A foreigner who has settled in Poland may drive on a document issued in their country for some time, but after 6 months from the start of their stay, a non-EU driving licence stops entitling them to drive. It then has to be exchanged for a Polish one at the starosty (district office) or city office. In 2026 the fee for issuing the new document is PLN 100, and whether a theory exam and a sworn translation will be required depends on the country that issued the current licence.
From when a foreign document is not enough
The Act on Drivers of Vehicles distinguishes between two situations. A driving licence issued in another European Union country, in Switzerland or in an EFTA state belonging to the European Economic Area is honoured in Poland throughout its validity, and the exchange is voluntary. However, a domestic or international driving licence compliant with the Geneva Convention of 1949 or the Vienna Convention of 1968 allows driving in Poland only for 6 months counted from the day of starting permanent or temporary residence.
Residence in Poland is considered to mean staying here for at least 185 days in a calendar year due to personal or professional ties. Someone who meets this condition and wants to continue driving should file the exchange application in advance, as the whole procedure may take several weeks. Driving on a foreign document alone after the six-month period expires means driving without the required authorisation.
The British driving licence is treated separately: a document issued in the United Kingdom until 31 December 2020 remains valid in Poland for the period for which it was issued, so its exchange is not mandatory.
Three variants of the procedure
The scope of formalities depends on which group the document belongs to:
| Type of driving licence | Is the exchange mandatory | Additional conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Issued in an EU, EFTA (EEA) country or in Switzerland | No, the document is valid in Poland | During the exchange the office verifies data in the European Driving Licence Network |
| Issued in a non-EU country, compliant with the Geneva or Vienna Convention | Yes, after 6 months of residence | The office verifies data with the authority that issued the document |
| Issued in a non-EU country, not compliant with any of the conventions | Yes | Pass the theoretical part of the state exam and provide a sworn translation |
Whether a given model of document corresponds to a convention is ultimately for the office to decide. It is worth asking about this when filing the application, as the answer determines whether you will have to register for the exam at the voivodeship road traffic centre (WORD).
What documents to prepare
The basic set for the exchange includes:
- a completed application for the issue of a driving licence (the form can be downloaded from gov.pl or completed on site),
- a current photograph meeting the requirements for documents,
- passport or other identity document, and for a foreigner also a karta pobytu, visa or another document confirming the right of residence; instead one can present a certificate of studies lasting at least six months,
- a document confirming the address of registration, e.g. a certificate from the commune office,
- a photocopy of the foreign driving licence,
- a translation of the driving licence into Polish prepared or certified by a sworn translator or a Polish consul, if the document is not compliant with the conventions.
If the foreign driving licence has expired, a medical certificate of no contraindications to driving is also required. In such a case drivers of categories C1, C, D1, D and their trailer variants must additionally present a psychological opinion, unless their driving licence contains a current code 95.
Course of the case step by step
- Filing the application. Documents are submitted at the county starosty office competent for the place of residence, at a city office with county rights, and in Warsaw at the district office. The application can also be sent by post or filed through a proxy.
- PKK number. The office creates a Driving Candidate Profile. With a complete application the number is issued immediately, and if the data require verification, within 2 days; in cases requiring explanation the deadline extends to one month, and in exceptional cases to 2 months.
- Theory exam (only in the third variant). With the PKK number one registers for an exam at WORD. After passing, the centre sends the result to the office.
- Data verification. The office determines whether the foreign document is authentic and whether the authorisation has not been revoked. For non-EU documents this stage usually takes the longest — even several weeks.
- Fee. You pay PLN 100 for issuing the driving licence, at the office cashier or by transfer. The transfer confirmation must be delivered to the office.
- Collection. The Polish document is ready within 9 business days of receiving data confirmation and payment. The production status can be checked on info-car.pl or kierowca.pwpw.pl. On collection the foreign driving licence is returned; until then it stays with the driver.
A practical example
An Indian programmer works in Kraków on a karta pobytu and has lived there since March. Until September he may drive on his licence if it meets the conventions. In August he files the application at the city office, enclosing the karta pobytu, address registration certificate, photograph and a copy of the document. If the office concluded that his model of driving licence does not correspond to any of the conventions, he would also have to order a sworn translation and pass the theory exam at WORD, which would extend the whole procedure by several weeks. For this reason it is safer to start formalities at least two or three months before the end of the six-month period.
What to watch out for
- No way to verify the data. If the foreign authority does not confirm the data from the document or if it turns out that the authorisation has been revoked, the exchange is not possible.
- International driving licence. Not subject to exchange for a Polish one; only the domestic document is exchanged.
- Restrictions entered in the document (e.g. the obligation to drive with glasses) will be carried over to the Polish driving licence.
- Probation period. If a Polish category B driving licence is issued less than 2 years after the foreign one, the driver may be subject to the probation period.
- Refusal. A refusal decision can be challenged by appeal to the local government appeals board within 14 days of service, filed through the office that issued it.
Detailed rules are set out in the gov.pl portal, in the Act on Drivers of Vehicles and in the regulation on issuing documents confirming the authorisation to drive vehicles.
How Good Balance can help
Exchanging a driving licence is usually one of many administrative matters after relocation. We help foreigners put their residence legalisation, address registration and documents needed at offices in order, including as part of the residence legalisation support service. If you are planning to work in Poland, a residence and work permit will also be useful, and a general action plan after arrival is described in the guide on moving to Poland.