Ukrainian driving licence in Poland — recognition, exchange, CUKR

Getting a first licence and exchanging a Ukrainian one are separate procedures. Before you sign up for a full course, ask the driving licence office (wydział komunikacji) whether you need an exchange and which recognition rules apply to your residence status. If you are starting from scratch and have no PESEL number, see driving licence without PESEL.

Exchanging a foreign driving licence — gov.pl (in Polish)

A valid Ukrainian driving licence is recognised in the EU for as long as its holder benefits from temporary protection (Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2022/1280).

No certified translation or international driving permit is required for this, although you may be asked for a passport, residence document or other document proving your identity. Ukrainian citizenship alone does not mean you have protection, and driving bans and restrictions still apply.

Regulation (EU) 2022/1280 — EUR-Lex

As of 31 October 2026, temporary protection has been extended until 4 March 2028 by Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912. The extension applies from 5 March 2027 and does not guarantee that an individual keeps their status until that date.

Article 2 of the Decision, as corrected, applies from 5 August 2026: protection is granted to those who satisfy their military obligations in Ukraine, upon presenting proof where applicable. The condition does not apply to people who enjoyed protection in a given Member State on or before 4 August 2026 and have continuously retained that status there.

Decision (EU) 2026/1912 with corrigendum — EUR-Lex

On the day you collect a CUKR residence card, your entitlement under temporary protection becomes, by operation of law, a temporary residence permit (Article 42r(1) of the Act on assistance to citizens of Ukraine).

Recognition under Regulation 2022/1280 covers people who benefit from temporary protection, so do not rely on it automatically after your status changes.

Under Article 5(4) of the Polish Act on Drivers, a foreign licence covered by the relevant convention entitles you to drive in Poland for 6 months from the day your permanent or temporary residence began.

This is a different rule from the 185 days of residence linked to obtaining a Polish licence. Before your status changes, agree the exchange deadline with the driving licence office; do not assume the period starts again.

A Polish licence is issued by exchange on application, once you hand in the foreign document (Article 14(1)). If the licence does not follow the model and data set of the Vienna Convention, you must also pass the theory part of the state test and provide a certified translation. Also check how to prove your place of residence in Poland.

CUKR residence card — questions and answers, Office for Foreigners (in Polish)

Do not treat every expired licence as valid. Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2022/1280 allows a licence that expired after 31 December 2021 to be treated as valid only if Ukraine has extended its validity and officially informed the European Commission and the Member States.

To exchange an expired foreign licence, Article 14(1a) of the Act requires the issuing authority to confirm its data, documents allowing its validity to be extended, and that you meet the residence condition.

If your licence was lost or stolen, Article 6 of the Regulation allows the country where you live, at your request, to verify your driving rights, including with the Ukrainian authorities, and to issue a licence with code 99.01, valid only for the duration of temporary protection.

This is an option for the state, not an obligation, so check your case with the driving licence office.

Regulation (EU) 2022/1280 — EUR-Lex