A driving licence issued outside the EU lets you drive in Poland for only six months from the start of your permanent or temporary stay. After that you need a Polish one, and the issuing country decides the thing that matters most: whether you exchange without an exam or sit the theory test at WORD. This is the general walkthrough - documents, costs, timelines and the order of steps in Mazowieckie. Country-specific detail lives in separate breakdowns, linked below.
Key Facts at a Glance
- When it becomes mandatory: 6 months after your stay begins, a non-EU licence stops being valid in Poland
- Where: Wydział Komunikacji for your place of residence
- Cost: 100 PLN + 60-110 PLN for translation + 56.98 PLN WORD theory test (if required)
- Processing time: 30-90 days
- Exams: depend on the country and licence model, not the category; Kod 95 for C and D is a separate procedure
- Original licence: handed in only when you collect the Polish one, then returned to the issuing country
- Validity of Polish licence: up to 15 years (A, B) or 5 years (C, D), never longer than the foreign one
Who Must Exchange, and When
Under the Ustawa o kierujących pojazdami, Article 5(4): a licence issued outside the EU, Switzerland and EFTA entitles you to drive in Poland for 6 months from the start of your permanent or temporary stay. The 185 days are a different rule: in the application you declare that you live in Poland at least 185 days a year.
Exception for Ukrainians under temporary protection (PESEL UKR): a Ukrainian driving licence is recognised in Poland until the end of temporary protection (currently 4 March 2028). However, for taxi work and licensed passenger transport by car a Polish licence is always required, and categories C and D also need Kod 95.
For Belarusian nationals there are no exceptions. Driving after the six months is subject to a fine of at least 1,500 PLN and a driving ban, and after an accident the insurer may recover the OC payout from the driver.
What the Procedure Depends On
One question decides everything: is the issuing country a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, and does the licence match the convention model? If so, every category on it is carried over with no exams. If not, you sit the theory test at WORD, however many years you have been driving.
| Issuing country | Timeline | Exam on exchange | Country breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | 30-60 days | no | Ukrainian licence exchange |
| Belarus | 60-90 days | no | Belarusian licence exchange |
| Russia | 60-90 days | no | Russian licence exchange |
| Azerbaijan | 30-60 days | no | Azerbaijani licence exchange |
| Turkey | 30-60 days | no | Turkish licence exchange |
| USA, UK, India | 30-60 days | USA and India - yes, WORD theory; UK - no | US, UK and Indian licence exchange |
The exam depends on the country and the licence model, not on the category, and there is no practical test on exchange. Working on professional categories C, D, C+E and D+E also requires Code 95, which is a separate course and a separate bill.
The timelines above depend not on the Polish office but on how quickly the issuing country answers the authenticity request. Ukraine replies through a direct system and usually lands within six weeks. Belarus and Russia go via consulates and take longer; with no reply at all, the office may ask for a notarised copy of the licence with an apostille.
Specific Situations
- Medical certificate and category mismatches
- PKK and booking the WORD theory test
- Lost, expired or different-surname licences
Where to Exchange in Mazowieckie
The delegatura of Biuro Administracji i Spraw Obywatelskich in the Warsaw district where you live. Appointments are booked through rezerwacje.um.warszawa.pl. During peak season (April-May, September-October), book 3-4 weeks in advance.
Documents Required
Always required:
- Wniosek o wydanie prawa jazdy (application form)
- Foreign driving licence (copy; original for inspection only)
- Sworn translation (tłumaczenie przysięgłe) of the licence
- Passport (original + copy)
- Proof of legal stay (karta pobytu / type D visa / PESEL UKR)
- Photograph 35 × 45 mm
- Licence fee of 100 PLN
For categories C and D:
- Medical examination - not required for exchange
- Psychological examination - not required either
- Kod 95 - a separate procedure
Costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Opłata za wydanie prawa jazdy | 100 PLN |
| Sworn translation | 60-110 PLN |
| WORD theory test (non-convention licences only) | 56.98 PLN |
| Medical and psychological tests | not required |
| Total without an exam (categories B, C, D) | 160-210 PLN |
| Total with WORD theory (categories B, C, D) | about 217-267 PLN |
The Process, Step by Step
- Sworn translation - from a certified tłumacz przysięgły; 60-80 PLN; takes 1-3 days
- Book your appointment - through rezerwacje.um.warszawa.pl at the delegatura for the district where you live
- Attend the appointment - submit the application and documents; the official inspects your original licence and hands it back, and creates a PKK file only if you need the WORD theory test
- Wait - the issuing country's ministry confirms the authenticity of your licence
- Collect your licence - you receive notification by SMS or email; collect your Polish licence in person and hand in the foreign one
Can You Drive While Waiting
Once the application has been filed, your original licence stays with you - you hand it in only when collecting the Polish one. You can drive on it until six months have passed since your stay began; filing the application does not extend that period.
Exception: Ukrainians under temporary protection (PESEL UKR) - the Ukrainian licence remains valid until 4 March 2028, even after submitting the exchange application. During a roadside check, present the licence and a document confirming temporary protection.
If You Have Lost Your Original Licence
You must first obtain a replacement in the issuing country through the consulate. Exchange in Poland is only possible with the original document.
The alternative is an OSK course and the WORD exams as a new candidate (1-2 months; at WORD Warszawa theory costs 56.98 PLN and the category B practical 229.99 PLN; prior driving experience is not taken into account).
Get your legal stay in Poland in order first →
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