The rule for a US licence
The Netherlands accepts a valid US driver's license from visitors, and no IDP is required for tourist stays.
An IDP is still a useful translation to carry, but it is not a legal requirement here.
Live in Netherlands, or hold an EU/EEA licence?
A licence issued in Netherlands is what you drive on at home - an IDP is a translation of a foreign licence, so it does not apply to you here. An EU or EEA licence from another member state is also valid in Netherlands on its own, under EU Directive 2006/126/EC. In neither case do you need an IDP.
At the rental counter
Dutch agencies accept a US license directly.
What the permit covers
An International Driving Permit is a translation of your licence into a standard multilingual booklet, issued under the 1949 and 1968 road traffic conventions. It is not a licence, and it is never valid on its own: you carry it with your own licence, and police expect to see both.
It is issued against the vehicle classes already on your home licence, and it never adds one. If your licence does not cover motorcycles, an IDP does not let you ride a scooter in the Netherlands; if it does not cover a heavier vehicle, the permit will not cover a camper or a minibus either. The permit restates what you already hold, in a form the local authorities can read.
Driving in more than one country?
Check every destination on your trip at once - Netherlands is already filled in.
Check your tripOther destinations
Informational only, not legal advice. Requirements change and vary by length of stay, rental company, and vehicle class. Always confirm with the destination's embassy or your automobile association before you drive.