Theory test in English, Ukrainian and German: the rules

You can take the theory test in Polish, English, German or Ukrainian; deaf candidates get the questions in sign language. You choose the language when booking at a WORD or online. Ukrainian covers category B and, from 16 February 2026, also C and C1. The practical test is held in Polish.

In which languages can you take the theory test?

You can take the theory part of the state exam at a WORD (Wojewódzki Ośrodek Ruchu Drogowego, the regional driving test centre) in one of four languages: Polish, English, German or Ukrainian. A separate form exists for deaf candidates: the questions and answers are then presented in sign language. Changing the language does not change the rules of the exam. It is still 32 questions, 25 minutes and a pass mark of 68 out of 74 possible points.

You indicate the language when you book, and WORD lists no additional conditions. You simply choose the language you read faster and with more confidence in, because you have 20 seconds to read a basic question and 15 seconds to answer it. The details of the procedure are in our description of what the theory test looks like step by step.

The test in Ukrainian: which categories and since when

The theory test in Ukrainian for category B has been available for a long time (WORD Warsaw lists B and B1). From 16 February 2026 WORD also allows Ukrainian for categories C and C1, that is for candidates wanting to drive lorries. For the motorcycle categories (AM, A1, A2, A) and the bus categories (D1, D), WORD Warsaw does not list a Ukrainian version. That leaves Polish, English or German.

If you take several categories at once, each additional one means another 25 minutes of exam. For Ukrainian citizens we have described the full route from the PKK (Profil Kandydata na Kierowcę, the driver candidate profile) to collecting the document, together with the rules on recognising Ukrainian driving licences, in a separate article on driving licences in Poland for Ukrainian citizens.

How to choose the exam language when booking

You do not choose the language on the day of the exam, but when you book your slot. WORD Warsaw points to two routes: booking at its Customer Service Office or a reservation through the info-car.pl portal.

1. Set up your PKK at the wydział komunikacji (the transport department of the district office) and note down your profile number.
2. Book the exam: at the WORD customer service office, through info-car.pl or through info-kierowca.pl. You need your PKK number and your PESEL number.
3. In the form, indicate the category, the date and the exam language: Ukrainian, English, German or Polish.
4. Pay for the exam. The theory test in the Mazovia region costs 56.98 zł (PLN) (as of September 2026).
5. On the day of the exam bring a valid identity document. The examiner checks it before you enter the room.

Fees in other regions are similar, because they are set by the regional assembly (sejmik). All the amounts and booking routes are collected in our article on exam fees and booking through info-kierowca.

Are the questions in Ukrainian the same as in Polish?

Yes. In every language the exam draws questions from the same official catalogue of the Ministry of Infrastructure. The catalogue is public: the ministry publishes it as an Excel file, and the latest update is from July 2026. The foreign-language versions are translations of the same questions, with the same photos and videos.

The content is the responsibility of a verification committee appointed on 10 December 2014. Its members include examiners, instructors, road safety experts, three Polish language experts, an English translator, a Ukrainian and Russian translator, a German translator and two sign language experts. The translation changes neither the meaning of a question nor its score. A 3-point question in Ukrainian is worth exactly as much as in Polish.

The conclusion for you: study from the official database in your chosen language, not from random translations. Technical terms (traffic lane, uncontrolled junction, cycle path) may sound different in the exam version than in everyday speech, so get used to them before the test.

The practical test: in Polish or with an interpreter?

The practical part takes place in Polish. The examiner gives instructions in Polish and discusses the result in Polish. The regulation on examining (§ 18) does, however, provide that a person who does not speak Polish well enough for the exam to be conducted may arrange for a sworn translator to take part. You find and pay for the translator yourself. WORD does not organise one.

During your course at an OSK (ośrodek szkolenia kierowców, a driving school), the instructor gives the same commands you will hear from the examiner, so for the practical part it helps to learn a dozen or so fixed commands. If you still prefer an interpreter, add that cost to your budget, alongside the fee for the practical test (229.99 zł for category B in the Mazovia region, as of September 2026).

The test for deaf candidates: interpreter and longer time limits

A deaf person takes the theory test with the questions and answers presented in sign language: you play the recordings at your own workstation. The time limits per question are longer (§ 19(7) of the regulation), while the number of questions and the pass mark stay the same. A sign language interpreter may help in the room only until the test begins (§ 18(1)(3)). The free interpreter that WORD provides under art. 56(7) of the Act on Vehicle Drivers (ustawa o kierujących pojazdami) applies to the practical part.

The Ministry of Infrastructure also publishes sign language translations of the exam questions alongside the catalogue, so you can watch them before the exam.

How to study for the exam in your own language

The simplest way is to practise on the same questions you will see in the exam room, and in the same language. The Ukrainian-language tests on Łatweprawko use the official translation of the Ministry of Infrastructure catalogue and follow the WORD rules: 32 questions, 25 minutes, time limits per question and the scoring. A mock exam shows you straight away how many points you are losing and on which questions.

The course at an OSK looks different. Lectures are given in Polish, although some schools offer the theory as e-learning under OSK supervision, which lets you study at your own pace with a dictionary to hand. There is also a shortcut: anyone who passes the theory test at a WORD before the course is exempt from the theory part of the course and from the theory part of the internal exam (art. 23a of the Act on Vehicle Drivers). So you can first pass the theory in Ukrainian and only then sign up for driving lessons. A passed theory test is valid indefinitely.

What else you need to meet to take the exam in Poland

The exam language is one thing, the formalities are another. The conditions are the same for a Polish citizen and a foreigner:

• a place of residence in Poland for at least 185 days in the calendar year (art. 11(1)(5) of the Act on Vehicle Drivers); from 3 September 2026 you submit a declaration on this under penalty of criminal liability, at the latest on the day of the exam or when collecting the document;
• a medical certificate from a doctor authorised to examine drivers (fee up to 200 zł);
• a PKK set up at the wydział komunikacji for your place of residence, free of charge;
• age: you can take the exam at the earliest one month before reaching the required age;
• the exam fee, paid when booking.

A practical tip to finish: do one mock exam in the language you intend to take the test in, and another in Polish. If you do noticeably better in Ukrainian, book the Ukrainian version and learn the Polish commands for the practical part separately during your lessons. If the results are similar, choose the language you read faster in, because in the exam room every second of the 20 allowed for reading a question counts.