on the rise

© Hollandse Hoogte
At the beginning of 2026, the number of people in the Netherlands who hold a driving licence and own a car was higher than in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic. People aged 75 and over, in particular, are now more likely to own and drive a car. However, the share of people aged under 30 who have a driving licence has fallen slightly, while car ownership has risen somewhat. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of newly released figures.
On 1 January 2026, nearly 11.9 million people held a Dutch driving licence, 6.6 percent more than at the beginning of 2019.

Nearly 7.2 million privately-owned cars were registered: 9.8 percent more than at the beginning of 2019.


Fewer people aged under 30 hold a driving licence, but more own a car

The share of people aged between 18 and 30 who have a driving licence has decreased from 69.6 percent in 2019 to 67.7 percent in 2026. By contrast, the number of car owners in this age group has risen from 26.4 percent to 28.3 percent. People aged 17 can also hold a driving licence, but they are only allowed to drive under supervision and are therefore not included in the figures in this news article.

Not every driving licence holder owns a car. People aged under 30, in particular, are more likely to have a driving licence than a car. In 2026, nearly 1.9 million people aged between 18 and 30 hold a driving licence, of whom nearly 794 thousand own one or more cars.


Sharpest decline in the number of driving licence holders among people in their forties

At the beginning of 2026, 85.8 percent of people in their forties (nearly 1.9 million people) held a driving licence, compared to 88.6 percent in 2019.

Car ownership has also declined slightly in this age group over the same period, from 53.3 percent to 53.1 percent (more than 1.1 million people).


Increase in the number of driving licence holders and car owners among elderly people

The number of people with a driving licence aged 75 and over (nearly 1.2 million) and car owners (nearly 865 thousand) have remained almost unchanged. The largest increase in driving licences was seen in this age group. At the beginning of 2026, this was 63.8 percent compared to 54.2 percent in 2019.

Car ownership has also increased among this age group. At the beginning of 2026, 47.6 percent owned one or more cars, compared to 42.2 percent in 2019.


Sources

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