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Netherlands shifts to kilometre charging
The Netherlands will introduce its new truck toll on July 1, bringing domestic and foreign hauliers into a kilometre based charging system that will affect routing, contracts and daily fleet operations.
The charge applies to N2 and N3 vehicles with a technical maximum mass above 3,500 kg, including foreign registered trucks. It covers almost all motorways and selected provincial and municipal roads. Enforcement also begins on July 1, meaning operators must have a working on board unit before entering the system.
Cost pressure moves into contracts
The average tariff for 2026 is 19.1 euro cents per kilometre, with the final amount depending on vehicle weight, CO₂ class and, in some cases, Euro emission class. Cleaner and lighter vehicles pay less, while zero emission trucks are not exempt but receive a lower rate.
For carriers, the toll is not only a tax issue. It is a pricing issue. A truck running frequent Dutch domestic legs or cross border shuttle traffic will now carry a traceable road use cost that may need to be passed through to shippers.
That matters for breakbulk, project cargo and construction logistics, where route choice is often dictated by axle loads, permits, escort rules and delivery windows rather than the shortest road distance.
OBU rule creates compliance risk
The Dutch system uses satellite based registration through an on board unit. Transport association TLN says the OBU records where and how many kilometres are driven on the toll network, after which the service provider invoices the charge.
A key Dutch rule is that the OBU must remain switched on whenever the truck is in use, including outside toll roads. RDW has warned that enforcement will focus on correct OBU use from the first day of the system.
For international drivers, that is where the risk sits. A carrier used to other European toll regimes may assume that the box only needs to be active on charged roads. In the Netherlands, that assumption could become expensive.
Eurovignette ends, tax relief softens blow
The Eurovignette ends in the Netherlands on July 1. At the same time, Dutch motor vehicle tax for trucks up to 12,000 kg will be abolished, while tax for heavier trucks will be significantly reduced.
Separately, the Dutch tax authority has introduced temporary relief from July 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027. Entrepreneurs using the business van rate will pay 50% less motor vehicle tax, while trucks of 12,000 kg or more will pay a zero rate during that period. Trucks below 12,000 kg are already set at a zero rate from July 1.
The government has also announced a temporary 22.3% reduction in truck toll rates from September 1 to December 31, 2026, citing higher fuel costs linked to the Middle East conflict.
Toll revenues return to transport sector
The system is linked to a wider clean transport policy. The government says net proceeds from the truck toll will be returned to the Dutch transport sector through subsidies for sustainability and innovation, including zero emission trucks and charging infrastructure.
That creates a two sided calculation for operators. Diesel equipment will face a new per kilometre cost, while cleaner vehicles may benefit from lower toll rates and support schemes.
Digital tolling faces scrutiny
The truck toll arrives while another Dutch toll project is under pressure. The A24 Blankenburg connection near Rotterdam, the country’s first digital only toll road, has drawn criticism from the National Ombudsman over accessibility, unclear communication and the risk of unnecessary penalties for users.
The A24 case is not the same system as the truck toll, but it is a warning sign. Digital tolling works only when users understand exactly what they must do, before they are fined for not doing it.
