How to exchange a foreign driving licence in Poland
Short answer: If you live in Poland for 185 days or more, you must exchange a non-EU foreign driving licence for a Polish one; EU, EEA and Swiss licences stay valid until they expire.
If you moved to Poland with a driving licence from another country, the rules depend on where it was issued and how long you have lived here. A licence from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein stays valid in Poland until it expires. Almost everyone else has to exchange the licence for a Polish one, and the clock starts when you settle here.
When you must exchange a foreign licence
According to the government service portal Powroty (information current as of 7 October 2026), anyone who holds a licence issued abroad and has lived in Poland for at least 185 days must exchange it for a Polish licence. A foreign licence stops being valid six months after you obtain permanent or temporary residence in Poland. The same applies to UK licences issued after 31 December 2020.
There are two groups who do not have to exchange:
- Holders of a licence from another EU member state, Switzerland, or an EEA/EFTA state. It is valid in Poland for its whole validity period.
- Holders of a UK licence issued up to 31 December 2020. It is valid for the period it was issued for.
If your licence is from the EU, you can still choose to exchange it, but you are not required to. The gov.pl service says plainly: if your EU licence is valid, you do not need to swap it.
An International Driving Permit cannot be exchanged for a Polish licence. It is only a translation that goes with your national licence.
What you need to prepare
The gov.pl guide to exchanging a foreign licence lists the documents. Prepare these before you go to the office:
1. An exchange application form (download it or fill it in at the office).
2. A current photo in the format used for driving licences.
3. Your passport or ID card, and, as a foreigner, your residence card, temporary identity certificate or other Polish document proving your stay.
4. A document proving your address, such as a residence card with your address or a registration certificate. If you have a new ID card with no address on it, you can get a registration certificate from any municipal office.
5. A copy of your valid foreign licence.
Powroty adds that the office may ask for a rental agreement to confirm your address, and that for a licence not issued in the EU/EEA and not following the 1968 Vienna Convention format, you need to attach a copy with a Polish translation made or confirmed by a sworn translator or consul. Check the list on the website of your own office, because they sometimes ask for extra declarations.
If your foreign licence has already expired, the rules are stricter. In that case you also need a medical certificate that you can drive, and a psychological certificate if you hold a category such as C, C1, D or D1 (unless your licence carries a current code 95). gov.pl lists the same extra medical papers for an expired UK licence issued up to 31 December 2020.
Where to apply
You file the application with the local government office for your place of residence:
- the county office (starostwo powiatowe), or
- the city office in a city with county rights, or
- the district office, if you live in Warsaw.
You can bring the papers in person or send them by post.
The steps, in order
The gov.pl page gives this sequence for non-EU licences:
1. Hand in the documents. The office checks them and issues a PKK number (Driver Candidate Profile). You get it straight away if the file is complete, within 2 days if the office has to check your data, within a month if it needs to clarify your situation, and within 2 months for cases needing extra explanation.
2. Register for the theory exam at a regional road traffic centre (WORD) and take your PKK number. This step applies if your licence does not follow the Geneva or Vienna Convention model, as Powroty states.
3. Take the exam on the booked date.
4. If you pass, check on info-car.pl with your PESEL, name and surname whether the WORD has passed the result to the office.
5. Pay for issuing the licence.
6. Collect the new licence.
What it costs and how long it takes
The fee for issuing the licence is 100 zł (gov.pl and Powroty). You can usually pay at the office cash desk or by bank transfer, so ask the office. If you pay at the desk, take the receipt to the room where your application was accepted. If you pay by transfer, send the confirmation by email to the office.
The licence is ready within 9 working days of the day the office receives confirmation of your foreign licence data and your payment. Confirming the data with the issuing country can take several weeks, according to gov.pl. You can see the production status on kierowca.pwpw.pl or info-car.pl with your PESEL and name.
When you collect the licence, bring your ID or passport and your foreign licence. If you chose to receive it by post, you have to send back your foreign licence first. If you do not return the foreign licence, you will not get the Polish one.
If the office refuses
You can appeal to the local government appeals board (samorządowe kolegium odwoławcze) within 14 days of getting the decision. File the appeal at the office that refused.
Practical tips
Start early. You have six months after you receive residence, and the data check abroad can take weeks. Keep your foreign licence valid, because an expired one adds medical certificates. Get a sworn translation done in advance if your licence does not follow the Vienna Convention format. Ask the office by email which extra papers they want, since practice differs between counties.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to exchange my EU driving licence in Poland?
No. A valid licence from an EU member state, Switzerland or an EEA/EFTA country is valid in Poland until it expires (gov.pl, Powroty).
How long can I drive in Poland on a foreign licence?
If you live in Poland, the foreign licence stops being valid six months after you obtain temporary or permanent residence. You must exchange it after 185 days of living in Poland, unless it comes from the EU/EEA/Switzerland.
Can I exchange an International Driving Permit?
No. The gov.pl service states that an international driving permit cannot be exchanged for a Polish licence.
How much does the exchange cost?
100 zł for issuing the licence, according to gov.pl and Powroty. Translation and medical certificates, if needed, are extra.
Do I have to take a driving exam?
For a licence that does not follow the Geneva or Vienna Convention model, you must pass the theory part of the state exam. Ask your office what applies to your licence.
Where do I check the status of my new licence?
On kierowca.pwpw.pl or info-car.pl with your PESEL, name and surname.
Sources
* Photo: Shixart1985, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
