Is Poland removing the manoeuvring yard? 6 proposed changes—and one important catch
Poland plans to remove the separate yard stage for category B and reduce the question bank. But UD402 is still only a proposal with no start date.
Do not remove the manoeuvring-yard exercises from your study plan yet. As of 19 August 2026, the yard is still part of Poland’s category B practical test, and the theory test still contains 32 questions. The reform currently exists as government project UD402, not as law in force.
The short answer: proposal versus current law
Today’s position is straightforward:
- in force: 32 theory questions, 25 minutes and a pass mark of 68 out of 74 points;
- in force: manoeuvring-yard tasks in the category B practical test;
- proposed: removing the separate yard stage for categories B and B1;
- proposed: reducing the overall question catalogue and changing how it is controlled;
- unknown: the final wording and the date on which any changes would begin.
The official project entry was published on 28 April 2026. KPRM released version 2.0 on 17 August and now lists the third quarter of 2026 as the planned date for adoption by the Council of Ministers. That is a government-work target, not the date on which the reform would take effect. The project has not been adopted by the Council of Ministers or published in the Journal of Laws.
The catch: a smaller bank does not necessarily mean a shorter test
Headlines saying “fewer questions” can suggest that the test will be cut from today’s 32 questions. The official proposal primarily discusses reducing the catalogue from which test sets are drawn.
Those are two different numbers:
- the catalogue contains thousands of approved questions;
- one theory test currently contains 32 questions.
UD402 does not yet confirm that the future test will contain fewer than 32 questions. It also does not provide a new scoring system or duration. Any precise number circulating now is speculation.
1. The separate yard stage would go for B and B1
The most visible proposal is to stop testing basic tasks as a separate, mandatory stage on the manoeuvring yard for categories B and B1.
Parking, moving off and controlling the car would not stop mattering. Examiners would assess manoeuvres in real traffic instead. The emphasis would shift from reproducing a task in a controlled space to using the same skill safely on the road.
2. Learners would still train on a yard
The proposal does not remove manoeuvring yards from driving schools. The ministry explicitly expects learners to continue practising basic vehicle control there before entering normal traffic.
In other words: the yard may disappear as a separate test stage, not as a learning environment.
3. The catalogue would become smaller and more actively maintained
The ministry argues that the current bank is too large to review efficiently. A new system would focus on real hazards, current law and decisions drivers actually make.
The plan also includes regular analysis of question quality and difficulty, with outdated, unclear or unsuitable items removed. That is a policy direction, not a finished replacement bank.
4. New questions could be piloted before they count
UD402 proposes testing new questions before they affect a candidate’s score. One example is a preliminary, unscored section that would help determine whether a question is understandable and works as intended.
We do not yet know how many pilot questions a candidate might see, how long the trial would last or whether the final act will retain this exact model.
5. A new Examination Centre would be created
A specialised Examination Centre would replace the present committee responsible for recommending and verifying questions. An advisory council involving instructors, examiners, WORD centres, the Police and road-safety specialists would support it.
The centre would manage the preparation, verification and updating of questions, supported by a central IT system for maintaining the bank and generating test sets.
6. Real-road decisions would matter more
The overall direction is clear: less reproduction of rehearsed routines and more assessment of hazards and decisions in live traffic. The project also mentions modern driver-assistance systems and the need to understand their limits.
That is still the objective of a reform, not a detailed description of a finished examination. The future task list and marking criteria have not been published.
What you take today
Until a new act is enacted, published and in force, candidates follow the current format:
- theory: 32 questions in 25 minutes;
- maximum score: 74 points;
- pass mark: at least 68 points;
- category B practical test: yard tasks followed by driving in traffic.
The current theory rules remain in the official examination regulation, while the Act on Vehicle Drivers still identifies the yard as part of the B and B1 examination.
When the reform will actually affect you
A ministry announcement is not enough. The proposal must become an enacted measure, be published with a commencement date and may require detailed implementing regulations.
Be cautious with courses already advertising preparation for a “new 2026 exam”. Without published rules, nobody can honestly know its full format.
What to do now
- Practise the current 32-question format and aim for repeatable results, not one lucky pass.
- Prepare the current yard tasks, including the reversing exercise and hill start.
- Check notices from your WORD centre for practical arrangements.
- When reading reform news, look for a project number, an enacted act and an exact commencement date.
The official basis is project UD402 in the government work programme and the Ministry of Infrastructure announcement, “We are reforming the driver examination system”. We verified the status on 19 August 2026 and will update this guide when binding rules appear.