The karta kierowcy (driver card for the digital tachograph) is the third document a professional driver needs, and the one most often confused with the licence and with Code 95. People search for it as "driver card", "karta kierowcy", or "karta kierowcy for foreigners", almost always alongside the question of whether they must first exchange their foreign licence for a Polish one. Below: what this card is, how much it costs, how long it takes, which documents you need, and how a foreigner gets it in Poland in 2026, including without exchanging the licence.
In short: what you need to know in 30 seconds
- What it is: a chip card for the digital tachograph (tachograf cyfrowy) that records driving and rest time. It is not a driving licence and not Code 95 - it is a separate, third document.
- Cost: 172.20 PLN gross (140.00 PLN net + 23% VAT), one payment per application, postal delivery included.
- Time: by law no longer than a month from a complete application; online via info-car (with Profil Zaufany) is faster, a paper application takes up to 30 days plus postal delivery.
- Validity: 5 years, independent of the licence's or Code 95's validity.
- Foreigners: since 19 May 2023 you may apply with a foreign driving licence directly, adding proof of its authenticity.
- Where: the application is filed at info-car.pl, and the card is issued by PWPW (Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych).
Three driver documents: how karta kierowcy differs from Code 95 and prawo jazdy
A professional driver is legally required to hold all three documents at once. They do not replace one another, and missing any one of them stops you from working.
| Document | What it proves | Who issues it |
|---|---|---|
| prawo jazdy (driving licence) category C/CE/D/DE | the right to drive a truck or bus | Wydział Komunikacji |
| Code 95 / kwalifikacja zawodowa (professional competence) | the right to do commercial transport in the EU | WORD + Wydział Komunikacji |
| karta kierowcy (driver card for the tachograph) | driver identification in the tachograph and working-time records | PWPW (via info-car.pl) |
An easy way to remember: prawo jazdy lets you drive the vehicle, Code 95 lets you do it for money, and karta kierowcy records who was at the wheel and for how many hours. A tachograph without the driver's personal card inserted does not allow you to work legally - the device logs a violation, and on an ITD roadside check that means a fine.
Who must hold a karta kierowcy
A karta kierowcy is required by anyone driving a vehicle fitted with a digital tachograph. In practice that means:
- truck drivers in categories C / CE on commercial transport;
- bus drivers in categories D / DE carrying passengers;
- international drivers travelling outside Poland.
The card is personal - it is tied to a specific driver, not to a vehicle. One driver, one karta kierowcy, which they insert into the tachograph of any vehicle they work on. The card may not be handed to another driver.
How much it costs and how long you wait
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | 172.20 PLN gross (140.00 PLN net + 23% VAT) |
| What's included | card issue + postal delivery, one payment per application |
| Time online (info-car, Profil Zaufany) | no longer than a month, faster than paper |
| Time for paper application | up to 30 days |
| Card validity | 5 years |
| If rejected | PWPW keeps 25.83 PLN |
There is one payment per application. If the application is rejected (for example because the package is incomplete or the photo is unreadable), PWPW does not refund everything - it keeps 25.83 PLN. So it is worth preparing the documents carefully the first time.
Documents for the application
The basic package for a karta kierowcy:
- wniosek (application) for the issue of a karta kierowcy;
- a copy of a valid prawo jazdy;
- a photo 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a white background;
- a scan of your handwritten signature;
- a copy of your passport or ID;
- proof of the 172.20 PLN payment.
When applying online through info-car, the application is signed with Profil Zaufany or a qualified electronic signature - in that case a separate signature scan is produced during the process. On a paper application, the signature is written by hand.
How to apply online through info-car step by step
The online route is the fastest (the card is issued no later than a month from a complete application). The order is as follows:
- Go to info-car.pl and log in with Profil Zaufany (or a qualified electronic signature).
- Open the section Tachograf → Uzyskaj kartę do tachografu.
- Select karta kierowcy and fill in the wniosek: driver data, PESEL, licence data.
- Upload the 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo on a white background and, if needed, the signature scan.
- Pay 172.20 PLN directly in the system.
- Sign the application with Profil Zaufany and submit.
- Track the status on info-car.pl; PWPW will send the finished card by post.
The paper version is for those without Profil Zaufany: download the PDF wniosek, sign it by hand, and post it to PWPW together with the photo, a copy of the licence, a copy of the passport, and proof of payment. The time is then up to 30 days.
Foreigners: can you apply without exchanging the licence
Yes. Since 19 May 2023 a driver with a foreign licence may apply for a karta kierowcy directly - for the card itself you do not need to exchange your licence for a Polish one first. But you must add proof of the foreign licence's authenticity, one of four options:
- (a) data from RESPER / the European Driving Licence Network;
- (b) confirmation from the issuing authority or its consulate;
- (c) information from the issuing country's portal;
- (d) a copy of a Polish świadectwo kierowcy (driver certificate) OR an EU/EEA/UK Code 95 qualification card.
In practice route (d) is the fastest: verification through a foreign authority can take very long, whereas a ready świadectwo kierowcy or a European Code 95 card settles the authenticity question at once. In addition, the applicant files an oświadczenie o normalnym miejscu zamieszkania w Polsce (declaration of normal residence in Poland), and the PESEL is used for identification.
An important nuance: even though the card itself does not require a licence exchange, a licence issued outside the EU, Switzerland and the EFTA states is valid in Poland for only 6 months from the start of a permanent or temporary stay (art. 5 ust. 4), so you will have to exchange it anyway. So the natural real-world sequence is: first exchange the licence → Code 95 → karta kierowcy. If you plan to work long-term, it is more convenient to follow this order than to obtain the card while skipping the exchange. Help with the exchange is in our wymiana prawa jazdy service.
Renewal (odnowienie)
A karta kierowcy does not renew automatically. Before the 5-year period ends, you must apply again:
- no later than 15 working days before expiry;
- you may apply as early as 60 days before expiry.
The cost and validity on renewal are the same: 172.20 PLN and another 5 years. The filing logic is the same as for first issue - online via info-car is faster. The readiness status is checked in the same place, on info-car.pl. If you miss the deadline, the card becomes invalid, and until you receive a new one you cannot legally work with the tachograph.
Smart second-generation tachograph 2025-2026: how the card relates
A separate topic, often confused with the card, is the move to the smart second-generation tachograph (tachograf inteligentny 2. generacji, G2V2). The retrofitting deadlines concern the device in the vehicle, not the driver card:
- 31.12.2024 - for analogue devices and 1B tachographs (international transport);
- 19.08.2025 - for 1C-generation devices;
- 01.07.2026 - for vans of 2.5 t and above.
Your karta kierowcy works in the new devices too - you do not need to replace the card because the tachograph changed. These are different things: the G2V2 deadlines are the carrier's and vehicle owner's concern, while the card stays personal to you and is valid for its 5 years.
When it is worth turning to a lawyer
You can realistically apply for a karta kierowcy yourself, especially online with Profil Zaufany. A lawyer's help makes sense if:
- you are a foreigner and are unsure which of the four authenticity options to choose (and want to take the fast route (d));
- the card has to be obtained in parallel with the licence exchange and Code 95 - then it is more convenient to run all three processes together;
- a previous application was rejected and 25.83 PLN was kept, and the reason is unclear;
- you do not have Profil Zaufany and need to apply remotely through a pełnomocnictwo (power of attorney);
- an employer needs the card urgently and there is no time to lose on corrections to the package.
At LegalWin, supporting professional drivers from the CIS has been one of our core areas since 2019. We run the chain "licence exchange → Code 95 → karta kierowcy" as a single process - this removes the typical confusion between the three documents and saves weeks of re-filing. We help choose the right way to prove the authenticity of a foreign licence, prepare the wniosek and photo to PWPW requirements, and file the application online.
Get your tachograph driver card with our help →
This article is for general guidance. Specific timelines and decisions depend on your situation. For individual cases, consult a lawyer for an assessment.
Related materials:
- Code 95 in Poland: how to get it in 3 months - the second of the three driver documents
- Exchanging Ukrainian and Belarusian licences for Polish ones 2026 - where the real sequence begins
- How to become a driver in Poland 2026 - the full picture for a newcomer
- The 185-day rule and fines - why the licence exchange is mandatory anyway
- Service: tachograph driver card application
- Service: Code 95 and driver documents
- Service: wymiana prawa jazdy - licence exchange