The document number appears on your passport and ID card as a separate, labeled number. You will find it in the top right corner of the page with your photo, under the heading “document number”. It works differently on your driving licence: there is no document number on it at all. Below, you can read where to find it for each document, and how to distinguish it from your driving licence number and your BSN.
In short
- Passport: on the photo page, top right, under “document number”.
- ID card: front, top right, below “document number”.
- Driving licence: no document number. If a form requires it, enter the number in section 5.
- The document number belongs to the card and changes as soon as you receive a new document.
- Your BSN is on the back and remains the same for your entire life.
- On your passport and ID, the document number is the same as your “passport number”.
In this article
- What is a document number?
- Where can you find the document number on your passport and ID card?
- Does your driver's license have a document number?
- Document number, driving licence number or BSN: what is the difference?
- When do you need your document number?
What is a document number?
The document number is the unique number of a single identity document. Every passport and every ID card has one. However, other documents also have a document number, such as a residence permit. The document number of a passport or ID card consists of nine characters: first two letters, then numbers or letters, and finally a digit.
The number belongs to the identity document, not to you. If you apply for a new document, it will receive a new document number. You BSN Your document number remains the same your whole life, but your document number does not.
Organizations use it to see exactly which card is involved, regardless of who you are. The government also registers all the documents you possess based on your document number(s). This data is stored in the Basic Register of Travel Documents.
Where can you find the document number on your passport and ID card?
This is quite easy, because it is on a label.
Passport. Open your passport to the page with your photo, the hard plastic page. The document number is located in the upper right corner, under the heading “document number / document no.”. On the newest passport model, the document number is also located on the back of this plastic page.
ID card. On the front, top right, also under the heading “document number”.
In short: On passports and ID cards, the document number is exactly what people call the “passport number.” The same number, a different name. Your BSN is separate from that, on the back.
Does your driver's license have a document number?
Technically, no. And that immediately explains why you find so many different answers online. One site points to section 4d, another to section 5, and yet another to the back.
Every European driving licence contains a fixed series of numbered fields (sections). Section 5 is the driving licence number. There is also a section 4d, intended for an additional administrative number, but countries may choose whether or not to use it. The Netherlands does not. In the official description of the Dutch driving licence at the European Commission the list runs from category 1 to 12, and 4d is not included.
So, on your Dutch driving licence there is one number that belongs to the card: the driver's license number. That recurs in three places:
- Bee field 5 on the front. It is engraved in the card, so you can feel it.
- In the MRZ at the bottom of the front. That is the long line that scanners read. The abbreviation stands for Machine Readable Zone.
- On the back, in field 13, after the forward slash. The number before that slash is your BSN.
That is where the confusion lies. That long line at the bottom looks like a mysterious document code. It is not. It contains, among other things, your driver's license number, in a format that machines can read quickly. Functionally speaking, however, the driver's license number is indeed the number used to distinguish the document.
Tip: If a form asks for the “document number” of your driving licence, enter the number in section 5. That is what they mean, because no other number exists. The RDW also uses this number to check whether a driving licence is valid.
Since June 1, 2025, the RDW has been issuing a new model driving licence. It has new security features, but the sections remain unchanged.
| Where on the map | Which number | Belongs to |
|---|---|---|
| Section 5, front page | driver's license number | The card |
| MRZ, long line at the bottom of the front | Driving license number, machine-readable | The card |
| Section 13 back, before the line | BSN | You |
| Section 13 back, after the line | driver's license number | The card |
| Nowhere | Document number | Does not exist on the Dutch driving licence |
Document number, driving licence number or BSN: what is the difference?
Three songs that are often confused with each other. They all do something different.
The distinction
- Document number: Belongs to the card. It appears on passports and ID cards under the label “document number”. It changes with every new document. Your driver's license does not have this number.
- Driving license number: It is located at field 5, in the MRZ, and behind the line on the back. This is the number being requested.
- BSN (citizen service number): Your personal government number. It is on the back and remains the same for your entire life.
In short: the document number and driver's license number belong to a card, while your BSN belongs to you. On a driver's license, there is only one number that identifies the card.
When do you need your document number?
Usually when you use your passport or ID card for something. For example, when booking a trip, filling out official forms, and increasingly often during a remote check: when you open an account online, or start a new job.
Such a check is not just about the number. An organization wants to know if the document is genuine, if it is still valid, and if it belongs to you. The document number is one of the pieces of information used in this process. That is exactly where ID Verification It is what it is about: checking and recording the document, without anyone having to retype passes.
For organizations, that is also the reason to do it carefully. Anyone who verifies identities records which document was used. A document that has not been properly verified becomes a problem later on, especially in sectors where identity verification is mandatory.
The document number identifies one specific card. On a passport and ID card, you will find it in the top right corner of the photo page, neatly labeled. Your driving licence does not have one: there, the driving licence number in field 5 does that job. Your BSN is on the back and belongs to you, not to the card.
Discover how DataChecker automatically checks and records identity documents.
Frequently asked questions about the document number.
What is a document number?
A document number is the unique number of a single identification document. Every passport and every ID card has one. It identifies the card, not the person. Your driver's license does not have a document number; the driver's license number in field 5 does that job.
Where can I find the document number on my passport?
On the page with your photo (the holder page), at the top right, under the heading “document number”. It consists of nine characters and starts with two letters.
Where is the document number on my ID card?
On the front, top right, below the label “document number”. Your BSN is on the back.
Is my passport number the same as my document number?
Yes. On a passport, the document number is exactly what people often call the passport number. It is one and the same number.
Which number do I enter for the document number of my driver's license?
Enter the number in section 5, your driving licence number. The Dutch driving licence does not have an explicit document number, so that is the number they mean.
What is the difference between my driver's license number and my document number?
On a driving licence, there is no difference, because there is no document number. There is only the driving licence number: in section 5, in the MRZ at the bottom of the front, and behind the line on the back. You will find an actual document number on your passport and ID card.
Does my document number change if I renew my document?
Yes. With a new passport or a new ID card, you receive a new document number. With a new driver's license, you receive a new driver's license number. Your BSN always remains the same.
What is a temporary document number?
That is the number on a temporary document, for example an emergency passport if your card is lost or stolen and you need to travel urgently. It is located in the same place: at the top right of the photo page, under the label “document number”. When you pick up your permanent passport or ID card, the temporary number expires.
Can someone misuse my document number?
On its own, a document number has limited use, but in combination with other personal data, it can be used for fraud. Therefore, only share a copy or number with parties that genuinely need it. Organizations limit this risk by verifying documents for authenticity; read how to prevents identity fraud.
