Driver Certificate of Professional Competence in Poland in 2025: What You Need to Know

What is a Certificate of Professional Competence?

The Certificate of Professional Competence is an official document confirming that its holder possesses the necessary knowledge and skills to manage transport operations in a company operating in the road transport industry – both domestic and international.

Who Issues the Certificate of Professional Competence?

The Certificate of Professional Competence is issued by the Motor Transport Institute. It’s worth noting that this document is required by law to legally conduct road transport of passengers or goods. It serves as confirmation of qualifications not only for entrepreneurs but also for individuals serving as transport managers in a company.

Who Needs to Possess a Certificate of Professional Competence and When?

Regulations precisely define who must possess a Certificate of Professional Competence and when one can be exempt from this obligation. Entrepreneurs conducting business in road transport, or more specifically, transport managers in a given company, face the requirement to obtain this document.

The Role of the Transport Manager

The entrepreneur themselves doesn’t need to personally possess a Certificate of Professional Competence. According to regulations, a transport company must designate at least one natural person who holds this document and serves as the transport manager. This person is responsible for the actual and continuous management of the company’s transport operations.

The CPC transport manager should have a genuine connection with the company – they can be an employee, director, owner, or shareholder. Alternatively, an external manager can be employed based on a civil law contract. In such cases, this person can manage transport in a maximum of four different companies with a combined fleet not exceeding 50 vehicles.

Certificate of Professional Competence and the Law

This requirement stems directly from the provisions of European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No. 1071/2009.

When is a Certificate of Professional Competence Needed?

The Certificate of Professional Competence is necessary when a carrier wants to perform both domestic road transport and international transport, including road transport within the European Union. This document confirms the competence of a road carrier.

The certificate covers both road transport of passengers and road transport of goods, although it should be noted that these are two separate certificates. However, it’s worth mentioning that the process of obtaining them is similar.

How to Obtain a Certificate of Professional Competence in 2025?

Obtaining a Certificate of Professional Competence requires going through a specific administrative procedure and passing an examination. However, it’s important to consider the requirements for those applying for a Certificate of Professional Competence, which must be met to obtain this document.

The Motor Transport Institute (ITS) is the only institution authorized to issue the certificate in Poland.

Application to ITS: Required Data and Documents

To take the examination, you must submit the following documents required to obtain the certificate to the Motor Transport Institute:

• Completed application for issuing a Certificate of Professional Competence;
• Copy of confirmation of payment for the examination (500 PLN) and for issuing the certificate (300 PLN) - a total of 800 PLN.

In the application, you must also indicate the scope of professional competence - transport of goods or transport of passengers - and the proposed date and place of the examination. It’s important that the documents required to obtain the certificate are submitted at least 14 days before the examination date. Qualification for the examination is determined by the order of application submission.

It’s worth noting that in the case of an incomplete or improperly completed application, ITS will call on the candidate to supplement the deficiencies within 7 days. Therefore, it’s particularly important to carefully check all required documents before submitting them.

Requirements for Foreigners

Persons who do not have Polish citizenship must meet additional requirements for those applying for the certificate. The following must be attached to the application:

• Declaration of usual place of residence;
• Copy of residence card or document confirming the registration of an EU citizen’s stay.

The usual place of residence means the place where a person stays for at least 185 days in a year. Additionally, foreigners must communicate fluently in Polish, as ITS does not allow the use of an interpreter during the examination. The residence card is obtained based on a temporary residence permit, which is issued for a period from 3 months to 3 years.

Preparing the appropriate documentation is just the first step. The key element remains passing the examination, the structure and requirements of which have been detailed in the regulations.

Examination Structure and Passing Conditions

The examination for the Certificate of Professional Competence consists of two clearly separated parts that test both theoretical knowledge and practical skills of candidates. Understanding the examination structure and evaluation criteria is key to effectively preparing for this challenge.

Theoretical Part: 64 Test Questions

The first part of the examination takes the form of a multiple-choice test consisting of 64 questions with four possible answers. The questions are grouped into 8 thematic sections, with 8 questions from each area. The thematic scope includes: civil law, commercial law, social law, tax law, business activity and financial management of the company, market access, technical standards, and road safety.

The scoring system for this part is simple - for each question, you can receive 0 or 1 point, with a point being awarded only when all correct answers are marked. Depending on the question, one, two, or even three answers may be correct.

Problem-Solving Part: 2 Practical Tasks

The second part of the examination is practical and consists of two tasks to solve, each containing two questions. Importantly, one of the tasks always concerns drivers’ working time. The second task usually covers issues related to human resources and payroll or calculating leasing costs and investments in a transport company.

The evaluation system for this part is more complex than for the test. For each answer, you can receive from 0 to 4 points, depending on the quality of the solution. Each assessment has a weight equal to 4, so the maximum number of points possible to obtain in this part is 64.

Point Requirements and Examination Duration

The total duration of the examination is 240 minutes - 120 minutes for each part. Between the parts, there is a break lasting a maximum of 15 minutes, which can be waived. If the candidate is exempt from the theoretical part, as we write about in the further part of the article, the duration of this part is 15 minutes for each remaining module.

To pass the Certificate of Professional Competence examination, two conditions must be met:

• Obtain a minimum of 50% of points from each part (at least 32 points for the test and 32 points for practical tasks);
• Achieve a total of at least 60% of the total number of points from the entire examination (about 77 points).

It should be remembered that the database of examination questions and tasks is secret, which means that preparation requires solid mastery of all issues covered by the examination program.

Exemptions from the Examination and Certificate Costs

Not every candidate must take the full examination for the Certificate of Professional Competence. Regulations provide for the possibility of obtaining exemptions, which can significantly simplify the process and reduce the costs of obtaining the document.

Exemption Based on Study ProgramGraduates of second-cycle studies, uniform master’s studies, or postgraduate studies may apply for a complete exemption from the written examination. The condition is that the program of these studies covers all issues listed in Annex I to European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No. 1071/2009.

To obtain such an exemption, a complete set of documents must be submitted to the Motor Transport Institute:

• Completed application for issuing a Certificate of Professional Competence;
• Copy of confirmation of payment for the certificate (300 PLN);
• Completed declaration on the scope of issues covered by the study program;
• Diploma of completion of studies along with a supplement or other document confirming the study program.

Partial Exemption from Selected Modules

Graduates of studies whose program only partially overlapped with the required issues may obtain an exemption from the relevant test modules. For each recognized module, the examination fee is reduced by 50 PLN. However, it should be remembered that persons using a partial exemption still need to solve the examination task in the practical part.

Cost of the Certificate of Professional Competence Examination

The total cost of obtaining the certificate in 2025 is 800 PLN. This amount consists of:

• Examination fee – 500 PLN;
• Certificate issuance fee – 300 PLN.

In the case of a complete exemption from the examination, the candidate only pays the fee for issuing the certificate in the amount of 300 PLN. With a partial exemption from the examination, the fee of 500 PLN is reduced by 50 PLN for each recognized module.

Fees for Re-examination and Duplicate

If the candidate does not pass the examination on the first attempt, they can take it again after paying a fee of 500 PLN. The previously paid fee for issuing the certificate (300 PLN) remains valid and does not need to be paid again. The number of attempts at the examination is not limited.

In case of loss, theft, or damage to the certificate, you can apply for a duplicate. This requires submitting an appropriate declaration and paying a fee of 300 PLN. In the transfer title, you should write “duplicate certificate – First Name Last Name”.

All fees should be paid to the bank account of the Motor Transport Institute with the number: 86 1240 6074 1111 0000 4992 2947.

Certificate of Professional Competence in 2025 - Summary

The Certificate of Professional Competence is not only a formal requirement but also the foundation for safe and compliant operation of a transport company. Obtaining it requires preparation, knowledge of procedures, and appropriate planning of the entire process – from submitting the application, through the examination, to issuing the document.

Regardless of whether you’re just starting your business or planning to develop transport services domestically or abroad – having a certificate is an investment in legality, professionalism, and the future of your company.

If you have a transport company and need support in aspects related to its operation, concerning accounting, drivers’ payroll calculation, human resources and payroll, or if you conduct or plan not only road transport in Poland but also road transport in EU countries and are looking for specialist advice, we will gladly provide it! Contact us, and the Evotax team will help you in the area that poses a challenge!