Custom RDW integration development
Appfront builds custom RDW integrations that make vehicle data from the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) directly available in your application. Licence plate details, MOT history, vehicle specifications and recall campaigns, queryable in real time via the open data API and built into your own workflows.
What is an RDW integration?
The RDW (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer, the Netherlands Vehicle Authority) is the Dutch government body responsible for registering vehicles, vehicle registration documents, MOT inspections and type approvals. All vehicle data managed by the RDW is made available as open data via opendata.rdw.nl.
An RDW integration retrieves that government data automatically and incorporates it into your application, website or business system. Instead of looking up licence plates by hand, your system has vehicle details, MOT status, recalls and specifications at hand. That saves time, prevents errors and makes your processes more reliable.
The data is free and publicly available, but a good integration requires more than a simple API request. Appfront builds integrations with intelligent caching, robust error handling and data enrichment so that your application stays fast and reliable, even at high query volumes.
Looking up registration plates in milliseconds
Enter a registration plate and instantly receive make, model, year of manufacture, fuel type, MOT status and more. Built directly into your own interface, with no detours.
Complete MOT history
Not just the current MOT status, but the full inspection record. Ideal for risk assessment, procurement processes and customer communication.
Public government data, reliably built in
The RDW is a government body, not a commercial platform. The data is factual, updated daily and accessible to everyone. Appfront ensures that this data reaches your system reliably.
Our development process for RDW integrations
The RDW open data API is freely accessible, but a production-grade integration calls for careful architecture. From an initial analysis of your data needs to going live with caching and monitoring, every step is focused on an integration that is fast, reliable and easy to maintain.
We map out which RDW datasets are relevant to your use case, how the data should flow into your system and what enrichment logic is required.
We design the integration layer with a caching strategy that guarantees speed without outdated data, along with an error-handling plan for API unavailability.
Implementation with automated tests against the current RDW datasets. You see working builds along the way and can give feedback directly.
Controlled go-live with data validation, monitoring for API changes and alerting on anomalies. Ongoing management keeps the integration future-proof.
What an RDW integration can do in practice
The RDW provides dozens of datasets through its open data platform. Below are the functionalities we most often build for organisations that want to integrate RDW data into their applications and business processes.
Registration plate lookup
Real-time retrieval of vehicle details based on registration plate: make, model, year of manufacture, fuel type, engine capacity, power output, colour and more. The foundation of almost every RDW integration.
MOT history
The complete MOT inspection history per vehicle, including inspection results, expiry dates and failed items. Indispensable for risk assessment in purchasing and leasing.
Vehicle specifications
Technical details such as mass, axle load, number of seats, body type, wheelbase and emissions standards. Essential for fleet management, insurance and vehicle comparison.
Recall campaigns
Active and completed recall campaigns per vehicle, including description and remedy status. Crucial for dealers, importers and fleet managers who want to flag safety risks.
Registration code check
Checks for registered codes indicating damage, export, theft or other particulars. Gives immediate insight into a vehicle's history and status.
Batch enrichment
Enrich an entire fleet or customer database with RDW data in one go. Suited to leasing companies and insurers who periodically want to update thousands of vehicles.
Who uses an RDW integration?
The RDW's open data is relevant to any organisation working with vehicles. Depending on your sector, an integration can be used in very different ways. Below are the most common applications.
Car dealers and garages
For purchasing, sales and trade-ins, your team gets immediate insight into vehicle details, MOT history and recalls. No more manual lookups: enter the registration plate and your CRM or DMS is automatically enriched with up-to-date RDW data. This speeds up the purchasing process and strengthens customer trust.
Leasing companies
Keep your fleet continuously enriched with up-to-date MOT data, specifications and recalls. Batch enrichment of thousands of vehicles at once keeps your fleet management system current, flags upcoming MOT due dates and identifies vehicles with open recalls before they become a problem.
Insurers
Automate vehicle data checks when closing insurance policies. An RDW integration validates make, model, year of manufacture and engine specifications directly within the quoting process. This reduces manual input errors, shortens the acceptance process and ensures policies are based on accurate vehicle data.
Fleet management
Fleet managers need an up-to-date overview of every vehicle in their fleet. An RDW integration automatically feeds your fleet management tool with specifications, inspection status and recall campaigns. Combined with internal data on mileage and maintenance, you get a complete picture of each vehicle. See also our services around custom software.
The technology behind your RDW integration
The RDW open data API is based on the OData/Socrata protocol and delivers data in JSON, CSV and XML. Appfront builds the integration layer with modern, maintainable technology that fits your existing systems. Caching is essential: vehicle data does not change every second, but your application must still respond in milliseconds.
Why choose Appfront for your RDW integration?
The RDW API is publicly and freely accessible. Yet we regularly see integrations that go no further than a simple GET request, without caching, error handling or monitoring. That works for a prototype, but not in production, where availability and speed are critical.
Appfront builds RDW integrations that are ready for production. With a smart caching layer that prevents unnecessary API calls, structured error handling for when the RDW API is unavailable, and monitoring that alerts you when something changes in the data structure.
You work with a dedicated point of contact who understands both the technical and functional sides. We deliver clear documentation so your own team can manage and further develop the integration.
See also our broader services around API integrations, middleware and custom software development.
- Experience with government APIs and open data platforms
- Production-grade caching strategy for fast responses
- Robust error handling when APIs are unavailable
- Monitoring for data structure changes at the RDW
- Batch enrichment for large vehicle files
- Clear documentation your team can read and manage
- A fixed point of contact, no account managers passed around
- Ongoing maintenance and proactive further development
Privacy and data processing in RDW integrations
The RDW open data contains no direct personal data such as names or addresses. However, vehicle registration data combined with other sources can indirectly be traced back to individuals. This makes GDPR compliance relevant, even for open data integrations.
For every RDW integration, Appfront applies the principle of data minimisation: we only process and cache the data that is genuinely needed for your application. The caching strategy is designed so that outdated data is refreshed automatically and stored data is not kept longer than necessary.
Rate limiting prevents your application from placing unnecessary load on the RDW API and at the same time protects your own endpoint against misuse. Read more about our approach: information security policy and vulnerability disclosure policy.
- GDPR-compliant processing, including for open data
- Data minimisation: store only what is needed
- Caching strategy with automatic refresh
- Rate limiting on both inbound and outbound requests
- Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest
- Audit logs with traceable data requests
- Monitoring and alerting for unusual usage
- Documentation for your record of processing activities
Frequently asked questions about RDW integrations
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about integrations with the RDW open data API.
Yes. The RDW makes vehicle data available as open data via opendata.rdw.nl. Basic use requires no API key or licence. At very high volumes, rate limiting may apply, so Appfront sets up a caching strategy to keep your application fast and reliable at all times.
The RDW provides, among other things, vehicle registration details (make, model, year of manufacture, fuel type), MOT history and expiry date, vehicle specifications (mass, axle load, body type), recalls with their status, reason codes and registered keeper details. The datasets are updated daily by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer).
An RDW integration is a technical connection that makes the open data of the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer, RDW) available within your own application, website or business system. Instead of manually looking up licence plates on the RDW website, your system retrieves vehicle data automatically via the API and processes it directly within your workflows.
A basic number plate check integration can be operational within a few weeks. More complex setups, involving batch enrichment, multiple datasets, caching and error handling, take longer. After an intake meeting, we will provide a realistic timeline based on the functionality you need and the number of datasets to be integrated.
The RDW open data API does not contain direct personal data such as owners' names or addresses. However, vehicle registration details, combined with other sources, may indirectly be traceable to individuals. Appfront takes this into account and applies data minimisation and GDPR guidelines to every implementation.
The cost depends on the number of datasets to be integrated, the complexity of the enrichment logic, the desired caching and error-handling strategy, and whether batch processing is required. Ongoing management and monitoring also play a part. After a no-obligation analysis of your situation, you will receive a clear quotation.
The RDW open data API supports JSON, CSV and XML via the OData and Socrata protocols. Appfront typically builds the integration layer on JSON because of its efficiency and broad support in modern applications. The format is chosen to best suit your existing systems.
Yes. We regularly take over existing integrations. We first review the current architecture, document the integration and propose improvements in caching, error handling, monitoring and scalability. From that point on, we provide maintenance and further development.
Ready to integrate RDW data into your application?
Tell us what you want to do with vehicle data, and we will help you think through the architecture, caching and data enrichment. A no-obligation first conversation will give you a clear picture of the possibilities within half an hour.