Abstract Background Knowledge on the course, disability and functionality of wrist complaints is still compendious in primary care guidelines, despite the high prevalence in primary care. Valid questionnaires can facilitate the monitoring of patients in primary care and research initiatives. In this study, we aimed to study the psychometric qualities of the Dutch version of the Patient Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation (PRWHE-DLV) among adults with (sub)acute wrist complaints in primary care. Methods An observational cohort of 35 adults with (sub)acute wrist complaints in Dutch primary care was established. The content validity of the PRWHE-DLV was validated by assessing the floor and ceiling effects at baseline (T0). Reproducibility was assessed by the test-retest reliability between T0 and T1 (2–5 days after T0), using the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient. The construct validity was assessed based on the correlation between the PRWHE-DLV and the Quick-DASH, Physical Component Score (SF-12), VAS-function, Physical Functioning (SF-12), VAS-pain and Bodily Pain (SF-12) at T0. Responsiveness was defined as the ability of the PRWHE-DLV to measure change 3 weeks after T0 (internal) and the relation of these changes to clinically important outcomes (external). Results Psychometric qualities of the PRWHE-DLV demonstrated high content validity with no floor or ceiling effects, excellent reliability (Intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.90; 95% CI 0.80–0.95), high construct validity with the validated Quick-DASH and VAS score (r = 0.85 with Quick-DASH, r = 0.75 with VAS-function and r = 0.78 with VAS-pain) and high responsiveness. Conclusion The PRWHE-DLV provided reliable and adequate information for primary care clinical practice.