Registration of a second-hand vehicle imported from abroad - Warszawa 19115 (2024)

If you are buying a vehicle that has been imported from abroad and you want to register it in Poland, here you will find out what you need to do.

1. Fill in the vehicle registration form and the consent to the processing of personal data - if you give it. Sign the documents. Attach the other required documents to the application.
   [!] You will receive all the forms, for example, at the office.
2. Go to the office relevant due to your place of residence or the company's registered office, submit the application form with the attachments and proof of payment.
   [!] If you are not the sole owner of the vehicle, then all owners must come to the office. You can handle the matter on their behalf, but you must then have power of attorney from all persons.
3. An employee of the office will confirm your permanent or temporary residence registration in the system. If you do not have a registered address in Warsaw, you will need to present another document, which we will verify during the service, e.g. your annual PIT-37 tax return, your employment contract with an indicated address of residence, or your rental agreement. Each such case will be considered individually.
4. We will also verify whether the remaining documents are complete and do not include errors. If they are complete and correct, we will register your vehicle. You will immediately receive legalised number plates and a decision concerning the temporary registration of the vehicle. We will also issue a temporary permit, which is valid for 30 days. During this time, it replaces your vehicle registration card.
5. Insure your vehicle no later than on the date of registration.
6. The Polish Securities Printing House (PWPW) will prepare your vehicle registration card within 30 days. Information on whether it is ready for collection can be found at info-car.pl or at the office where you submit your application.
7. Visit the office before the expiry date of the temporary permit and collect the vehicle registration decision and vehicle registration card. When collecting the vehicle registration card, be sure to return the temporary permit to us and present a valid third-party liability policy.
   [!] If you wish to apply in person at the office, you can book an appointment through the Appointment Booking System. Booking one appointment date entitles you to handle only one matter - such as registering one vehicle. If you have more matters to handle or more vehicles - book the appropriate number of appointments.

[!] Attach the documents prepared in a foreign language to the application together with their translation into Polish by a sworn translator or a competent consul.
This obligation does not apply to: an extract from the approval certificate, the EC certificate of conformity, a copy of the decision releasing the vehicle from approval, issued on the basis of the approval certificate, or a decision releasing the vehicle from approval, in accordance with the Community approval procedure, by a competent authority of a European Union (EU) Member State.

1. An application of the owner(s) for registering the vehicle.
2. Consent to the processing of personal data, if you give it.
3. Power of attorney - if you are represented by an attorney in the case. If you wish to submit a copy of the power of attorney it must be certified as a true copy by:
   • a notary or
   • an attorney or legal adviser who is an agent in the case or
   • the authorised official in charge of the case. In such a case, you must also present the original document.
4. A statement of the date on which the vehicle was imported from the territory of a European Union (EU) Member State, if attached to the proof of vehicle ownership.
5. Licence plates.
6. Statement of no registration plates - you must fill it out if the vehicle has been imported from abroad without registration plates.
7. Vehicle title document. Such a document can be, for example:
   • a VAT invoice that confirms the purchase of the vehicle,
   • a sale agreement,
   • an exchange agreement,
   • a donation agreement,
   • an annuity agreement,
   • a final court decision ruling on the right of ownership
8. Vehicle registration card with a sworn translation into Polish.
9. Proof of import clearance - if the vehicle has been imported from the territory of a country which is not an EU Member State.
10. One of the excise information documents:
    1. a document confirming performing the payment of excise duty on the national territory,
    2. a document that proves the absence of this obligation,
    3. a certificate which confirms the exemption from excise duty if the vehicle was imported from the territory of an EU Member State.
       [!] This applies to a passenger car of the type "automotive other", sub-type "quadricycle" - approval category L7e or sub-type "light quadricycle" - approval category L6e.
11. Certificate of a positive technical inspection - if required.
12. If you are registering the vehicle as an individual, present an identity document, such as an identity card or passport, for inspection.
13. If you have imported the vehicle as an entrepreneur who trades in vehicles and the vehicle is resold prior to its initial registration in Poland, you may replace the import clearance documents and proof of payment of the recycling fee with other documents:
    • import clearance document - you can replace it with endorsem*nt on the proof of the vehicle's ownership. The endorsem*nt must include the date, the document number and the name of the authority that cleared the customs;
    • proof of performing the payment of the recycling fee - you may substitute it with a declaration by the vehicle introducer of being obliged to provide a vehicle collection network, or an invoice that includes such a declaration.
14. If you are registering the vehicle as a legal entity, e.g. a limited liability company - submit a current copy of the National Court Register (KRS) for inspection.
    [!] Matters concerning registering a vehicle on behalf of a legal entity can be handled only by an authorised person.
15. If you are a foreigner residing in Poland, a representative of a foreign company or a foreign cultural centre, a foundation or a press correspondent, present:
    1. proof of identity - passport, proof of temporary or permanent residence and one of the documents listed below:
       • a Schengen or national visa,
       • a residence card issued in relation to granting a temporary residence permit,
       • certificate of registration of an EU citizen's stay,
       • a residence card of a family member of an EU citizen,
       • a document confirming the EU citizen's right of permanent residence,
       • a permanent residence card of a family member of an EU citizen,
       • a residence card issued in connection with:
         • granting a residence permit for permanent residence,
         • long-term resident's EU residence permit,
         • granting of refugee status,
         • granting of subsidiary protection,
         • granting of a tolerated stay permit.
    2. for a foreign company - a certificate of entry in the register of representative offices of foreign entrepreneurs issued by the Minister of Economy or a current excerpt from the National Court Register for the branch of the foreign entrepreneur, for inspection,
    3. for cultural centres, foundations, press correspondents - international agreements, certificates from embassies, accreditations, for inspection.
16. Declaration of conditional temporary registration - you must submit this if you do not provide us with customs or excise clearance documents on the day of registration - in this situation we will conditionally register the vehicle.

You must submit the attachments to your application in the original or as a certified copy. If you are submitting a photocopy of a document, show the original or a certified copy to the official. The official will then certify the conformity of this document with the original for an additional fee.
If you would like to check what rights you have in relation to the processing of your personal data in this case, please read our Information Clause.

You can pay the vehicle registration fees:

1. at the district office cash desk,
2. at a fee machine - if available at the place where you submit the application
3. by bank transfer - select the account assigned to the district in which you will be submitting your application.

Write in the title of the transfer:

• make and model of vehicle,
• the VIN number (this number has 17 characters - verify its correctness before you send the transfer),
• the registration number, if the vehicle already has one.

Possible additional fees:

• PLN 5 - stamp duty for certifying a copy of a document as being a true copy of the original by an employee of the office. We charge the fee for certifying each page started. If you are submitting originals or documents already certified as true copies - we will not charge this fee.
• PLN 17 - stamp duty for submitting a document which confirms granting a power of attorney or proxy. The power of attorney you grant to a spouse, ascendant (parent, grandparent), descendant (child, grandchild) or sibling is free of charge.
• PLN 500 -recycling fee.
  [!] This fee does not apply to vehicles introduced into the territory of Poland after 1 January 2016. You must pay the recycling fee to the account of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in BGK III Warsaw Branch No. 65 1130 1062 0000 0109 9520 0014.

You can pay the stamp duty:

• at the district office cash desk,
• at a fee machine - if available at the place where you submit the application
• by transfer to a bank account

You can perform a bank transfer to the office's bank account:
The City of Warsaw
Centre for Taxpayer’s Service
21 1030 1508 0000 0005 5000 0070
In the title of the transfer please provide what you are paying the fee for, e.g. fee for power of attorney for XXX XXXX in the case of XXXXX.

You can handle the matter in person:

• if you have Polish citizenship, come to the Administration & Resident Services District Delegation of the district you live in,
• if you are a foreigner or run a foreign company - come to the Administration & Resident Services Department at ul. L. Kruczkowskiego 2

[!] If you wish to apply in person at the office, you can book an appointment in the Appointment Booking System. Booking one appointment entitles you to handle only one matter - such as registering one vehicle. If you have more cases or vehicles - book the appropriate number of appointments.

Administration & Resident Services Department of the City of Warsaw

1. Immediately - cases that do not require information or explanations or the collection of evidence.
2. Up to 1 month - cases that require investigation proceedings.
3. Up to 2 months - particularly complex cases.

If you receive a decision, you may appeal against it to the Self-Government Appeal Board in Warsaw, ul. Obozowa 57. Submit your appeal through the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw, who issued the decision:

• If you have Polish citizenship - at the Administration & Resident Services District Delegation in the district you live in.
• if you are a foreigner or run a foreign company - at the Administration & Resident Services Department at ul. L. Kruczkowskiego 2.

You have 14 days from the date of receiving the decision to file an appeal. You do not have to pay to submit an appeal.

1. As the owner of a vehicle, you are obliged to register your vehicle within 30 days of purchase. If you are an entrepreneur and deal in vehicle trade, you have 90 days to register your vehicle. If you fail to do so by the deadline you face an administrative penalty. You can find more information in our article "New vehicle registration rules from 1 January 2024".
2. If the vehicle has been imported from the territory of a country which is not an EU Member State, the Swiss Confederation, or a Member State of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) - a party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), you may present another document to prove the vehicle's registration instead of the vehicle registration card. Such a document must be issued by the authority competent for the registration of vehicles in that country.
3. If you have lost your foreign vehicle registration card, e.g. it has been stolen or destroyed - present a duplicate vehicle registration card or a certificate issued by the registration authority relevant due to the place of your last registration. The duplicate must confirm the data contained in the lost document, which is necessary to register the vehicle in Poland.
4. We do not require a technical inspection certificate if the vehicle was imported from the territory of an EU Member State, the Swiss Confederation, or an EFTA Member State - party to the EEA Agreement and if the vehicle documents:
   • include complete vehicle data required for registration,
   • include an indication that the vehicle has a valid date of the next technical inspection, in accordance with the regulations in force in Poland.
5. The vehicle will be registered conditionally if you do not provide documents confirming customs clearance or excise duty. To do so, you, as the owner, must file a declaration of temporary conditional registration. You must complete these documents before the vehicle registration card is issued.
6. The competent authority for vehicle registration in Warsaw is the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw. Employees authorised by the Mayor are required to verify that the vehicle has a valid third party insurance. They will do this on the day they issue the registration card and the decision on the permanent registration of your vehicle. If you fail to present us with a valid third-party liability policy this will not affect a positive outcome. However, we must notify the Insurance Guarantee Fund (Ubezpieczeniowy Fundusz Gwarancyjny - UFG), which may impose a financial penalty on you.
7. The Masovian Province is running out of license plates with the "W" mark, e.g. WX 12345. Until the pool of such plates is exhausted, we will continue to register cars with numbers that start with the letter "W". The Minister of Infrastructure has assigned us a new designation mark "A" e.g. AX 12345. From January 2023, we will be issuing new number plates starting with the letter "A" for vehicles that have reduced number plates.
8. Natural and legal persons who own trucks with a maximum permissible weight of more than 3.5 tonnes, truck tractors and ballast tractors with a maximum permissible weight of the vehicle combination of 3.5 tonnes or more, trailers and semi-trailers with a maximum permissible weight of 7 tonnes or more together with the motor vehicle, and buses must pay a tax on means of transport. More information, together with a declaration form and a declaration attachment, can be found in the information sheet Determining/correcting the tax liability for transport tax on natural and legal persons.

1. Act of 14 June 1960 Code of Administrative Procedure
2. Act of 20 June 1997 the Road Traffic Law
3. Act of 16 November 2006 on stamp duty
4. Act of 22 May 2003 on compulsory insurance, the Insurance Guarantee Fund and the Polish Motor Insurers' Bureau
5. Act of 20 January 2005 on recycling of end-of-life vehicles
6. Ordinance of the Minister of Infrastructure of 31 August 2022 on registering and marking vehicles, requirements for registration plates, and templates of other documents relating to vehicle registration
7. Ordinance of the Minister of Infrastructure of 31 August 2022 on the detailed activities of the authorities in matters relating to admitting a vehicle to traffic and templates of documents concerning these matters
8. Ordinance of the Minister of Infrastructure of 4 August 2022 on the amount of fees for issuing a vehicle registration card, a temporary permit, and legalised registration plates (plates) and their duplicates
9. Act of 12 January 1991 on local taxes and charges
10. Value Added Tax Act of 11 March 2004
11. Act of 24 September 2010 on population registration
12. Act of 7 July 2023 on amending certain laws to mitigate certain effects of identity theft