Speed limitNetherlands
6. Speed limit
A speed limit is the maximum legal speed permitted on a road, lane or within a designated area. It may be established by general traffic law or indicated by fixed, variable or temporary traffic signs.
A speed limit is a maximum, not a target speed. Drivers must travel more slowly whenever traffic, visibility, weather, road conditions, vulnerable road users or the condition of the vehicle make the maximum permitted speed unsafe.
Wikimedia.org • Dqfn13 • CC BY-SA
Which general speed limits should car drivers know in the Netherlands?
For an ordinary car without a trailer, the general maxima are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on ordinary rural roads and 100 km/h on roads designated as an autoweg. Most motorways are limited to 100 km/h from 06:00 to 19:00, with signed exceptions. Night-time motorway limits depend on the section and can be 100, 120 or 130 km/h.
🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990 — official Dutch legislative reference
🔗 rijkswaterstaat.nl • Rijkswaterstaat — current motorway limits, time panels and electronic limits
Is every Dutch motorway limited to 100 km/h during the day?
No. Most are limited to 100 km/h between 06:00 and 19:00, but selected sections have authorised daytime 130 km/h limits and others have lower restrictions. Read the speed signs and their time panels for the road you are using.
🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990 — official Dutch legislative reference
🔗 rijkswaterstaat.nl • Rijkswaterstaat — current motorway limits, time panels and electronic limits
Start of a speed limit.
English • Traffic sign A1 • Maximum speed.
Nederlands • Verkeersbord A1 • Maximumsnelheid.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990, bijlage 1
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
SVG version by Bouwe Brouwer • Public domain • Source revision 2012-11-12. Wikimedia original unmodified.
End of the speed limit.
English • Traffic sign A2 • End of maximum speed limit.
Nederlands • Verkeersbord A2 • Einde maximumsnelheid.
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990, bijlage 1
Image via Commons.wikimedia.org
SVG version by Bouwe Brouwer • Public domain • Source revision 2012-11-12. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Which Dutch limit applies when an electronic sign shows a lower speed?
Use the lowest applicable displayed limit on the fixed signs and overhead traffic signals. Electronic restrictions can respond to congestion, incidents or other conditions. A higher number on a fixed roadside sign does not permit you to ignore a lower active limit.
🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • RVV 1990 — official Dutch legislative reference
🔗 rijkswaterstaat.nl • Rijkswaterstaat — current motorway limits, time panels and electronic limits

Traffic rules
Netherlands