The Netherlands - A Government Supported Ripoff: Senior Citizen Drivers License Renewal
Most countries in the world require senior citizens who reach a certain age to take a medical and eye test to renew their drivers license. This is a good and safe practice. In the Netherlands this safety precaution has also become a money making government rip-off.
First the senior citizen who needs his drivers license renewed has to go to his local municipal government office to pick up a two page form to be completed by the citizen and a government designated medical agency. The cost for this simple document is euro 20.45. With this form he then has to go for his medical check-up at the Government supported Medical Agency (ARBO). The cost for this check-up is non-reimbursable from the citizens health insurance program and sets him/her back another 75 euro. Once the test results are in and show that the drivers license can be applied for the citizen has to return to the government municipal office and bring along government approved passport size pictures (cost 12.50 for a set of 4) - and pay the government another euro 54.00 (City of Almere - cost can differ from municipality to Municipality for the renewal). If you want your drivers license mailed to you sooner than the customary 5 days, you will have to pay a supplementary fee. Adding all these costs together, the average Dutch senior citizen is required to cough up euro 161.95 (US Dollars 210.00) for a simple drivers license renewal. To make matters worse, some insurance companies in the Netherlands might even increase your car insurance policy rates once you become a senior citizen. As one Dutch senior citizen remarked - "the political establishment in the Netherlands might talk a good game but in reality only look after themselves."
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