Six months or 185 days? A Ukrainian driving licence in Poland in 2026
A Ukrainian licence is not valid in Poland indefinitely. Understand the six-month limit, the 185-day residence condition and the exchange process.
Updated August 13, 2026
Do you hold a valid Ukrainian driving licence and live in Poland? The expiry date printed on the card is not the only date that matters. Polish law separates the period for driving with a foreign licence from the residence condition for receiving a Polish one.
The short answer
A valid foreign licence covered by the Vienna Convention confirms the right to drive in Poland for six months from the start of permanent or temporary residence. Ukraine is bound by that convention, but the Polish authority still checks the particular document, its validity and the data it contains.
After six months, do not assume that the Ukrainian document remains sufficient. If you intend to keep driving in Poland, start the exchange process early enough to obtain a Polish licence.
Six months and 185 days are different rules
The numbers are close, which makes them easy to confuse:
- six months is the period in which a qualifying foreign licence confirms the right to drive in Poland after residence begins;
- 185 days concerns normal residence for the Polish procedure of issuing or exchanging a driving licence.
Do not treat 185 days as the validity period of the Ukrainian licence in Poland. Also do not expect the exchange to finish exactly when six months end. The authority may need confirmation from Ukraine, so waiting until the deadline is risky.
Does PESEL UKR extend the driving licence?
No. Immigration status and the right to drive are separate. The transport act of 23 March 2022 temporarily removed the six-month limit and recognised some expired Ukrainian licences, but the final period written into that provision ended on 31 December 2023.
In 2026, a PESEL number with UKR status, temporary protection or the automatic extension of an immigration document does not automatically extend a driving licence. Check your residence document and driver document separately.
When an exchange is needed
If you live in Poland and want to drive after the six-month period, exchanging the licence is the practical route to a document recognised for continued driving. The Polish authority issues it after the normal-residence condition is met, the foreign licence is verified and the procedure is completed.
If you have just arrived and your valid licence is still within the six-month period, you do not need to exchange it on your first day. You should still calculate the date, identify the authority responsible for your place of residence and ask how long confirmation from Ukraine is taking.
Documents for the exchange
The general set includes:
- 1An application to exchange the driving licence.
- 2A recent photograph meeting Polish driving-licence requirements.
- 3A valid passport or another accepted identity document.
- 4Evidence of your right to stay and the residence or address evidence requested by the authority.
- 5A copy of the Ukrainian licence and the original for inspection and later surrender when the Polish document is issued.
- 6Proof of payment for issuing the licence.
Attach a Polish translation to the copy of the Ukrainian driving licence. It must be prepared or certified by a Polish sworn translator or the competent consul of the Republic of Poland. The exception in the regulation applies to specified EU licence formats, so it does not cover an ordinary Ukrainian document. The document copy should be permanently attached to the translation. The Polish authority also asks the relevant foreign body to confirm the licence data.
Is a theory test required?
Not in every case. If the foreign licence matches the format and data scope required by the Vienna Convention, the exchange itself generally does not require another Polish theory test.
If the document does not meet that format and data scope, passing the theory test may become an additional condition. The authority evaluates the specific document, so its appearance or advice from an online forum is not enough to decide. The translation of the Ukrainian licence copy is required regardless of that assessment.
What if the Ukrainian licence has expired?
Since 17 December 2025, Polish law allows an expired foreign national licence to be exchanged under specified conditions. This is not an automatic extension. You must meet the normal-residence condition, the issuing authority must confirm the data, and you must provide documents allowing the Polish licence’s validity to be established or extended. Gov.pl states that an expired licence also requires a medical certificate. For categories C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D and D+E, a psychological certificate is also required unless the document carries a current code 95. Check the current service page of the responsible authority before applying.
Cost and waiting time
The state fee for issuing the Polish driving licence is PLN 100. A photograph, certified translation, power of attorney or steps required to confirm the foreign document may add further costs.
Gov.pl gives a period of up to nine working days after the authority receives confirmation of the licence data and payment. Obtaining the foreign confirmation itself can take several weeks. This is the main reason not to wait until the sixth month is almost over.
The process step by step
- 1Establish the date when your permanent or temporary residence in Poland began.
- 2Check the validity and condition of the Ukrainian licence.
- 3Open the current service page of your county or city authority.
- 4Prepare a copy of the licence and the required Polish translation.
- 5Pay the issuance fee as instructed by the authority and attach proof of payment.
- 6Submit the complete application, keep proof of submission and do not drive after the recognised period ends unless you have valid confirmed entitlement.
- 7Surrender the original foreign licence as instructed when collecting the Polish document.
The common mistake is waiting until the final day because “185 days have not passed yet.” Treat six months as the driving deadline and 185 days as an administrative residence condition. If your residence history is complicated, ask the responsible authority for written guidance on your case. This article is general information and does not replace individual legal advice.