UK 
EN 
RU 
Foreign nationals living in Poland and using driver’s licenses issued abroad had, for many years, faced a serious legal problem: exchanging an expired license was virtually impossible. Even if they were staying in the country legally, had registered their place of residence, and met all formal requirements, the urzędy refused to carry out the procedure because the document had expired.
We Will Help You Assess Your Chances And Complete The Procedure Without Unnecessary Mistakes
The situation changed fundamentally at the end of 2025. New legislative provisions removed one of the most difficult legal conflicts and opened up a real possibility of exchanging foreign driver’s licenses with an expired validity period.
What Changes Came Into Force In December 2025
On December 17, 2025, amendments introduced by the Act of October 17, 2025 (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1676) came into force in Poland. These amendments supplemented art. 14 ust. 1a of the Act on Drivers of Vehicles, which directly regulates the exchange of foreign driver’s licenses.
Before these changes were introduced, administrative authorities followed a strict approach: if the validity period of the license had expired, regardless of the reason, the exchange procedure automatically ended in refusal. This practice applied both to Ukrainian citizens and to citizens of other countries, even if the driver’s license data remained effectively valid in the country of issue.
After the amendments, the legislature explicitly allowed the exchange of an expired foreign driver’s license, provided that its data is properly confirmed in the country of origin.
What This Means For Foreign Nationals In Practice
The new regulation is not just a formality — it actually works, but only if the legal and documentary preparation is done properly. The key point is that the mere fact that a driver’s license has expired is no longer an automatic ground for refusal.
Instead, the urząd assesses:
- whether the specific license is eligible for exchange under Polish law;
- whether the license data has been confirmed by the competent authority of the country that issued it;
- whether all formal requirements of the procedure have been met.
When The Exchange Of An Expired Driver’s License Is Possible
The exchange of a foreign driver’s license for a Polish one is possible if the person:
- has a normal place of residence (permanent or temporary) in Poland;
- holds a driver’s license that is eligible for exchange under Polish regulations;
- submits official documents confirming the validity or accuracy of the license data;
- complies with the requirements set out in the Act on Drivers of Vehicles and secondary legislation.
Important: each case is considered individually, and the requirements of the urzędy may differ depending on the voivodeship and the applicant’s specific situation.
Confirmation Of The Validity Of A Driver’s License: A Key Stage
The most important — and at the same time the most difficult — stage of the procedure is confirming the driver’s license data in the country where it was issued.
The urząd has the right to require an official document from the competent authority confirming that:
- the license remains legally valid, or
- its validity period has been extended, or
- the driver’s data (categories, date of issue, restrictions) is valid and current.
The form of such confirmation depends on the legislation of the specific country. It is precisely at this stage that applicants most often make mistakes — they submit the wrong document, in the wrong form, or without a proper translation and apostille, which leads to refusal.
What The New Rules Do Not Allow
It is important to clearly understand the legal context: the new provisions do not legalize driving a vehicle in Poland with an expired license.
The law:
- regulates only the procedure for exchanging the document;
- does not grant the right to drive with an expired license;
- does not remove liability for violating traffic regulations.
In other words, a person has the right to apply for an exchange, but does not have the right to drive a car until they obtain a valid Polish driver’s license.
Typical Mistakes That Lead To Refusal
In practice, refusals still happen, but most often they are related not to the law itself, but to applicants’ mistakes:
- incorrect or incomplete confirmation from the country of issue;
- lack of an official translation;
- submission of documents that do not meet the urząd’s requirements;
- attempting to exchange a license that is not eligible for exchange at all.
That is why professional legal support significantly increases the chances of a positive outcome.
Legal Support For Replacing An Expired Driver’s License
Work Permit provides comprehensive legal assistance to foreign nationals in Poland in matters related to driver’s licenses, including the exchange of expired licenses.
As part of our support, we provide:
- a legal assessment of whether exchange is possible in the specific case;
- preparation and verification of the full set of documents;
- support throughout the exchange procedure at the urząd;
- communication with administrative authorities;
- updating and confirming data in the databases of competent authorities;
- consultations in complex, non-standard, or disputed cases.
Conclusion
The changes that came into force in December 2025 removed one of the key restrictions for foreign nationals in Poland and created a real legal basis for the exchange of expired driver’s licenses. At the same time, a successful outcome directly depends on the correct legal approach and the quality of document preparation.
Work Permit supports such procedures in practice, taking into account the current requirements of the urzędy and the applicable legislation, ensuring clients a lawful, predictable, and safe result.
We Will Help You Prepare A Strong Case And Complete The Procedure Properly
