Owners of heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes must pay a levy when driving on certain roads in the Netherlands. This is referred to as the truck toll. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) oversees the enforcement of the truck toll in the Netherlands.
Truck toll
The vrachtwagenheffing (truck toll) will come into effect in the Netherlands on 1 July 2026. When the levy takes effect, the Eurovignette will no longer be used in the Netherlands. From that date, owners of heavy goods vehicles will pay per kilometre driven on almost all motorways and some provincial and municipal roads in the Netherlands. The truck toll is intended to ensure that heavy goods vehicle owners contribute when using the road network. This levy also contributes to making the sector more sustainable and efficient. The lighter your vehicle is and the fewer emissions it releases, the lower the charge per kilometre.
ILT’s role in the enforcement of the truck toll
If you have an outstanding fine issued by the Rijksdienst voor het wegverkeer, RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority) or your vehicle registration number is on the watchlist and you drive past a monitoring location, you may be stopped by the ILT for inspection. During an inspection, ILT inspectors may – in addition to collecting outstanding truck toll fines (in Dutch) – also identify other breaches of road transport safety. For example, the ILT checks for the following:
- If you do not have a tolkastje (on-board unit, OBU) on board or are not using the OBU correctly.
- If you are complying with driving and rest times.
- If your vehicle is correctly loaded.
Outstanding fines
If you have an outstanding fine at the time of the inspection, you must pay it on the spot. Anyone can pay this fine on behalf of the vehicle owner. If you are unable to pay immediately, the ILT may impose a voorlopige maatregel (interim measure).
When the ILT imposes an interim measure, this means you are not allowed to continue driving until the fine has been paid. If the fine cannot be paid at all, the ILT can also impound or seize the vehicle.
Submitting an objection
If you want to submit and objection against a truck toll fine (in Dutch), you can do so through the RDW. You must pay the fine first and then you can submit an objection. If you want to object against an interim measure, you must do so through the ILT.
Cooperation with the RDW
The ILT works in cooperation with the RDW to enforce the truck toll in the Netherlands. The RDW informs the ILT of any outstanding fines. The RDW also reports when a fine cannot be issued because the owner’s name or address is unknown. This may concern heavy goods vehicles with a vehicle registration number issued inside or outside the Netherlands.