Parking permit for moving in Amsterdam
If you want to reserve parking bays for the moving van in Amsterdam, park on the pavement, or enter a street where that’s normally not allowed, you need an exemption from the city. Below you’ll find which one applies to your situation, how to apply step by step, what it costs and the deadlines involved.
Which exemption do I need?
If there’s a free, legal parking space you’re allowed to use, or you’re loading on your own driveway, you need nothing at all. The moment you want to claim space that isn’t automatically yours, it becomes an application.
| Situation | Needed? | Which |
|---|---|---|
| A free, legal parking space outside the door | No | — |
| Loading on your own driveway or grounds | No | — |
| You want guaranteed reserved bays | Yes | TVM |
| No usable bays for loading or unloading | Yes | TVM |
| Part of the street must be closed off | Yes | TVM |
| The van needs to stand on the pavement | Yes | RVV |
| A low-traffic street or bollard zone | Yes | RVV |
| Placing a moving lift on street or pavement | Usually | TVM + object notification |
RVV or TVM: the difference
RVV traffic exemption
- Driving or parking where it’s normally not permitted
- On the pavement or in a pedestrian area
- Streets closed off with (retractable) bollards
- Valid for one city district
- Need several districts? Then a city-wide exemption
- Allow roughly two weeks
TVM — temporary traffic measure
- Reserving parking bays
- Temporarily closing off (part of) the street
- The city installs the signs itself
- Gives you the right to have wrongly parked cars towed
- Valid only for loading and unloading
- Apply at least 6 working days ahead
How to apply
The application goes entirely through the City of Amsterdam and is done online. This is the route from start to finish.
- Work out which exemption you need. Use the table above. Sometimes you need two at once — a TVM for the bays and an RVV to enter the street.
- Gather your details. The address, moving date and time window, the dimensions of the moving van, how many bays you want to reserve, and the vehicle’s registration.
- Draw the site plan. A clear sketch of the street showing where the van will stand. This is mandatory — see below.
- Submit the application to the city. Through the online form on amsterdam.nl. The form calculates the fee for your situation automatically.
- Pay the fee. Online, or by invoice for €24.10 extra. Note: you pay even if the application is refused.
- Wait for the decision. For an approved TVM the city installs the signs at the reserved bays well before your moving day.
- Have the exemption to hand on the day. Print it or keep it available digitally so you can show it if checked.
What does it cost?
The city charges an administrative fee (leges) to process your application.
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| RVV traffic exemption | €277.70 | City of Amsterdam rate |
| Payment by invoice | + €24.10 | Only when paying by invoice |
| TVM — reserving bays | Varies | By number of bays and duration; signs included |
| Street closure with barriers and signs | Extra | On top of the fee |
Note: you pay the fee even if your application is refused. Once the city takes it into processing, the amount is due.
When to apply
- As soon as your moving date is fixed. Decide whether an exemption is needed — for both addresses.
- Three weeks ahead. Assess the street: tram tracks, bollards, paid parking, and is a moving lift involved?
- Two weeks ahead. Submit the RVV application, including the site plan.
- At least 6 working days ahead. Submit the TVM application for reserved bays. This is a hard minimum.
- Moving day. The signs are up and the exemption is to hand.
Moving lift: a reservation is almost always required
A moving van can, at a push, stand a little further down the street. A moving lift cannot: it has to sit directly below your window, in a straight line to the façade. That spot isn’t negotiable, so it has to be guaranteed free.
Narrow, busy streets
In the canal belt and older neighbourhoods the carriageway is often just wide enough for one car. Without reserved space you block the whole street, and enforcement will be at your door within the hour.
Streets with tram tracks
Where there are rails, tram traffic has to keep running. Positioning options are limited and the city looks closely at these applications. This is the case not to gamble on.
Pavement and cycle lane
If the lift stands partly on the pavement or cycle lane, you also need permission for the object itself, leaving enough room for pedestrians and cyclists.
We assess in advance — from the address and a photo of the façade — exactly how much room the lift needs and which application goes with it.
Someone parked in your reserved bay?
It happens, signs or no signs. With a valid TVM, a vehicle occupying your bay can be towed by the city at no cost to you. Call the city and wait for the tow truck — don’t improvise.
This is precisely the advantage a formal reservation buys you. Note that TVM costs aren’t refunded if the reservation turns out to be unusable.
Reserved bays are for loading and unloading only
A common mistake: leaving the moving van or your own car in the reserved bay afterwards. The exemption covers loading and unloading only. If you want to park there before or after, you pay the normal parking tariff — otherwise you can still be fined, even in your own reserved bay.
We’ll help you apply
Book your move with us and we’ll help arrange the exemption and the reserved loading space — for both addresses if needed. The one condition is that we have enough time.
We know which exemption suits your street, what belongs on the site plan and how much space a moving lift needs. What we need from you is lead time: the city works to fixed deadlines and we can’t speed those up.
- Tell us both addresses as early as possible, ideally with your quote request
- Say whether a moving lift will be needed
- Allow at least two to three weeks before moving day
- Send a photo of the façade and street where you can
- For last-minute requests we can’t guarantee anything
Our advice: you can often hold the space yourself
Not every move needs an exemption. For many customers we suggest something simpler: hold the space in front of the property yourself by parking your own car there the evening before.
This works because a moving van doesn’t have to be directly outside the front door. As long as it’s close enough to load and unload, the job runs fine — and our crews are used to working with whatever the street offers. You save both the fee and the waiting period.
- Look at your street a few weeks ahead. Paid parking, permit-holder zones, tram tracks or bollards determine whether this is realistic.
- Park your car there the evening before. A moving van with its tailgate down takes roughly one and a half to two normal bays.
- Ask a neighbour or friend for the bay next to it. Two cars side by side hold about the right amount of space.
- Let the neighbours know you’re moving. A note in the entrance hall avoids surprises on the morning.
- Move the cars as we arrive. The van then pulls straight in.
Apply directly with the city
These pages are in Dutch. If you’d rather not deal with the forms yourself, we can handle the application as part of your move.
Other cities too
Amsterdam is the strictest, but Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam, Haarlem and Leiden all have rules for reserving loading space, each with its own rates and deadlines. See our full list of locations.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a parking permit for moving in Amsterdam?
Online with the City of Amsterdam. Work out which exemption you need, gather the address details, date, van dimensions and registration, draw a site plan of the street, and submit through amsterdam.nl. The form calculates the fee automatically.
What does an RVV traffic exemption cost in Amsterdam?
€277.70, plus €24.10 if you pay by invoice. You pay that amount even if the application is refused, because it’s a processing fee.
How far in advance do I need to reserve parking bays?
At least six working days before your moving day. For an RVV exemption allow around two weeks, and longer for a street closure.
What has to be on the site plan?
Where the moving van will stand including house numbers, the van’s dimensions, how much pavement remains for pedestrians, the entrances of neighbouring buildings, and where any closures would go.
Can I apply at short notice?
No, there’s no express procedure. If you’re too late, holding a space yourself or parking further away are the remaining options.
Will you handle the application for me?
Yes. With a move booked through us we’ll help with the exemption and the reserved loading space, site plan included, for both addresses. Allow at least two to three weeks — we can’t shorten the city’s deadlines.
Can I hold the space myself instead of getting a permit?
Often yes, and we regularly suggest it. Park your own car in the spot the evening before and ask a neighbour for the bay beside it. A moving van doesn’t need to be directly outside the front door.
Does holding the space myself work with a moving lift?
Usually not. A moving lift has to sit directly below your window in a straight line to the façade, and that spot must be guaranteed free — particularly in narrow streets and streets with tram tracks.
Someone is parked in my reserved bay. What now?
With a valid TVM you can have the vehicle towed by the city at no cost. Without a formal reservation you don’t have that right.
Can I park in the reserved bay before or after loading?
Not without paying. The exemption covers loading and unloading only; parking there otherwise means the normal tariff applies.
Not sure what your street needs?
Send us your addresses and moving date — we’ll tell you honestly whether an exemption is needed or holding the space yourself will do.
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