Filling Out the Health Declaration
Before you start your driving lessons, you need to fill out a health declaration. This is a legal requirement to prove that you are medically fit to operate a vehicle.
What is the health declaration?
The health declaration is an official form from the Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen (CBR) in which you declare that you are physically and mentally capable of participating safely in traffic. It is a mandatory part of the process toward your driver's license. Without a valid health declaration, you cannot take a theory exam or practical exam at the CBR. The declaration consists of a series of questions about your health, including questions about your vision, hearing, medication use and any medical conditions. It is important that you answer these questions honestly. Incorrect information can later have consequences for the validity of your driver's license. In some cases, for example with certain medical conditions, the CBR may require an additional examination by a doctor. This may sound complicated, but for most people, filling out the health declaration is a simple and quick process that you can do at home behind your computer.
Step-by-step guide
Filling out the health declaration is now done entirely online via the CBR website. You need your DigiD for this, so make sure you have it ready before you begin. Go to Mijn CBR and log in with your DigiD credentials. Then choose to apply for a health declaration. The system guides you through a series of questions about your general health. Think of questions about your eyes, ears, heart function, diabetes, epilepsy and mental health. For each question, you can choose yes or no. Answer all questions carefully and truthfully. If you answered "yes" to one or more questions, you may need to have an additional medical examination performed by a doctor. After filling it out, you pay directly online with iDEAL. Once the payment is processed, your health declaration is automatically submitted to the CBR. You will receive a confirmation by email and processing usually takes a few business days.
Costs and validity period
The health declaration currently costs approximately 40.50 euros. You pay this amount directly to the CBR when submitting online. Keep in mind that this is a one-time payment separate from the costs of your driving lessons and exams. If after filling out the health declaration you are referred to a doctor for additional examination, there may be extra costs involved. The health declaration is valid for one and a half years after it has been approved by the CBR. This means you must have completed your theory exam and practical exam within that period. Plan your driving lessons wisely so you don't run the risk of your health declaration expiring before you're ready. If the declaration does expire, you unfortunately need to apply for and pay for a new health declaration. It is therefore wise to only apply for the health declaration when you actually plan to start your driving lessons soon, so you make optimal use of the validity period.
Common mistakes
Although filling out the health declaration is fairly straightforward, mistakes are regularly made that can cause delays. A common mistake is applying for the health declaration too early. Because the declaration is only valid for one and a half years, it may expire if you wait too long before taking your exams. Another mistake is answering the health questions dishonestly. Some people are afraid they will be rejected if they answer "yes" to a medical question. But honesty is essential here: if it later turns out that you provided incorrect information, your driver's license can be declared invalid. Also make sure your DigiD works properly before you begin. Nothing is more frustrating than finding out halfway through the process that your DigiD has expired or is blocked. Also check your personal details with the municipality, as they must match your identification document. Finally, some people forget to save the confirmation email. Always save it, because you need proof of your health declaration when registering for your exam.
