Behind the colloquial phrase "transport licence" lie several different authorisations. The Road Transport Act requires a licence for domestic passenger transport by passenger car, by a vehicle for 7–9 persons and by taxi, as well as for intermediation in the transport of goods (the so-called forwarding licence) and of persons. Transport of goods by truck and passenger transport by bus, in turn, require a permit to pursue the occupation of road transport operator, and international transport additionally a Community licence. Below we sort out the types of licences, the conditions for obtaining them and the fees.
Types of licences and the bodies that issue them
| Activity | Authorisation | Body |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic passenger transport by passenger car (e.g. on-demand rides via an app) | licence under Article 5b(1)(1) | starost or mayor of a city with county rights |
| Domestic passenger transport by a vehicle for more than 7 and no more than 9 persons with a driver | licence under Article 5b(1)(2) | starost |
| Passenger transport by taxi | licence under Article 5b(1)(3) | wójt, burmistrz or city mayor (for Warsaw — Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw) |
| Organising transport of goods using someone else's vehicles (freight forwarding) | licence for intermediation in the transport of goods | starost |
| Intermediation in passenger transport (e.g. platforms taking ride orders) | licence for intermediation in passenger transport | Chief Inspector of Road Transport |
The competence of the starost is determined by the firm's seat in KRS (National Court Register), and for a sole proprietorship by the fixed place of business recorded in CEIDG (Article 7(4)). All these licences are issued for a specified period, from 2 to 50 years, as applied for by the entrepreneur (Article 5b(3)).
The permit to pursue the occupation of road transport operator and the Community licence are separate authorisations, requiring, among others, an operating base and financial standing calculated in euro. A firm that has its own trucks and at the same time commissions part of its loads to other carriers needs both the permit and the intermediation licence.
Licence for passenger transport by passenger car and taxi
The conditions for transport by passenger car and by a vehicle for 7–9 persons are set out in Article 5c(1) of the Act:
- good reputation of the persons running the firm or managing the company: no convictions for fiscal offences and the listed intentional offences, and no ban on pursuing transport activity;
- no criminal record of drivers, including persons not employed who drive for the firm, for offences against life and health, sexual freedom and drug offences, as well as no ban on pursuing the driver's profession;
- legal title to vehicles that meet the technical requirements, e.g. ownership, leasing or rental;
- requirements for drivers: no medical or psychological contraindications, and a driving licence issued in Poland (Article 39a(1)(2)–(4)).
The last condition is important for foreigners. A driver with a foreign driving licence must exchange it for a Polish one before starting to carry passengers under the licence. The taxi licence is additionally issued for a specified area (commune, neighbouring communes or Warsaw), and the commune may set additional local requirements.
Forwarding licence — intermediation in the transport of goods
A forwarder does not transport goods personally but arranges transport by other carriers. To obtain the licence, three conditions have to be met (Article 5c(2)):
- good reputation, on the same terms as for passenger transport;
- financial standing: available funds or assets worth EUR 50,000, confirmed e.g. by financial statements, a bank statement, a bank guarantee or a title deed;
- a certificate of professional competence, held by at least one person managing the firm or the transport.
For intermediation in passenger transport, the financial threshold is PLN 5,000, and the firm has to be entered in CEIDG or KRS (Article 5c(2a)). The intermediary may not accept orders for carriers without a licence, otherwise its own licence may be withdrawn (Article 15(1)(5)).
Fees for licences in 2026
| Licence | 2–15 years | 15–30 years | 30–50 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger transport by passenger car or a vehicle for 7–9 persons | PLN 320 | PLN 380 | PLN 450 |
| Taxi — commune area | PLN 200 | PLN 250 | PLN 300 |
| Taxi — Warsaw area | PLN 320 | PLN 380 | PLN 450 |
| Intermediation in the transport of goods | PLN 800 | PLN 900 | PLN 1,000 |
| Intermediation in passenger transport | PLN 400 | PLN 450 | PLN 500 |
The amounts come from the regulation on fees for administrative acts related to pursuing road transport. For comparison, the permit to pursue the occupation of carrier costs PLN 1,000. Separate fees are charged for extract certificates for individual vehicles. Because the difference in price between periods is small, entrepreneurs usually apply for a long period of validity.
Application and documents
The application may be filed in writing or electronically, after paying the fee (Article 8(1)). It contains, among others, the firm's data and NIP, the type and scope of transport (for taxi also the area), the period of validity and the number and type of vehicles and extract certificates. The attachments are:
- declarations on the good reputation of managing persons;
- for a forwarding licence, a declaration of the person managing transport and a copy of their certificate of professional competence;
- documents confirming financial standing (for intermediation);
- certificates of no criminal record of drivers, issued no earlier than one month before filing the application, and documents confirming the driver requirements;
- documents confirming the right to use the vehicles.
When the licence may be lost
The licence is withdrawn, among others, if the entrepreneur does not start the activity within 6 months despite being summoned, ceases to meet the requirements, assigns the licence or an extract certificate to another person, or for at least 6 months does not perform transport for reasons on their side (Article 15(1)). The last sanction may be avoided by notifying the authority of a suspension of transport. Any change in the data covered by the licence, e.g. a new vehicle or a change of address, must be reported to the authority.
PKD 2025 codes for transport firms
- 49.33.Z — passenger transport on demand by a car with a driver (taxis, rides ordered via an app);
- 49.32.Z — passenger road transport other than scheduled;
- 49.41.Z — road transport of goods;
- 52.26.Z — services supporting transport, including freight forwarding;
- 52.31.Z — intermediation in the transport of goods, also via digital platforms;
- 52.32.Z — intermediation in passenger transport, e.g. ride-booking platforms.
How Good Balance can help
We help choose the right authorisation for the planned activity, prepare the application with the complete set of attachments and set up the firm on the tax side. Licence questions are addressed as part of a legal consultation, and if the firm is only being set up, we also handle company registration.