In the Netherlands, being able to park your motorcycle on the sidewalk - even in the centre of big cities - is one of the biggest perks of riding a motorcycle. But what are the rules when it comes to parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk in the Netherlands? I frequently park my bike on the sidewalk. No need for a long search for the perfect parking spot. Perfect, right?!

But in reality, the rules for parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk are a bit more complicated than expected. We will tell you all about the rules for parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk in the Netherlands.

You have to pay for your motorcycle when you park your bike in a parking spot for cars in a paid parking zone. It used to be quite a challenge to leave the parking ticket on your bike, but since the digital age has made it’s entry things got easier. Nowadays, you pay by entering your license plate in an app (e.g. Yellowbrick, ANWB Parking, Easypark or Parkmobile) and you pay by card via the app. This can be done practically everywhere in the Netherlands.

Parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk is not allowed by law, but many municipalities - and even law enforcers - handle the matter differently.

• Parking your motorcycle in Amsterdam
• Parking your motorcycle in a blue zone
• Parking your motorcycle in a parking garage
• Can they tow my bike away?
• Parking your motorcycle in the city
• Parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk abroad

The municipality of Amsterdam allows you to park your motorcycle on the sidewalk, as long as you don’t block the sidewalk or create an unsafe situation. Pedestrians, wheelchair users and disabled people, people with strollers and emergency services should be able to pass wherever you’ve parked your bike. You could get a fine whenever you do block the road, sidewalk or passage or if you create an unsafe situation.

Do mind that you can’t park your motorcycle on the sidewalk in Amsterdam in areas with a green sign. E.g. Leidse square, Rembrandts square or around the big NS train stations. So be sure to check the area for any green signs before parking your bike.

The rules differ per municipality. More and more special parking spots for bikes are created. When you find such special bike parking spots, you are obligated to park your motorcycle there and maybe pay for that parking spot too. In this case, parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk is often not appreciated or tolerated.

Our advice; do some online research before you get out on the bike. Why take the risk of a 100 euro fine while you could also avoid it and use that money for gas?

As a driver, you can park your car for free in so-called ‘blue zones’. In this case, there is a maximum amount of time you can park your car there. This can differ from city to city, but it’s often one hour max. You do need to place a parking disc behind the front window. The law describes that this is obligatory for all vehicles with more than two wheels. So this excludes motorcycles.

In many Dutch municipalities, they allow you to park your motorcycle on the sidewalk in those ‘blue zones’. The deeper lying thought is; you save a parking spot for a car by parking your bike on the sidewalk. As long as you don’t hinder anyone, of course.

One would think that it’s always an option to park your motorcycle in a parking garage. But alas… not every parking garage is up to date when it comes to its technique. So chances are the detection loops don’t register motorcycles. Or the barrier closes too quickly to ride past it. Most parking garages let you know at the entrance whether motorcyclists are welcome or not.

The chances that your motorcycle is towed away away are very slim. Mainly because the rules for parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk are so confusing. It’s something that seems to be tolerated mostly everywhere, but not many municipalities are clear about their rules. They will only tow your motorcycle away when you cause a real dangerous situation. Some good examples are parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk in front of an emergency exit or on a parking spot for disabled people.

Want to visit a certain city? Just check the rules on forehand online. Or look around and check out where other riders park their bike. Chances are they are experience experts.

In Belgium, it’s not allowed to park your bike on the sidewalk. And they are quite strict about it, so it’s best to not even try. The rules about parking your motorcycle on the sidewalk in Germany seem to be quite similar to the ones in the Netherlands. In France, it’s similar to Belgium. So it’s not allowed. But there does seem to be a certain toleration towards it in some areas. So it might be best to check it with the locals. In Paris, it’s strictly illegal. Fun fact: they do make an exception for electric motorcycles.

We fully understand you’d rather ride than park a bike. Looking for one? You can choose from hundreds of motorcycles on our platform. Pick, rent and ride!