THE HAGUE – October 13, 2026 | The Dutch Daily
The Dutch bike light rules are simple to state and easy to get wrong: in the dark, at dusk and in poor weather or visibility you must ride with a working front light and rear light switched on. With the clocks going back on Sunday 25 October, evenings in the Netherlands get dark earlier, and cyclists without proper lights are one of the most common reasons for a fine. This guide explains the Dutch bike light rules as the government describes them, what the fine is according to the ANWB, what the reflector rules are, and which mistakes catch newcomers out.
Dutch bike light rules: quick answer
- When: lights must be on in the dark, at dusk and in poor weather or visibility.
- Front light: white or yellow. Rear light: red.
- Flashing: not allowed, for fixed and for loose lights.
- Loose clip-on lamps: allowed, on your bike, bag, clothing or back or chest, not on head, arms or legs.
- Reflectors: a red rectangular one at the back, white or yellow ones on the wheels, yellow ones on the pedals.
- Fine: the ANWB lists €75 for no or wrong lights and €45 for no or wrong reflectors from 1 January 2026.
Contents
1. When you must use lights
The Rijksoverheid puts the main rule of the Dutch bike light rules in one sentence: as a cyclist you must have a front light and a rear light on in the dark and in poor visibility. The same page names three situations in which you can be fined: your front or rear light is not on while you cycle in the dark, at dusk or in poor weather or visibility; reflectors are missing at the back, on the pedals or on the wheels; or your light has the wrong colour, flashes or is in the wrong place.
Notice that the rule is not “after sunset”. It is about conditions. A grey, rainy afternoon, a foggy morning or a tunnel can count as poor visibility. The safest habit is the one the government campaigns for: switch your lights on whenever it is not clearly daylight.
2. The 7 Dutch bike light rules in detail
- Two lights, front and rear. You need a front light and a rear light whenever the conditions require lights.
- Front light is white or yellow.
- Rear light is red.
- Lights must not flash. This applies to fixed lights and to loose lamps. The ANWB also warns against coloured lights and against decorating your bike “like a Christmas tree”.
- Aim them correctly. A fixed light must be directed at the road so that it does not dazzle other road users. Loose lamps must shine straight forward or straight backward, with nothing in front of or over them.
- No extra lighting. The Rijksoverheid states that additional lights, such as spoke lights or more than one headlamp on a two-wheeler, are not allowed.
- Reflectors are separate from lights. Lights do not replace reflectors; both are required (see section 4).
For a bicycle with two front wheels, the government describes a variation: two white or yellow front lights, one left and one right of the centre line, at the same distance from the centre. The other rules stay the same.
3. Loose clip-on lamps: where they may go
Many people in the Netherlands use loose clip-on lamps instead of fixed lights, and the Dutch bike light rules allow that. The conditions are:
- White or yellow at the front, red at the back.
- They must be clearly visible, with nothing covering them.
- They must not flash.
- They may be attached to your bike, your clothing or your bag, or worn on your upper body, on the back or the chest only.
- They may not be attached to your head, arms or legs.
The ANWB gives the same practical picture: loose lights are fine if they are clearly visible on the handlebar, bag, chest or back, but lights on the head, legs or arms are not allowed.
4. Reflectors you also need
People often think a bright LED set solves everything. Under the Dutch bike light rules you also need reflectors, and a missing reflector is a separate fine. The Rijksoverheid lists, for a normal two-wheeled bike:
- Rear: one red reflector, rectangular, not triangular.
- Wheels: white or yellow reflectors on the rims or on the tyres.
- Pedals: four yellow (amber) reflectors, one at the front and one at the back of each pedal.
- Not allowed: spoke reflectors that are mounted lengthwise on a spoke.
For a bicycle with two rear wheels, one extra white reflector is needed at the front, otherwise the same rules apply.
5. What the fine is
When it comes to the fine under the Dutch bike light rules, the sources are not identical, so it is worth being precise.
- The ANWB publishes cyclist fines for 2026, valid from 1 January 2026: €75 for not having the correct bike lighting when you should, and, on its bike lighting page, €45 for no or defective reflectors.
- When the Rijksoverheid launched its “lights on in the dark” campaign on 31 October 2023, it named a fine of €60.
- The Rijksoverheid’s own page on the rules does not state a euro amount. It refers to the Boetebase of the Public Prosecution Service (OM) for the official amounts. The OM notes that the amounts in the Boetebase exclude €9 in administrative costs.
In other words: if you read €60 somewhere, it is probably the older figure; for 2026 the ANWB lists €75. I could not open the OM Boetebase itself for this article, so check the official table if the exact amount matters to you. Remember that the administrative costs come on top.
How often does it happen? The government’s own figures for traffic fines show that fines for cyclists without lights rose from 34,001 in 2024 to 42,233 in 2025. That is an increase of about 24%, which is our calculation from those two numbers.
6. Why the government keeps campaigning
In its 2023 campaign material, the Rijksoverheid gave several numbers that explain why the Dutch bike light rules are promoted and enforced so actively:
- Good lighting reduces the chance of an accident by about 20%.
- In a survey by I&O Research, nearly 10% of respondents had been in a near-accident (6%) or an accident (3%) while riding without lights.
- 86% of Dutch people aged 18 and over have permanent bike lighting.
- Surveys show that young people in particular often ride without proper lights.
The campaign partners included the ANWB, TeamAlert, the Fietsersbond, the national police and Veilig Verkeer Nederland, and the police announced enforcement actions. The minister’s message was blunt: it is “hartstikke gevaarlijk” (really dangerous) to cycle without lights in the dark.
7. Other cyclist fines in 2026
Since many newcomers ask what else can cost money on a bike, here is the ANWB list for 2026 (valid from 1 January 2026, according to the ANWB; the page names no legal basis):
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| Cycling with a phone in your hand | €170 |
| Cycling on the motorway | €200 |
| Running a red light | €120 |
| Not giving way to traffic from the right | €120 |
| Overtaking wrongly, for example on the right | €120 |
| No correct bike lighting when required | €75 |
| Not using the mandatory cycle path | €75 |
| Turning without indicating | €50 |
| Cycling where a sign forbids it | €50 |
| Parking a bike in a parking space with a meter | €50 |
The government also reports that the number of fines for handheld phone use (cars and bikes combined) rose from 165,408 in 2024 to 248,020 in 2025.
8. Practical checks for newcomers
The easiest way to stay inside the Dutch bike light rules is to make the check a habit before every evening ride.
Our tips (not from the sources):
- Do a ten-second check before leaving: front light white or yellow, rear light red, both steady, nothing flashing.
- If you use clip-on lamps, keep a spare set in your bag, because batteries run out at the worst moment.
- Check the reflectors on a second-hand bike: rear, wheels and four on the pedals. Second-hand bikes often miss one.
- Check the bikes of your children too. The government itself gives this advice.
- Do not mount lamps on your helmet or arms, even if they look brighter there.
Evenings also get darker for travel in general: see our guide to the clock change on 25 October, and our overview of fatbike rules in 2026 if you or your children ride an electric fatbike.
9. FAQ
Are flashing lights allowed under the Dutch bike light rules?
No. According to the Rijksoverheid, fixed lights and loose lamps must not flash.
What colour must the lights be under the Dutch bike light rules?
White or yellow at the front, red at the back.
Can I wear a clip-on light on my backpack?
Yes. Loose lamps may be attached to your clothing, your bag or your bike, or worn on your back or chest. Not on your head, arms or legs.
Do I need reflectors if I have lights?
Yes. A red rectangular reflector at the back, white or yellow reflectors on the wheels and yellow reflectors on the pedals are separate requirements.
How much is the fine for no bike lights?
The ANWB lists €75 for 2026. The government’s 2023 campaign named €60. The OM Boetebase is the official table; its amounts exclude €9 in administrative costs.
Is a bike light mandatory in daylight?
No, but it is mandatory at dusk, in the dark and in poor weather or visibility.
🇳🇱 Dutch Corner
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| De fietsverlichting | Bike lighting |
| Het voorlicht | Front light |
| Het achterlicht | Rear light |
| De reflector | Reflector |
| Het fietslampje | Small bike lamp |
| Knipperen | To flash |
| De schemering | Dusk |
| De boete | Fine |
| Het slechte zicht | Poor visibility |
| De trapper | Pedal |
Sources
- Rijksoverheid: Wat zijn de regels voor fietsverlichting en reflectie op een fiets? (colours, loose lamps, reflectors, when you can be fined)
- Rijksoverheid, 1 November 2023: Zie het licht: doe je fietslampje AAN in het donker (20% fewer accidents, survey figures, €60)
- Rijksoverheid, 17 February 2026: Meer boetes voor de meeste verkeersovertredingen in 2025 (34,001 and 42,233 fines, phone fines)
- ANWB: Boetebedragen fietsers 2026 (cyclist fines from 1 January 2026)
- ANWB: Fietsverlichting regels (€75 lights, €45 reflectors, coloured lights)
- Openbaar Ministerie: Boetebase (official fine table, excludes €9 administrative costs)
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