Network Programming in .NET

We’re excited to announce a new addition to our Netherlands vehicle data coverage: two-way lookup between number plate and VIN.

The Problem with One-Directional Lookups

Until now, Dutch vehicle data access has been built around the number plate (kenteken) as the primary key. That works well when you already have a plate — but it falls short in situations where a VIN is the only identifier you have. Import/export workflows, insurance and claims processing, VIN decoding pipelines, and international vehicle history checks all commonly start from a VIN, not a plate.

What’s New

We’ve added lookup in both directions for the Netherlands:

• Plate → VIN — resolve a Dutch kenteken to its VIN and full vehicle record
• VIN → Plate — go straight from a 17-character VIN to the matching plate and full vehicle record, no plate required as a starting point

Whichever identifier you have on hand, you can resolve the other.

A successful lookup returns:

• Plate number — the matching Dutch kenteken
• Category — vehicle type classification (e.g. passenger car), including a reference image
• Brand — manufacturer name and logo
• Model — model name and photo
• Type/variant detail — trim designation, production date range, engine/motor code, power output (kW and pk), and fuel type

In short: you can now resolve a bare VIN into a fully classified vehicle — make, model, trim, engine, and power output — in a single call.

Why This Matters

For platforms working with vehicle history, KYC-adjacent verification, parts lookup, or insurance underwriting, having lookup available in both directions closes a real gap — you’re no longer stuck if the identifier you’re given isn’t the one your existing pipeline expects. It also opens the door to richer downstream enrichment: once you have the plate, deeper RDW-equivalent detail becomes accessible too.

Access

This capability is currently being rolled out to strategic partners. If you’d like access, get in touch via kentekenapi.com and we’ll get you set up.