The infrastructure minister’s regulation on replacing old driving licences came into force four years ago. Since then, the old document could be replaced with a new one. Unfortunately, very few people took advantage of this. Only several weeks before the deadline specified in the regulation—31 December 2004—did people remember this obligation.

Huge queues have appeared in vehicle registration departments across the country. Employees of the vehicle registration department of the Bolesławiec county office serve around 400 people a day, including those who want to register a car. For this reason, completed forms may also be submitted at the county office secretariat at Piłsudski Square.

Driving licences issued before April 1993 are subject to replacement. Documents may also be submitted without standing in line, by sending them by post. However, remember to fill in the form correctly and sign exactly in the centre of the box (going outside the box invalidates the signature).

People are not referred for medical examinations when replacing their licences. Driving a vehicle without valid documents is punishable by a fine. People holding driving licences issued without an expiry date will retain this entitlement after replacing the document.

Driving licences cease to be valid after the deadline set for their replacement has passed. However, the office is obliged to replace the document at any time after that deadline. The validity period for which the existing driving licences were issued, as well as the scope of the entitlements specified in them, will be retained on the new documents, provided they are consistent with the data in the driver’s records. This means that, for example, if a driving licence specifies an unlimited validity period but the records contain no medical certificate confirming this or the certificate specifies a different validity period, the new document will be issued for the period resulting from the current medical certificate, which the person must provide at the office’s request.

Driving licence replacement deadlines

  • issued from 01.01.1984 to 30.04.1993 – replace by 31.12.2004
  • issued from 01.05.1993 to 30.06.1999 – replace by 30.06.2006
  • issued after 01.07.1999 – replace by 30.06.2006

Documents required when submitting an application

  • A 3.5 x 4.5 cm photograph without headwear or dark glasses, left profile with the ear visible
  • Photocopy of the driving licence
  • Proof of payment for issuing the driving licence

Fees

  • PLN 5 revenue stamp for the application
  • PLN 0.50 revenue stamp for each attachment
  • PLN 70 for the driving licence