Law Changes 2020: Traffic and Transportation

The Dutch government is implementing a large number of rules, regulations, and law changes at the stroke of midnight on January 1. Below is a summary of changes made in the category Traffic and Transport:

The maximum punishment for serious traffic offenses is increasing next year. The maximum punishment for dangerous driving is increasing from 2 to 6 months, even in cases without injury or damage. And drivers who cause a serious accident due to reckless driving can face up to 6 years in prison.

From January 1st there will be national rules for municipalities with environmental zones. Municipalities can implement "yellow" or "green" environmental zones for diesel vehicles. The amount of pollutants emitted by a diesel vehicle will determine whether it is allowed in an environmental zone. More information here.

Owners of older diesel cars will pay a particulate matter surcharge, referred to as a "soot tax", of 15 percent on top of the motor vehicle tax next year.

The tax benefits for electric driving were extended. Until 2025 the drivers of electric cars do not pay motor vehicle tax or purchase tax on their electric car. Next year, the addition for company electric cars will increase, but it will still be lower than that for gasoline or diesel cars. More information here.

On January 1st the tax regulation for the private use of company bicycles is changing to make it easier for employers to let their employees use a company bicycle privately. The employer pays for the bike and usually the costs of maintenance and repair, the employee will face an addition to the salary that will result in the employee paying a few euros extra tax per month. The addition is 7 percent over the consumer recommended price of the bike and accessories per year. The employer adds this amount to the salary, and the employee pays tax on it - but does not have to buy and maintain their own bicycle. More information here.

People who will not be using their vehicle for a long period can effectively suspend their vehicle's usage for over a year from next year. There will also be different suspension periods for different types of vehicles, instead of the current maximum of 1 year for all types of vehicle.

From January 1st, taxi companies will no longer receive a discount on the tax on passenger cars and motorcycles (bpm) when purchasing new cars. This applies to street taxis, contract transport, and target group transport of, for example, students or people with disabilities, or a combination of these. The government hopes this will encourage the taxi industry to buy less polluting taxis, as the bpm is lower for cars that emit less CO2 and cars that emit no CO2 are even exempt from this tax.