Using longitudinal registration data on the Dutch 1984 birth cohort this study describes the criminal career development of chronic offenders of different ethnicities against the background of Moffitt’s dual taxonomy. Central research question is whether chronic offenders, which the taxonomy claims differ qualitatively from non-chronic offenders, can be distinguished from non-chronic offenders based on observed criminal career characteristics. In line with expectations derived from the dual taxonomy, results show that Moroccan boys are overrepresented among chronic offenders, and that chronic offenders show an earlier age of onset and a more divers criminal repertoire than non-chronic offenders. However, contrary to the dual taxonomy, results also indicate a gradual instead of a clear-cut difference in these criminal career characteristics between chronic and non-chronic offenders.