Vehicle registration in Poland
We help register vehicles in Warsaw: we check the documents, prepare the application for the authority, arrange the power of attorney, complete the PCC-3 declaration, assist with insurance and collect the permanent registration certificate.
Complete the form and receive a free consultation
- Consultation
- Document check
- Vehicle registration without your presence
- Collection of the permanent registration certificate
- Preparation of the PCC-3 declaration
- Help with transferring the insurance policy
- Consultation
- Document check
- Vehicle registration without your presence
- Collection of the permanent registration certificate
- Preparation of the PCC-3 declaration
- Help with transferring the insurance policy
- We collect the documents and registration plates from you and deliver them after registration
Which documents are required to register a vehicle with Polish registration plates in Warsaw?
(the document confirming the basis of your stay in Poland)
Additional fees:
Vehicle registration in Poland
Buying a vehicle in Poland can be a convenient option for foreigners, but the vehicle must be registered after purchase. The procedure requires the correct documents, payment of the applicable fees and an application to the competent authority.
Can a foreign national register a vehicle in Poland?
Yes. The owner must meet the requirements concerning documents, legal stay and the competent place of registration.
Country where the vehicle was purchased
A vehicle purchased outside Poland can also be registered in Poland. There are no customs duties between EU Member States, so registering a vehicle bought, for example, in Germany generally requires:
1. a Polish technical inspection;
2. payment of excise duty;
3. sworn translations into Polish of the registration certificate and the purchase agreement or invoice.
Status of the foreign owner in Poland
A foreign national who is legally staying in Poland may purchase and register a vehicle. In the past, the registration certificate could contain an annotation concerning the validity period of the foreign owner’s legal stay.
UPDATE
This annotation is currently no longer placed on the reverse of the registration certificate.
Country in which the vehicle will be used
This determines the type of registration that should be obtained.
Types of vehicle registration:
1) Permanent registration. This is used when the vehicle will be driven in Poland and other European Union countries. A vehicle with Polish registration that will also be used in Ukraine, Belarus or another country should likewise be permanently registered.
2) Temporary registration. This is used when the vehicle is intended to be exported from Poland. The owner receives temporary red registration plates, generally valid for 30 days, within which the vehicle should leave Poland.
Deadlines
A private owner must submit the vehicle registration application within 30 days of purchase. A legal entity has 90 days. Failure to meet the deadline may result in a fine. Previously, the amount depended on the length of the delay. Under the current rules, the fine for missing the 30-day deadline is PLN 500 for a private individual and PLN 1,000 for an entrepreneur. If more than 180 days have passed since the purchase, the fine is doubled.
A foreign owner must prove legal stay in Poland. This may be confirmed by a visa, residence card, administrative decision, UKR status or another valid document. A passport stamp confirming a pending residence application and visa-free stay are not accepted as a basis for vehicle registration in Warsaw.
Administrative fees
The fees can be paid in advance or at the authority’s cashier during the registration procedure. Depending on the case, the following may be payable:
— registration fee;
— fee for registration plates;
— fee for the registration certificate;
— fee for the temporary permit;
— other charges required in the particular procedure.
Vehicle registration plates
From 10 June 2026, when re-registering a vehicle in Poland, the existing registration plates may be retained without removing or presenting them at the authority. Instead, the owner submits a written oświadczenie confirming that the plates are in good condition, remain legible and have an undamaged legalisation mark. This applies when the vehicle has already been registered in Poland and the owner wishes to retain the existing number.
Legal basis: amendment to the Prawo o ruchu drogowym Act — Journal of Laws 2025, item 1734, and the Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of 5 June 2026 — Journal of Laws 2026, item 742
The declarations can be downloaded below: the first version was prepared by us, and the second is a scan of the document used by the authority.
Where can a vehicle be registered in Warsaw?
The general rule is that a vehicle is registered according to the owner’s registered place of residence. Previously, foreign residents of Warsaw had to submit their applications to a dedicated office regardless of their district.
UPDATE
From 26 August, the procedure in Warsaw changed. A vehicle can now be registered in the district in which the owner has a meldunek.
The following documents are required:
1. Karta pojazdu (UPDATE: not required since 4 September 2022);
2. Dowód rejestracyjny, or an oświadczenie o braku dowodu rejestracyjnego if it is missing;
3. Purchase agreement or invoice;
4. Registration plates, if they must be presented in the particular case;
5. A signed power of attorney prepared by our employee.
The following must also be valid:
1. Meldunek valid for at least 21 days;
2. Technical inspection;
3. Insurance policy;
4. Visa, residence card, administrative decision or UKR status.
Registration certificate for foreign owners in Poland
After registering the vehicle in Poland, you receive a temporary permit valid for 30 days. The permanent registration certificate is usually ready within 2–3 weeks and must be collected from the same authority where the vehicle was registered.
Previously, the validity of the permanent registration certificate could be linked to the validity of the document confirming the foreign owner’s stay in Poland.
When that period expired, the owner had to apply to the authority for an extension.
(UPDATE: the validity of the registration certificate is no longer limited by the period of legal stay)
Registration of a new or used vehicle purchased outside Poland
Excise duty must be paid for a vehicle registered in Poland for the first time, for example a vehicle previously registered in Germany or Belgium. Excise is not payable when the vehicle is purchased from a Polish dealership. The rate depends on engine capacity and fuel type. For an engine up to 2,000 cm³, the rate is 3.1% of the average market value in Poland; above 2,000 cm³, it is 18.6%. For a hybrid engine up to 2,000 cm³, the rate is 1.55%; above 2,000 cm³, it is 9.6%. Electric vehicles, plug-in vehicles and commercial vehicles are exempt from excise duty.
Frequently asked questions
The registration is valid indefinitely. The registration certificate is not limited by the validity period of your legal stay in Poland.
You can check the document status at:
https://info-car.pl/new/rejestracja-pojazdu/sprawdz-status-dowodu-rejestracyjnego
Enter the new registration number and the last five characters of the vehicle’s VIN.
Yes. Since 1 October 2018, registration and insurance information has been available in the CEPiK database, which authorised authorities can check online.
Professional Vehicle Registration in Warsaw
Professional vehicle registration — profesjonalna rejestracja pojazdów — allows a business to use one or more sets of professional number plates for test drives involving different vehicles. From , vehicle dealers may also use this procedure for used vehicles that were previously registered in Poland or abroad.
Who Can Use This Procedure
An application may be submitted by an entrepreneur operating in Poland or by a foreign company with a branch in Poland, provided that its business activity is connected with vehicles.
- sale and distribution of vehicles as part of commercial activity;
- vehicle manufacturing;
- vehicle research and testing;
- authorised technical and research entities.
Important Time Limits
Warsaw City Hall states that it may take up to 30 days to issue the decision, professional registration certificate forms and legalised professional number plates.
How Professional Vehicle Registration Works
The decision is issued to the entrepreneur. Before each test drive, a separate professional registration certificate must be completed for the specific vehicle.
Obtain the Decision and Number Plates
The application specifies the required number of professional number plate sets and professional registration certificate forms.
Register the Specific Vehicle
The vehicle details and VIN are entered on the form. The business must have documented legal authority to use the vehicle.
Arrange OC Insurance
The vehicle must have valid third-party liability insurance before it is driven on a public road. Professional number plates do not replace insurance.
Conduct the Test Drive
A potential buyer may drive the vehicle during a test drive only in the presence of the dealer or one of the dealer’s employees.
An Electronic Register of Vehicles and Test Drives Must Be Maintained
After receiving the decision, the entrepreneur must maintain the register required under Article 80x of the Polish Road Traffic Act in the system supporting the Central Vehicle Register — Centralna Ewidencja Pojazdów. The register records vehicles, professional registration certificates and the use of professional number plates.
Official Application Forms for Warsaw
The links below lead to documents published by Warszawa 19115. A PDF may open directly in your browser and can then be saved to your device.
Check the complete document list and the latest available forms on the Warszawa 19115 professional vehicle registration page .
Government Fees
The total amount depends on the number of professional number plate sets and professional registration certificate forms ordered.
When Professional Number Plates Are Useful — and When They Are Not
This procedure allows a dealer to conduct test drives, but it does not replace registering the vehicle in the new owner’s name after the sale.
There Are 20 Vehicles at the Dealership
The dealer does not have to register every vehicle in advance solely to conduct test drives. A professional registration certificate is completed for the selected vehicle, the professional number plates are installed and the test drive is conducted with the customer.
The Buyer Wants to Drive to Another City Immediately
A customer from Gdańsk arrives in Warsaw in the evening, buys the vehicle and wants to drive home. Professional number plates cannot be handed over to the buyer. If ordinary or temporary registration has not been arranged in advance, the vehicle must be collected later or transported by a tow truck or car transporter.
What Happens After the Vehicle Is Sold
The dealer removes the professional number plates. Professional number plates, an unused form or a completed professional registration certificate must not be handed over to the buyer.
Ordinary Registration
The vehicle receives ordinary Polish number plates and can then be handed over to the buyer for normal use.
Temporary Registration
Red temporary number plates may be used for temporary admission to road traffic in the situations provided for by law, provided that the registration authority has completed the procedure.
Tow Truck or Car Transporter
This is a practical option in the evening or at the weekend when obtaining number plates from the registration authority is no longer possible.
OC Insurance for a Vehicle Using Professional Number Plates
A valid third-party liability insurance policy must be in place before the specific vehicle is driven on a public road. Visit the SKILLDOCS car insurance page to calculate the premium and arrange the policy.
Do You Need Professional Vehicle Registration in Warsaw?
We will review your company documents, calculate the government fees and prepare the application package for submission to BAiSO.
Contact Information and Office Addresses
Contact us in any convenient way or visit one of our offices. We are always ready to answer your questions.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us via the website form, messengers, or email. We will respond promptly.
+48 570 804 478
contact@skilldocs.pl
Wincentego Rzymowskiego 30, Lokal 323 02-697 Warszawa
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us via the website form, messengers, or email. We will respond promptly.
+48 537 097 502
contact@skilldocs.pl
Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego 74, 50-020 Wrocław
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If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us via the website form, messengers, or email. We will respond promptly.
+48 536 535 645
contact@skilldocs.pl
Ul. Szkolna 1/308, 61-832 Poznań
By submitting the form, you accept the Privacy Policy and consent to being contacted.
