Parking permit Amsterdam: learn how to apply for a parking permit & what to do while on the waiting list

Do you live in Amsterdam and are you looking for a place to park your car for a long period of time? Then a parking permit will probably be the best solution! But what is a parking permit exactly? How can you request one? How long does it take to receive the parking permit? And what can you do while you are on the waiting list for your parking permit?

In this article, all of your questions regarding requesting a parking permit in Amsterdam will be resolved.

Requesting a parking permit

What is a parking permit?

A parking permit is a digital proof that you can park on the street in a certain area of Amsterdam, without paying. It is directly linked to your license plate, which means you can’t lose it. You’re eligible to apply for a parking permit in Amsterdam when your place of residence doesn’t offer a parking space, either by having to rent a spot or for free. This means that if you move and you get the possibility to rent a parking space that is connected to your residence and you do not take it, you are not eligible to request a parking permit. The permit is exclusively for residences without a parking space.

In which parts of the city is the parking permit valid?

Amsterdam is divided into different parking zones based on residential areas. If you request the permit, it will only be valid in your specific parking zone. The first step to requesting a parking permit is to know in which zone your residence is located. You can easily do this by visiting the website of the municipality of Amsterdam. After you have entered your address in the search function, you find to which specific parking zone you belong, for example, you could have ‘Centrum 1’. You can park anywhere within your parking permit area.

When you know in which parking zone your residence is located, you can check if you are eligible to request 1 or 2 parking permits for your address. In some parts of the city, it is not possible to request a parking permit, for example, in ‘Amsterdam Noord 5’.

Are you not eligible to request a parking permit? Scroll down to the paragraph about ‘Alternatives to a parking permit in Amsterdam’ at the bottom of the page.

What is the cost of a parking permit in Amsterdam?

Each parking zone has its own price for the parking permit. This can vary from €30 up to €270, for one parking permit. For those eligible to a second parking permit on the same address, in most cases, the second permit is more expensive than the first one.

How long is the parking permit valid?

The costs mentioned above are paid every 6 months. A parking permit, therefore, lasts for a period of 6 months. You do not have to apply for a permit every though, once is enough. After the 5th month, you will receive an automated message to notify you to extend your permit. When you pay in time, the permit will be extended with another 6 months.

The request

Now that you are aware of everything, you can file a request for the parking permit. You can usually file your application in writing, online through the website of the municipality or at one of the City Offices of Amsterdam. It will be worth asking a Dutch friend to help to fill in the correct documents as most documents are only in Dutch or to swing by the City Office where someone can help you as well.

How long does it take to receive the parking permit?

Every parking zone of Amsterdam has its own waiting list. This waiting list can vary from 1 month up to 13 months. In most zones, the average waiting time is about 2 months. This is definitely something you have to take into consideration when you are planning to move or change your car. Also, it is worth getting to know the other available options in the area for this waiting period.

Where to park while waiting for your parking permit?

When you have applied for a parking permit, you will usually have a period of time where you need to find a temporary solution. For some, it might even be the case that you need to wait up to a year for your parking permit. In this period you will still need to park your car, you can, of course, park on the street, but that is a pretty expensive option. Another option is to ask your friends and colleagues if they know someone who has an empty parking space for a while. Otherwise, it’s also possible to temporarily rent a parking spot through the Mobypark platform. It saves up to 60% in parking costs in comparison to regular street parking. This is due to you renting directly from other people who have a parking spot, but are not using it at the moment and would otherwise leave their parking spot empty. This way, you can benefit from lower parking prices, which is great if you need to wait on your permit for a long time.

The future of the parking permit in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is planning to increase the livability of the city, by freeing parking space for other things, such as green areas and playgrounds. By 2025 about 10.000 parking spots will disappear from the streets of Amsterdam. In newly constructed residential neighbourhoods, a lot less parking will be built. Besides this, the Secretary of Traffic in Amsterdam, Sharon Dijksma, will impose a maximum of parking permits issued, to ensure even fewer cars parking on the streets.
All of these measures will most likely result in fewer parking permits issued and longer waiting lists for the parking permits in the coming years. For this reason, it might also be worth your while to start looking into a good alternative while you are on the long waiting list.

Alternatives to the parking permit in Amsterdam

In some licensing areas, you cannot apply for a parking permit or you simply have to wait for a very long period of time. For most of the newly constructed residential buildings, you can’t even get a permit anymore. But what can you do when you can’t request a parking permit? When you cannot request a parking permit it is possible to rent a parking space from a neighbour or a nearby company for a longer period of time. This is more expensive than the parking permit, but it is much cheaper than parking on the street.

Now you know everything there is to know about the parking permit in Amsterdam. You are aware of all the different steps and the possibilities while you need to wait for your permit.

Hopefully, you found this blog useful in your search for information about acquiring a parking permit in Amsterdam! If you did and you think others will benefit by knowing this information, feel free to share it with your neighbours, friends or colleagues through one of the buttons below.