Applying for a lorry driver's declaration of employment

Do you operate a transport business in the Netherlands and do you employ truck drivers? You must apply for a declaration of employment (employer's statement, werkgeversverklaring) for each of your truck drivers.

How to apply for a lorry driver’s declaration

Transport businesses must provide a lorry driver’s declaration of employment to any truck driver under their employment (in Dutch). This declaration is proof that the driver is employed by a transport business holding a valid permit which is responsible for any risk. You submit your application to Kiwa Register by filling out the online form (in Dutch).

Please note: You do not need to apply for the declaration for truck drivers if your company performs its own transport.

Temporary employment of truck drivers

Do you have a transport company in the Netherlands and do you not have enough truck drivers during a specific period? You can hire drivers temporarily (in Dutch) through secondment (loaning from a competitor, collegiale inleen), via a recognised employment agency, or by hiring self-employed professionals yourself.

Secondment

You may hire drivers (in Dutch) from another company active in the commercial goods transport sector under specific conditions:

• The driver must be a permanent employee of the other company, have a lorry driver’s declaration, and a Euro licence.
• The driver may only be supplied without a profit motive.
• The secondment period is for a maximum of 6 consecutive weeks.

Recognised employment agency

Only employment agencies that have been appointed by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management may place truck drivers. For this the employment agency must apply for a designation decision with KIWA register (in Dutch). The driver needs a declaration of assignment (in Dutch) issued by KIWA from their employment agency, instead of a lorry driver’s declaration. They must be able to show this when checked while on the road.

Self-employed professionals

When you hire a self-employed truck driver (in Dutch) they work at their own risk. You do not need to file for a lorry driver’s declaration. They are themselves responsible for holding the correct licences for road hauliers. They are required to drive their own truck, for which they also need a licence.