Driving licence in Poland for Ukrainian citizens: from PKK to the test

A Ukrainian citizen with temporary protection (PESEL UKR) drives in Poland on a Ukrainian licence unexchanged until 4 March 2027. On another basis of residence it is valid for 6 months from arrival; then you exchange it, no test. No licence: PKK, medical, course, theory in Ukrainian, practical in Polish.

Do you have a Ukrainian driving licence or are you starting from scratch?

The whole route depends on this. A person with a valid Ukrainian document takes no test at all: they either keep driving on it or exchange it at the office. A person without a driving licence goes through the same path as a Polish candidate, with one difference. They can take the theory part of the test in Ukrainian.

Ukrainian driving licence with UKR status: how long it is valid

Regulation (EU) 2022/1280 of the European Parliament and of the Council requires EU states to recognise valid Ukrainian driving licences of people under temporary protection without exchange, for the whole duration of that protection. In Poland this applies to people with a PESEL number with UKR status. Temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2027, so until that day you do not need to do anything with the document.

Two things differ from a Polish document. First, you must carry your Ukrainian driving licence while driving, because the exemption from carrying the document covers only licences issued in Poland. You will find the details in the text on whether you need to carry your driving licence. Second, if you carry passengers professionally, for example as a taxi driver, you must hold a Polish document. The exchange is then compulsory in every case, regardless of your residence status.

Exchanging for a Polish licence: when you must and what to prepare

If you live in Poland on a basis other than temporary protection (for example you hold a residence card), the general rules apply. You use your Ukrainian driving licence for 6 months from the start of your stay (art. 5(4) of the Act on Vehicle Drivers, ustawa o kierujących pojazdami), and then exchange it for a Polish one. For the exchange you need a place of residence in Poland, meaning a stay of at least 185 days a year. You take no test, because Ukraine is a party to the Vienna Convention and the Ukrainian document complies with its model.

To the office (the county office, starostwo, the city hall or the district office, depending on where you live) you bring the application, a current photo, your passport, your residence card, a copy of your Ukrainian driving licence and a document confirming your address. You pay 100 zł (PLN) for issuing the document. The office has up to 9 working days from the confirmation of your details, but the confirmation itself in Ukraine can take several weeks. You hand your Ukrainian document over to the office. Since 17 December 2025 you can also exchange a driving licence that has expired, after the issuing authority confirms your details. The full procedure, also for other countries, is described in the article on exchanging a foreign driving licence for a Polish one.

One trap: if less than 2 years have passed since your Ukrainian driving licence was issued, after the exchange you will be covered by the Polish probation period (art. 91(3) of the Act on Vehicle Drivers as worded from 4 September 2026), which means zero alcohol.

The path from scratch: step by step

Without a Ukrainian driving licence you go through the full procedure. The order matters, because without a medical certificate the office will not set up a PKK, and without a PKK you cannot enrol on a course or book a test.

1. Make sure you live in Poland for at least 185 days in the calendar year. From 3 September 2026 you submit a declaration to this effect under penalty of criminal liability, no later than on the day of the test or of collecting the document.
2. Get a medical with a doctor authorised to examine drivers. The fee cannot exceed 200 zł. For category B you do not need a psychological certificate.
3. Get a colour 35 x 45 mm photo, as for an ID card (about 50 zł).
4. Set up a PKK (Profil Kandydata na Kierowcę, the driver candidate profile) at the transport department (wydział komunikacji) for your place of residence. Free, usually on the spot or within 2 working days.
5. Enrol on a course at an OSK (ośrodek szkolenia kierowców, a driving school; about 3842 zł on average for category B according to Rankomat, August 2026 data) or first pass theory at the WORD without a course.
6. Book the theory test in Ukrainian, and after passing it, the practical. Fees in Mazovia: 56.98 zł and 229.99 zł (as of September 2026).
7. After passing the practical, pay 100 zł for issuing the document and collect it at the office or by post.

PKK for a Ukrainian citizen: documents and PESEL

The PKK is the Driver Candidate Profile: an electronic set of your details with a unique number, which you give at the OSK and when booking a test. You set it up at the transport department of the county office or city hall for your place of residence. The application can also be submitted electronically.

To the office you bring the application for a driving licence, the medical certificate, a colour 35 x 45 mm photo (face filling 70-80% of the frame, light background, no older than 6 months) and an identity document for inspection. For a foreigner that is a passport or a residence card. When booking a test you give your PKK number and PESEL, so it is worth having a PESEL number before the visit to the office. A person under 18 adds the written consent of a parent or guardian. The list of documents and typical mistakes are described in the article on how to get a PKK step by step.

The OSK course in Polish and the shortcut via theory at the WORD

A category B course is at least 30 hours of theory (including 4 hours of first aid) and 30 hours of driving. The lectures are as a rule in Polish. Some schools run theory as e-learning supervised by the OSK, which makes it easier to learn at your own pace. The driving lessons are also as a rule in Polish, and the instructor uses the same commands you will hear from the examiner.

There is a legal shortcut. Whoever passes the theory part of the state exam at the WORD 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 after setting up your PKK you can study theory on your own in Ukrainian, pass it at the WORD, and go to the OSK only for the driving lessons. A passed theory test is valid indefinitely, so there is no rush with the course.

The test: theory in Ukrainian, practical in Polish

You can take the theory part in Ukrainian for category B, and since 16 February 2026 also for C and C1. You indicate the language when booking at the WORD or in the portal. The questions are a translation of the official catalogue of the Ministry of Infrastructure, so when practising on tests in Ukrainian you see the same questions, photos and videos that will appear in the exam room. The time per question, the scoring and how to choose the language are gathered in a separate text on the theory test in Ukrainian, English and German.

The practical test takes place in Polish. If your Polish is not sufficient for the test to be conducted, you can arrange a sworn translator at your own expense. You sit the practical only after passing theory.

After the test: e-licence, collection and carrying the document

After a passed practical, a temporary electronic driving licence is created automatically in the Central Register of Drivers (CEK). You will see it in the mObywatel app (the government's digital ID app), which you log into with a trusted profile (profil zaufany), so you need a PESEL number. It is valid until you collect the plastic document, for a maximum of 30 days from passing the test, and only on Polish territory.

You pay 100 zł for issuing the document. The office usually has up to 9 working days from the confirmation of payment. You collect it in person or by post, and you can check the status at info-car.pl. With a Polish driving licence you no longer have to carry the document with you in Poland, because the police officer checks your entitlements in the register. As long as you drive on the Ukrainian document, keep it with you.

If this is your first category B driving licence, a 2-year probation period runs from the day the document is issued (or, with an e-licence, from the day of the test), with a ban on driving after alcohol, even the smallest amount.

A practical tip: before you pay for a course, set up your PKK and do one timed mock test in Ukrainian. The result will show whether you can go for theory at the WORD straight away, or whether to work calmly through the question catalogue first and only then book a date.