Frequently asked questions

The standard time to obtain a transport licence is 15 to 21 working days. This is an estimated timeframe and may vary depending on when the application is submitted.

Our experience helps minimise the risk of errors and delays by ensuring complete and accurate documentation from the outset.

Yes, we provide services to transport companies throughout Poland. All formalities can be handled electronically or by post. There is no need to visit our office or the authorities in person.

We will handle the entire process for you, saving you time and taking the stress out of the formalities.

Most formalities are handled online. Simply send us the necessary information and documents electronically, and we will take care of the rest.

We also contact the authorities on your behalf to keep the entire process smooth and stress-free.

In Poland, the cost of obtaining an international transport licence, known as a Community licence, depends on several factors, including the number of vehicles registered and the licence validity period. The total cost also depends on whether the licence covers passenger or goods transport. The applicable official fees are listed below:

A road transport operator authorisation is required to obtain a Community licence, so an additional PLN 1,000 must be included if you do not already hold one.

The cost of obtaining a domestic transport licence, or road transport operator authorisation, depends primarily on the number of vehicles registered. The applicable official fees are listed below:

PLN 1,000 – one-off fee for granting a domestic licence

PLN 110 – per vehicle (certified copy of the authorisation)

To obtain a domestic or international transport licence, the following requirements must be met:

• have an effective and stable establishment in Poland,
• have a vehicle operating centre,
• register at least one vehicle under the licence;
• the entrepreneur and transport manager must be of good repute (no convictions referred to in Article 5 of the Road Transport Act);
• hold the required professional competence (Certificate of Professional Competence);
• have appropriate financial standing for all vehicles registered;

Domestic transport

a road transport operator authorisation is required for businesses engaged in road transport for hire or reward of:

• goods, where the maximum permissible mass of the vehicle or combination exceeds 3.5 tonnes;
• passengers, where the vehicle is designed to carry more than 9 people including the driver (bus/coach).

International transport

a Community licence is required for businesses engaged in transport for hire or reward of:

• goods, where the maximum permissible mass of the vehicle or combination exceeds 3.5 tonnes;
• goods, where transport is carried out using vehicles with a maximum permissible mass from 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes (vans and light commercial vehicles),
• passengers, where the vehicle is designed to carry more than 9 people including the driver (bus/coach).

A transport licence may be lost or withdrawn in circumstances specified by the Road Transport Act. The most common reasons for withdrawal are listed below:

• loss of good repute,
• insufficient financial standing,
• no operating centre,
• no transport manager,
• serious infringements, including drivers’ working time rules,
• repeated infringements resulting in administrative penalties,
• infringements that endanger safety,
• failure to carry out transport operations for an extended period in cases specified by law.

Carrying out transport without the required authorisation may result in an administrative fine of up to PLN 12,000. These matters are governed by the Road Transport Act.

It is a document authorising goods or passenger transport operations using vehicles registered in Poland. It permits transport operations within Poland only.

A Community licence is an administrative decision issued by the General Inspectorate of Road Transport (GITD), authorising the commencement and conduct of business involving international carriage of goods or passengers by road for hire or reward.

For goods transport, this licence covers two vehicle categories: those with a maximum permissible mass above 3.5 tonnes and from 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes (the requirement has applied since May 2022).

When applying for the first time, you must simultaneously apply to the Bureau for International Transport (GITD) for a road transport operator authorisation and a Community licence. These documents are closely linked.

A road transport operator authorisation is issued to the entrepreneur for an unlimited period, whereas a Community licence is granted for a fixed term – for 5 or 10 years (depending on the fee paid).

A licence for arranging the transport of goods or passengers, commonly called a freight forwarding licence, authorises the organisation and planning of transport without owning a vehicle fleet. It allows businesses to act professionally as intermediaries between customers and carriers, matching orders with transport providers.

An own-account road transport certificate authorises an entrepreneur to carry out non-commercial goods or passenger transport ancillary to their main business. It permits the transport of the company’s own goods, materials and employees without providing transport services to other entities.

The transport must meet all of the following conditions:

• it must not be for hire or reward,
• the goods must belong to the company (sold, purchased, manufactured or repaired by it),
• the driver must be the business owner or an employee with the appropriate qualifications,
• the entrepreneur must have a legal right to use the vehicle.

The certificate is issued by the district head responsible for the entrepreneur’s registered office. It is required to legally transport the company’s own goods, such as furniture it manufactures, using its own lorry.

The document is required for a driver who is neither an EU Member State citizen nor a long-term resident, is employed by a Polish transport company and carries out international goods transport by road using a vehicle with a maximum permissible mass above 3.5 tonnes or from 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes.