For expats and international buyers
Buying a used car in the Netherlands: free Dutch MOT (APK) check
Check any Dutch number plate in English: APK history, open recalls and the odometer judgement, plus how that car compares with every inspected car of the same model and age. Free, no account, and the plate never reaches our server.
What the APK tells you
Every Dutch car of three years and older is inspected periodically. Nationally 4.7% of cars aged 9–10 years had at least one A-problem at the APK, and 34.3% had at least one defect of any kind. Some models do far better or worse than that: CarXray shows it per model generation and age.
Most reliable used cars · Most common APK defects · Viewing checklist
Dutch terms you will see
| APK | the periodic roadworthiness test (Dutch MOT) |
| RDW | the Dutch vehicle authority that keeps the register |
| Kenteken | number plate; also the registration itself |
| Occasion | a used car |
| Tellerstand / NAP | odometer reading; NAP is the Dutch odometer register that flags illogical readings |
| Terugroepactie | a manufacturer recall |
| A-probleem | CarXray’s term for a defect in structure, safety or costly mechanics |
Five checks before you buy
- Check the plate on CarXray: verdict, APK history, recall and odometer.
- Read the weak spots of that model at its age, and look at them during the viewing.
- Ask the seller for invoices of the repairs after the last APK.
- Ask for the NAP odometer report if the odometer judgement is not “logisch”.
- When in doubt, have an independent garage inspect the car before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
What is the APK?
The APK (Algemene Periodieke Keuring) is the Dutch periodic roadworthiness test, comparable to the British MOT or the German TÜV. An approved garage checks the car and reports defects to the RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority.
How do I check a Dutch number plate before buying a used car?
Enter the plate on CarXray.nl. Your browser fetches the RDW data directly: APK expiry, APK defects since June 2022, open recalls and the odometer judgement, compared with all cars of the same model and age. It is free and needs no account.
Which used cars are most reliable in the Netherlands?
Measured on every APK inspection of the past year (6,857,004 cars), the model generations with the fewest A-problems compared with cars of the same age are the MINI Mini Cooper SE F56, BMW X3 G01, BMW X2 F39.
Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know