Picking up your driving license – what do you need to know?

Tips

Artur Owczarek

Brand Product Manager Moje AutoHe has been involved in the automotive industry for years. He is passionate about cars and detailing. On his blog, he shares his knowledge and experience, offering tips on how to effectively care for your car and extend its life.

From the article you will learn:

• How long does it take to receive a driving license and what does it depend on?
• Where you can check the status of your case and whether you can collect your driving license
• What is the cost of collecting a driving license and what documents do you need to collect it?

Waiting time for a driving license. How long does it take to get a driving license?

There is no single deadline that would indicate when it is possible to collect a driving license document. According to analyses and statistics, it is approximately 14 days from the moment when an application for the issuance of the document is submitted by the appropriate office - the City Office or the District Office. A positive result of the exam means that all candidate documentation must be sent. This should include the PKK number, training documents, a medical certificate for the driving license and a certificate confirming passing the exam to the City Office or the District Office. However, the problem occurs when the application in WORD was filled out incorrectly. In such situations, you must prepare for the fact that you will be able to collect your driving license later.

The place where you should apply for your driving license is also important. Many newly-baked drivers are young people, students, who sign up for exams in a city other than their hometown. Unfortunately, they have to go to the city where they are registered to collect the document. The finished driving license is sent to the department assigned to the place of registration. So it is worth remembering this if we are temporarily living in a different place and that is where we plan to take the exam.

Picking up your driving license. How to check driving license status?

We cannot say with certainty when it will be possible to collect the driving license document, but we can check the collection of the driving license. For this reason, you do not have to appear in person at the City Hall. You can find information on the website InfoCar. The following data will be needed for this: Your name and surname and PESEL or date of birth. This will be enough for the system to generate the current status of your case for you. When viewing the Driver Candidate Profile, you will learn that your application has already been accepted and that administrative proceedings are ongoing. You can collect your driving license document when the status of your case is "Document accepted at the office, document to be collected". The message "Incorrect data, no pending cases or document issued" may also be displayed. This occurs when the driving license application has not yet been entered into the system, incorrect personal data has been provided, or the document has already been issued. You can also check the status of your PKK number in the system (if you are just applying for it).

It is also worth getting a digital driving license – this is possible thanks to the mObywatel application. The driving license available in it significantly improves procedures such as renting a car from a rental company, buying insurance or checking the number of penalty points. Drivers with driving licenses of categories A, B, C and all others can use this function. The driving license service in the mObywatel application is free.

Decision to issue a driving license. What fees must be paid?

However, before a driving licence can be issued, you must pay a fee for issuing a driving licence document. You can do this at the office cash desk when you visit the communication department or by bank transfer to the office's account. However, the form of payment depends on the specific office, so it is best to find out in advance how to pay the fee. The driving licence fee is PLN 100,50. From the moment you pay the fee, your driving licence should be ready within 9 working days, which does not always work out and this time may be longer. Sometimes the office has to clarify certain ambiguities, e.g. if you have been banned from driving. In such a case, your driving licence may be issued only after a month.

What documents are required to collect a driving license?

Once you pass the theory and practical exams, and meet all the requirements for driving legally, you can get your first driving license. However, you must provide the appropriate documents. You will need: a driving license application form, which is available on the website gov.pl, to which you should attach a photo for the driving license, a medical report and an identity document (ID card). In addition, if you are about to turn 18, you will only be able to get a driving license after submitting written consent from a parent or legal guardian. If you already have a valid driving license, but are applying for other categories, you will also need your current driving license at the office. If you want to get a driving license in categories C1, C1+E, C, C+E, D1, D1+E, D, D+E, you will be required to have a psychological report confirming that there are no psychological contraindications to driving a vehicle.

Statistics show that the pass rate for driving licenses in our country is very low. In 2018, 35% of candidates passed the exam (the theoretical exam has a slightly higher pass rate than the practical exam). In Germany, the pass rate is twice as high. This is why receiving a driving license is a great honor for many, especially if they pass on their first attempt. It is no wonder that newly-baked drivers want to visit the Department of Civil Affairs and Communications as soon as possible and pick up their document.

When to visit the Communications Department? What changes await candidates?

By 2033, all eligible drivers will be forced to exchange their driving license. This is the result of the introduction of a new uniform pattern throughout the European Union. The replacement of the driving license also applies to drivers who have had a valid driving license issued for an indefinite period. Since 2013, permits are no longer issued indefinitely. The maximum validity period is 15 years. However, it sometimes happens that new drivers can only get licenses valid for 5 or 10 years. The validity period of the license depends on the driver's health condition. To be able to extend your rights, you must go to a doctor and exchange the document.

Regarding changes introduced in 2022, drivers will have to take additional training courses. They must be taken between 4 and 8 months from the date of receiving the driving license. The road hazards course will be mandatory. It will be required of all young drivers who have committed two road traffic offenses during the probationary period. The project is to be adopted in the fourth quarter of 2022. Otherwise, the driving license will be revoked.

Finally, it is worth recalling that since 2020, the Act on Vehicle Drivers no longer imposes the obligation to carry a driving license document. The lack of a document during an inspection will not be subject to a fine. For many drivers, especially new ones, this is a great relief. It often happened that new drivers forgot their documents - especially if it was their first driving license. Today, police officers can verify online whether a driver has a valid driving license in road traffic.

In summary – you can usually collect your Polish driving license around 14 days from the moment you received information about your positive exam result and submitted your application to the city office or county office. However, this time may be longer if the application is incorrectly completed or if the office needs to clarify any ambiguities. You can check whether the document is ready on the InfoCar website by providing your name, surname and PESEL or date of birth. The fee for a ready driving license is PLN 100,50 and can be paid at the office cash desk or by bank transfer. It is essential to attach a photograph to the application for a driving license, as well as the required documents for the driving license – a medical certificate and an identity document.