What is a Driver's Attestation? All You need to know!

What is a driver attestation?

The driver attestation is an administrative decision issued according to the template specified in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1072/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009, which regulates the rules for performing international road transport. This document confirms that the professional driver is employed in accordance with regulations and holds the required driving license and qualifications to work in the international transport sector. In practice, the driver attestation confirms the legality of employment and the authorization to perform transport under the carrier’s license.

Who must have a driver attestation and what are the requirements for obtaining it?

The obligation to possess a driver attestation applies only to drivers who meet three conditions simultaneously. First, they are not citizens of an EU member state nor long-term residents of the Union. Second, they perform professional driving work in a transport company registered in Poland. Third, they carry out international freight transport as part of the carrier’s activities. In practice, this means that drivers from countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan, or Moldova must obtain a driver attestation to legally perform international transport.

Who issues the driver attestation and what is the process of obtaining it (SK1)?

The Chief Inspectorate of Road Transport (GITD) is responsible for issuing the driver attestation, operating under regulations such as the Road Transport Act. The application for the attestation (form SK1) is submitted by the entrepreneur holding the community license, not by the driver themselves. The driver attestation is issued for the period specified in the application—up to a maximum of 5 years. During the procedure, the entrepreneur also specifies the vehicle category the driver will use, e.g., over 3.5 tons.

Driver attestation vs. driver qualification certificate – Key differences

It is important to distinguish the driver attestation from the driver qualification certificate. These are two different documents, although both relate to the driver profession. The driver qualification certificate (so-called code 95) confirms the professional qualification of the driver, i.e., completion of an initial qualification course or periodic training, and is required for all drivers operating vehicles requiring, for example, category C, C+E, or D driving licenses. The driver attestation, on the other hand, relates only to the legality of employment of non-EU drivers performing international road transport in a company holding a community license.

How to obtain a driver attestation?

The process of obtaining a driver attestation is initiated exclusively by the entrepreneur holding a community license. It is the carrier—not the professional driver—who submits the application for the driver attestation (form SK1) along with the employment confirmation document (form ZZ). Both documents must be signed by a person authorized to represent the transport company performing international road transport.

Requirements for obtaining a driver attestation – Documents

The scope of documents required depends on the type of vehicle the driver will use for international freight transport.

For vehicles over 3.5 tons, required documents include, among others: a copy of the community license, employment certificate ZZ, a copy of the driver qualification card with a valid code 95 entry or a copy of the driving license with such an entry. It is also necessary to provide proof of social security registration (e.g., ZUS ZUA or ZUS RCA), a copy of the passport, copies of the driving license (front and back), and proof of payment for the attestation issuance.

If the driver operates a vehicle up to 3.5 tons, instead of documents confirming professional qualifications with code 95, a medical certificate and a psychological certificate confirming no contraindications to work as a driver must be presented. The rest of the documentation remains the same as for heavier vehicles.

Where and how to submit the application for the driver attestation in transport in Poland?

The application can be submitted in three ways:

1. In person at the headquarters of the Chief Inspectorate of Road Transport.
2. By mail to the address: GITD, International Transport Office, Al. Jerozolimskie 94, 00-807 Warsaw.
3. Electronically via the business.gov.pl portal or the GITD Client Portal.

Industry practice shows that submitting the application in person during Customer Service hours often speeds up the attestation issuance process.

Cost of issuing the driver attestation

The fee depends on the validity period of the attestation. A document valid for up to 1 year costs 10 PLN, up to 2 years – 15 PLN, up to 3 years – 20 PLN, up to 4 years – 30 PLN, and the maximum period of 5 years – 40 PLN. The fee should be paid to the NBP account, indicating the entrepreneur’s NIP and the driver’s data for whom the attestation is issued.

Waiting time for the professional driver attestation

Typically, the attestation is issued without unnecessary delay. However, if additional verification is required, GITD may conduct proceedings lasting up to one month, and in particularly complex cases, up to two months from the start of the procedure. If the application is incomplete, the authority calls on the entrepreneur to supplement it, setting at least 7 days to provide missing documents.

Who must have the driver attestation?

The obligation applies to drivers meeting all three conditions simultaneously: not being citizens of an EU member state nor long-term residents, employed in a Polish transport company, and performing international road freight transport. This mainly concerns drivers from third countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan, or Moldova.

Which vehicles are covered by the obligation to have a driver attestation?

The obligation applies to all vehicles used for international transport—both above and below 3.5 tons. This means the document is also required for drivers of vans (2.5–3.5 tons) if they perform international transport.

The difference concerns professional qualifications. Drivers of vehicles requiring licenses such as category C, C+E, or D must also hold a professional qualification certificate (code 95). For drivers with category B (vans up to 3.5 tons), the driver attestation is required, but professional qualification is not mandatory.

When is the driver attestation required in transport?

The document is strictly related to performing international transport. It is required during international road transport, cabotage operations, and cross-trade between EU countries. If a third-country driver performs only domestic transport in Poland, this obligation does not apply. However, once transport crosses national borders, lack of the attestation prevents legal performance of transport.

Who issues the driver attestation and who is responsible for obtaining it?

The responsibility lies with the entrepreneur holding the community license. The carrier submits the application to GITD before the driver begins transport. The document remains the property of the transport company and is handed to the driver to present during inspections, e.g., by road transport inspectors.

Renewal of the driver attestation

Renewal requires the entrepreneur to submit a new application to GITD, similar to the initial process, including forms SK1 and ZZ confirming the driver’s employment.

To maintain a valid attestation, the carrier must confirm the driver’s license and qualifications, e.g., via the driver qualification card with code 95. The attestation’s validity is up to 5 years, so renewal should occur before expiration. Otherwise, lack of a valid attestation prevents legal international transport.

Refusal to issue the driver attestation

Refusal may occur if the entrepreneur or driver does not meet legal requirements, e.g., missing documents, outdated data, or lack of a community license.

It may also happen if the driver lacks professional qualification documents such as a driver qualification card with code 95 or if the application is incomplete. Problems arise in cases of loss or prior revocation of the attestation, requiring a new procedure or application.

Penalties for lack of a driver attestation in international transport

Lack of a valid attestation during international transport results in financial and administrative penalties. Responsibility may fall on the driver, the transport company, and the person managing transport.

Penalties for the driver:

If the driver cannot present the attestation during inspection, they may be fined. The standard fine is 150 PLN but can reach up to 500 PLN in some cases. In practice, the driver bears the least consequences, as the main responsibility lies with the carrier.

Penalties for the transport company and transport manager:

Companies allowing transport without a valid attestation risk administrative fines of 5,000 PLN, with inspectors able to impose penalties up to 12,000 PLN per violation. The entrepreneur must ensure the driver has all required documents before transport starts.

Persons managing transport, such as dispatchers or fleet managers, may be fined between 500 and 2,000 PLN for negligence in document control.

Additional administrative consequences:

If the attestation is revoked, the entity must return it within 14 days after the administrative decision becomes final. Failure results in a 1,000 PLN fine.

More severe consequences may include proceedings concerning the carrier’s good reputation, potentially leading to restriction or revocation of transport rights. GITD may temporarily suspend the community license extract for up to 6 months or delay issuing attestations for 30 days. Vehicles may be detained during inspections until documents are presented, causing delays and extra costs.

Penalties in other EU countries may be harsher. For example, in Germany, fines for lack of a driver attestation during international transport can reach 20,000 euros, and transport may be immediately stopped.

Driver attestation – Summary

The driver attestation is mandatory for non-EU drivers performing international transport in Polish transport companies. It is issued by GITD upon the entrepreneur’s application (SK1). Lack of the document results in fines for drivers and carriers and may cause problems with the community license.

If you run a transport company and need support with drivers' payroll calculation or transport accounting, the Evotax team is ready to help! Contact us, indicate your challenges, and our specialists will take care of the rest!