Car ownership papers will be replaced by smart cards from January 1, Nos television reports on Tuesday.

Instead of two pieces of paper for the owner and the car, all the information will be contained on a smart card. According to transport minister Melanie Schultz-van Haegen, the new system ‘will not only be easier but also less sensitive to fraud’, Nos says.

Number plates will no longer be issued by post offices or garages, but centrally by the vehicle registration service RDW.

The smart card will make it more difficult to ‘clone’ cars – giving a stolen car the same number plate as another car of the same make.

Smart cards will be gradually introduced. From January 1, all new cars will be issued with the card. Existing cars will get the card when they are sold or when the number plate has to be changed for some reason.

The change-over is expected to be completed in 2019.