Polish Driving Licence Confiscated — How to Get It Back

A driving licence is more than a piece of plastic — it's access to work, mobility, independence. Losing it changes a lot. In Poland, a driving licence can be confiscated (zatrzymanie prawa jazdy) in specific situations: exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h in a built-up area, reaching 24 penalty points, driving under the influence of alcohol, carrying more passengers than the vehicle is licensed for, or other serious traffic offences.

The bad news: a confiscated licence doesn't come back automatically. The good news: there are several routes to getting it back — which one applies depends on why you lost it.

Legal notice: This material is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. It reflects the law as it stood in June 2026. Every case is individual — consult a Polish adwokat or radca prawny (qualified lawyer) for your specific circumstances. Twoja Sprawa is an information platform, not a law firm.

Why can a driving licence be confiscated in Poland?

Polish law recognises several grounds for confiscating (securing or revoking) a driving licence:

Exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h in a built-up area Police or a speed camera can confiscate the licence on the spot. This is treated as one of the most serious offences.

Reaching 24 penalty points Since 17 September 2022, a reformed points system has been in force: a single offence can now carry up to 15 points (previously the maximum was 10). The limit is 24 points for drivers who have held a licence for more than a year, or 20 points for a young/newly qualified driver (licence held less than a year). Once you go over the limit, your licence is confiscated.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs A blood alcohol level above the legal limit, or driving under the influence of drugs, results in the licence being confiscated.

Carrying more passengers than permitted Loading a car with more people than there are seats for (without the required safety equipment) is also grounds for confiscation.

Other serious offences Causing an accident, fleeing from police, or running a red light in dangerous conditions can each result in confiscation.

How to get your licence back — it depends on the reason

The procedure for getting your licence back differs depending on why you lost it. Here are the main scenarios:

1. After reaching 24 penalty points

If you lose your licence for exceeding the points limit:

• Confiscation: the licence is secured by the police or the authority handling the case.
• Getting it back: at least 3 months after the date you paid the fine, you can apply to the starosta (the local district authority, via the wydział komunikacji — the vehicle and driver licensing department) to have your licence restored. This usually requires attending a remedial road-safety course (kurs reedukacyjny — a mandatory refresher on traffic rules and road safety).
• What happens next?: the starosta reviews the application. If you've completed the course, the licence is normally restored.

Important: points are wiped automatically 1 year after you paid the fine (under the 2022 reform). If you're on points and don't want to do the course, you can simply wait for them to expire — but you'll be without a licence in the meantime.

2. After exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km/h in a built-up area

This is the strictest scenario — the licence is confiscated on the spot.

• Fine and proceedings: the police issue a fine (mandat). You can accept it — in which case it becomes final (prawomocny) — or refuse it, in which case the matter goes to court.
• Getting it back: the minimum confiscation period is 3 months from the date the penalty (fine or court sentence) is paid. Procedure: apply to the starosta, possibly with a remedial course.
• Court: if the case goes to court, the judge can impose a driving ban of 1–3 years. In that case, getting your licence back means waiting out the ban and, typically, also completing a course and medical checks.

3. After driving under the influence of alcohol

A special case — the licence can be: - Confiscated on the spot (during a roadside check), or - Revoked by a court (a sentence imposing a 1–3 year driving ban).

• Route to getting it back:
• Once the ban period has expired, apply to the starosta.
• This usually requires a medical assessment (mental fitness/sobriety) and a remedial course.
• In some cases the court may require additional tests or a psychologist's opinion.

4. After reaching 20 points (young driver, licence held under 1 year)

The procedure is similar to scenario 1, but a lower limit applies to newly qualified drivers — 20 points instead of 24.

What if you live in the UK?

If you live in the UK and your Polish licence has been confiscated, that's not a barrier — the whole process can be handled remotely:

• Application to the starosta: you can send it by post (to the relevant city/district office) or, if you hold a profil zaufany (Polish government trusted e-identity profile), via the e-services portal.
• Remedial course: many training centres now offer these courses online, or you can attend one the next time you're in Poland.
• Medical assessment: where required (e.g. after an alcohol offence), you must attend in person in Poland, with an authorised doctor.

Important: a valid Polish driving licence lets you drive in the UK. But if it's confiscated in Poland, you can't use it there either. Holding a UK DVLA licence (after exchanging your Polish one) is separate and independent from the status of your Polish licence.

The role of a lawyer

It's often worth consulting a lawyer, particularly if:

• The case has gone to court (e.g. speeding over 50 km/h → a court sentence rather than a fixed penalty).
• You want to appeal a decision made by the starosta.
• Specialist assessments are required (medical, psychological).
• You're unsure how the procedure applies to your specific situation.

A lawyer (adwokat or radca prawny) can represent you before the authority or the court, and can prepare the documents on your behalf.

Frequently asked questions

Is a confiscated licence gone for good? No. Confiscation is always for a defined period (a minimum of 3 months after the fine is paid, or longer if the court has imposed a ban) or subject to conditions (course, medical assessment). Once the conditions are met, you can get it back. The only real exception is a court-ordered revocation — but even then, once the ban period ends, you can apply to have your licence restored.

How much does it cost to get a licence back? The application to the starosta itself carries an administrative fee — typically a few dozen złoty (it varies by office). On top of that come the cost of the remedial course (usually 300–500 PLN), a medical assessment if required (100–300 PLN), and, if needed, a lawyer's fee. [Note: current rates should be verified before relying on these figures.]

Can I drive in another country (e.g. the UK) if my Polish licence is confiscated? If your Polish licence is confiscated in Poland, you cannot use it there. But if you hold a valid UK (DVLA) driving licence, you can drive normally in the UK and other countries — the confiscation in Poland does not affect your UK licence.

What is the remedial course, and is it compulsory? The remedial course (kurs reedukacyjny) is 10–12 hours of training on traffic rules and road safety. It's usually compulsory where the points limit has been reached or in alcohol-related cases. It isn't always required after a single-offence fine. The starosta's decision letter will confirm whether it applies to you.

How long does the whole process take? From submitting the application to the starosta, it usually takes 2–4 weeks if you've already completed the course. If you still need to attend the course, add the time for that (1–4 weekends or days, depending on the training centre).

Related articles

• Polish driving penalty points and driving in the UK — do they carry over?
• Losing your Polish driving licence and driving in the UK
• Driving licences and vehicles — category hub (in Polish)

Legal basis

• Act of 5 January 2011 on Drivers (ustawa o kierujących pojazdami, consolidated text, Journal of Laws) — provisions on driving licences, confiscation and restoration
• Act of 20 June 1997 — Road Traffic Law (Prawo o ruchu drogowym, consolidated text, Journal of Laws) — provisions on penalty points and grounds for confiscation
• Petty Offences Code (Journal of Laws) — Art. 45 (limitation periods), Art. 96 (traffic offences)
• Act of 24 August 2001 — Code of Procedure in Petty Offence Cases — fixed-penalty and court procedure
• Detailed rules issued by starostas/licensing departments — restoration procedures (vary by voivodeship)
• Official government sources: gov.pl, gitd.gov.pl