Exchanging a driving licence in Poland: a guide for foreigners

Six months on a foreign licence, then an exchange at the district office: no test for convention-model licences, a theory test for the rest. Deadlines, documents, translation and costs.

In detail

The short answer: you can drive in Poland on a foreign licence for six months from the start of permanent or temporary residence. After that the licence is exchanged for a Polish one at the district office where you live. If the licence follows the model of the Vienna or Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, no test is needed; if not, you take the theory part of the state driving test.

Poland exchanges licences quickly and cheaply: the fee is 100 zloty, and the card itself is ready within a few working days. The time goes elsewhere: on the sworn translation and on the office checking the licence's authenticity with the issuing country. Below, step by step: deadlines, documents, the test, costs and what to do if your licence has expired.

How long you can drive on a foreign licence in Poland

The Act on Drivers recognises licences from outside the EU for six months from the start of permanent or temporary residence in Poland. The licence must follow the model of the 1968 Vienna Convention or the 1949 Geneva Convention; if it is of another model, an international driving permit is needed. After six months the police no longer recognise such a licence, and driving on it counts as driving without a licence.

The exchange is required for people who live in Poland at least 185 days a year, that is, for whom Poland has become their ordinary residence. A tourist or a short-term visitor does not need to exchange anything. EU licences remain valid in Poland for their whole term and need no exchange. UK licences issued before the end of 2020 also need not be exchanged while they remain valid.

The law does not forbid applying for the exchange after six months. But until you have a Polish licence you may not drive, so it is better to apply in the first months after receiving your residence permit: the check with the issuing country can take several weeks.

Who exchanges a licence without a test

Licences from countries that are parties to the Vienna or Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, and licences issued on the model of these conventions, are exchanged without a test. Most countries fall into this group, so for cars the exchange usually comes down to an application, a translation and a fee. If the country is not a party to the conventions and the licence does not follow their model, you must pass the theory part of the state test. There is no driving test in this case.

Lorry and bus categories add medical and psychological checks. For the car category they are needed only when the foreign licence has expired.

Licences from countries outside the conventions

Before issuing a Polish licence, the office asks the issuing country to confirm that the licence is genuine and valid. As a rule this takes several weeks, but for some countries the answer takes longer, so it is worth applying right after you receive your residence permit. If the licence is not on a convention model, the office also refers you to the theory test, which is taken at a regional traffic centre.

The foreign licence is handed in when you collect the Polish one: without this the Polish licence is not issued, and the office returns the foreign licence to the issuing country.

Documents for exchanging a licence

• an exchange application on the official form;
• passport or ID card;
• a document confirming legal stay: a temporary or permanent residence card or a national visa;
• proof of address registration in Poland;
• a 35 by 45 millimetre colour photo meeting licence standards;
• a copy of the foreign licence with a sworn translation into Polish attached to it; the original is shown when applying;
• a medical certificate if the licence has expired or a lorry or bus category is being exchanged.

The translation is done by a sworn translator or a consul. Licences from the EU, Switzerland and the European Free Trade Association need no translation.

How the exchange works: steps

1. Get a residence permit and register your address: the six months run from the start of residence.
2. Get the sworn translation and a photo, and pay the fee.
3. Apply to the district office or city office where you live; in Warsaw, to the district office.
4. The office asks the issuing country to confirm the licence's authenticity. If a theory test is needed, you get a referral to it.
5. After the issuing country replies, the licence is produced within 9 working days. When you collect the Polish licence, you hand in the foreign one.

The status of the application can be tracked on the government portal, and collecting the Polish licence sometimes happens on a different day from applying. If you move to another region, apply where you are registered.

How much exchanging a licence costs in Poland

Exchanging a convention-model licence costs from $50 including the translation and photo. If the licence has expired or a test is needed, a certificate and a test fee are added, and costs start from $100. The main cost here is not money but time: months without the right to drive if you apply late. If a lorry or bus category is needed, a psychological check and its fee are added.

If your licence has expired

An expired foreign licence can be exchanged in Poland, but a medical certificate confirming no contraindications to driving is added to the application. While the licence is expired you may not drive on it either in Poland or in the issuing country, so it is better to start the exchange early, before it expires. If the licence is lost, first get a duplicate or a certificate in the issuing country: without the document the office will not start the exchange.

The exchange period counts from the start of residence on a residence permit. How to get one is covered on the Poland residence permit page, and all grounds for moving are collected in Poland: all programs.

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