What Is a National Transport License? Guide for 2025

What is a national transport license in Poland? Definition

A national transport license document is an official permit issued by state authorities, authorizing an entrepreneur to perform commercial road transport of people or goods exclusively within Poland. In legal terminology, it also functions as a “permit to practice the profession of road carrier,” also known as a national carrier license.

The national transport license confirms that the entrepreneur meets specific legal, financial, and organizational requirements. It constitutes a form of concession for operating in the road transport sector, ensuring compliance with applicable safety and service quality standards.

National transport license and legal basis

The obligation to have a transport license stems from the provisions of the Act of September 6, 2001, on road transport. It’s worth noting that despite the national nature of the entitlements, the license must meet European standards in terms of the procedure for obtaining rights and safety. European institutions aim to develop common rules for all EU member states.

When is a national transport license not required?

A road carrier does not need to have a national transport license when:

• Domestic transport takes place with vehicles with a GVW below 3.5 tons;
• Transport is carried out for own needs, e.g., transport of goods by vehicles between branches of one’s own company;
• Road transport of persons occurs with vehicles with fewer than 9 seats, including the driver’s seat.

National road transport license - Characteristics

The license is granted for a specified period – not less than 2 years and not more than 50 years. It is a personal document, assigned to a specific road carrier. According to Art. 13 point 1 of the Road Transport Act, it cannot be transferred or its rights transferred to third parties.

Entrepreneurs holding national transport licenses are entered into the National Electronic Register of Road Transport Entrepreneurs (KREPTD). It’s also worth emphasizing that an international transport license (community license) automatically entitles one to perform domestic transport, while a national license limits operations exclusively to Polish territory.

The permit to practice the profession of road carrier is issued for an indefinite period; however, it may be withdrawn in cases specified in the regulations. This document forms the basis for legal functioning in the transport market and is necessary for companies planning to carry out commercial transport of goods or persons within the country.

Who can obtain a national transport license in Poland? - Requirements for obtaining a national transport license

Obtaining a national transport license requires meeting five key legal conditions specified in the Road Transport Act. Each of these requirements must be unconditionally met to conduct legal transport activities in Poland.

Obtaining a national transport license - Good reputation and no bans

Good reputation is a fundamental condition for obtaining a license to conduct transport activities. The individual entrepreneur or persons managing the transport company must demonstrate that they have not been convicted by a final judgment for fiscal criminal offenses or intentional crimes against safety in communication, property, economic transactions, document credibility, the environment, or working and pay conditions.

Moreover, there must be no final ruling prohibiting the conduct of economic activity in the field of road transport. Loss of good reputation results in the suspension of the permit to practice the profession of road carrier.

You can read more about the good reputation of a transport company in our article: Good reputation in transport and consequences of losing it

Requirements for obtaining a national transport license - Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)

When obtaining a license, or rather trying to obtain it, at least one of the persons managing transport in the company must possess a Certificate of Professional Competence. The CPC is a document confirming the possession of qualifications and knowledge necessary to perform transport activities.

It is obtained after passing a state examination organized by the Motor Transport Institute. The exam consists of a test and an examination task, and to pass it, one must obtain at least 60% of the total number of points. A person holding a CPC can manage transport in a maximum of four enterprises whose total fleet does not exceed 50 vehicles.

Condition for obtaining a transport license - Financial capacity

In the case of domestic transport and the process of obtaining a license, the entrepreneur must demonstrate that they have adequate financial resources. For vehicles with a GVW above 3.5 tons, it is required to have capital of 9,000 euros for the first vehicle and 5,000 euros for each subsequent one.

For vehicles with a GVW from 2.5 to 3.5 tons, these values are 1,800 euros and 900 euros, respectively. Financial capacity can be documented through an annual financial statement, bank guarantee, professional liability insurance, or other assets.

Obtaining a national transport license - Headquarters and operational base

The procedure for obtaining a national transport license requires the entrepreneur to have a real and permanent headquarters in one of the EU member states. Since January 1, 2023, new requirements have been introduced regarding the operational base, which must be located on Polish territory.

This base must be equipped with parking spaces for at least 1/3 of the number of vehicles reported to the authority issuing the permit. In the case of a fleet consisting of no more than two vehicles, a minimum of one parking space is required.

Requirements for obtaining a national transport license - Vehicle fleet

The entrepreneur must have at least one vehicle with a GVW above 2.5 tons registered in Poland. These vehicles must meet all technical standards and undergo regular inspections.

It’s worth noting that it is not necessary to be the owner of the vehicle – it can be leased, rented, or borrowed.

How to obtain a national transport license in Poland in 2025?

The procedure for obtaining a transport license for domestic transport consists of four key administrative stages, which require a precise approach and knowledge of current formal requirements.

Submitting an application to the County Office

Obtaining a national transport license document begins with submitting an application to the county office appropriate for the entrepreneur’s headquarters or place of residence. Moreover, this application can be submitted in person, by mail, or electronically through the ePUAP platform.

In the application, it is necessary to specify the period for which the license is to be issued (from 2 to 50 years), the type and scope of road transport, and the number of vehicles. Each application also contains the designation of the entrepreneur, the address of the headquarters, the NIP number, and information about the entry in CEIDG or KRS.

Administrative fee for the license

The amount of fees for a national transport license in 2025 depends on its validity period and ranges from 800 to 1000 PLN.

Additionally, you need to cover the costs of license extracts for each reported vehicle, and the fee should be paid to the account of the office where the application is submitted.

Application processing time and procedure for issuing a national transport license

According to the Code of Administrative Procedure, the maximum time for processing an application is up to 30 days. In the case of complicated matters, this period may be extended to 2 months, about which the state authority notifies in advance.

In practice, the waiting time for issuing a national license is usually much shorter and ranges from 5 to 20 working days. However, the efficiency of the process depends on the completeness of the submitted documentation and the number of applications being processed at the same time.

What are the costs of obtaining a national transport license?

Planning the costs associated with obtaining a national transport license requires considering several financial components. The amount of fees depends primarily on the license’s validity period and the number of vehicles reported for transport activities.

Costs of a national transport license depending on its validity period

Regulations clearly define the amount of fees for a national transport license:

• 800 PLN – for a license valid from 2 to 15 years;
• 900 PLN – for a license valid from 15 to 30 years;
• 1000 PLN – for a license valid from 30 to 50 years.

Additionally, each entrepreneur must pay a fee for the permit to practice the profession of road carrier in the amount of 1000 PLN.

Costs of license extracts for individual vehicles

For each vehicle reported to the national transport license, a separate extract is required. The cost is about 10% of the license value:

• 8 PLN for each extract with a license up to 15 years;
• 9 PLN for each extract with a license from 15 to 30 years;
• 10 PLN for each extract with a license from 30 to 50 years.

Additional administrative costs

During the procedure of obtaining a transport license, other fees should also be considered:

• 17 PLN – stamp duty for granting power of attorney;
• 30 PLN – certificate of no criminal record;
• about 250 PLN – carrier’s professional liability insurance.

It’s worth noting that documents granted to immediate family members (spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, or siblings) are exempt from the power of attorney fee.

License validity period and possibility of withdrawal

A national transport license is issued for a specified period – not less than 2 years and not more than 50 years. However, the permit to practice the profession of road carrier, which forms the basis for issuing the license, is issued indefinitely.

Renewal of national transport license in Poland

A national transport license, although it can be issued for up to 50 years, is often granted for a shorter period – e.g., 5 or 10 years. After expiration, it needs to be renewed for the company to continue legally providing services for transporting goods or persons within Poland. The renewal process requires re-submitting an application to the appropriate authority – usually the county office or the Main Inspectorate of Road Transport (depending on the type of transport).

Along with the application, current documents confirming compliance with statutory requirements must be presented: good reputation of the entrepreneur, appropriate financial capacity (e.g., in the form of a bank certificate or expert opinion), and a certificate of professional competence of the person managing transport.

If the company employs drivers, it may also be necessary to present current medical and psychological examinations and certificates of no criminal record.

It is important to submit documents well in advance – preferably at least 30 days before the license expires. This way, the entrepreneur avoids the risk of a break in activity and possible sanctions for performing transport without a valid permit.

Help in obtaining a transport license in Poland

If you need support in obtaining a transport license document, it’s worth relying on specialists in this field, e.g., the Evotax team! To this end, contact us, and our specialists will be happy to help, which will not only save your time but also calm your nerves!

National transport license vs. international transport license

At this point, it’s worth mentioning the carrier’s license authorizing the performance of transport services internationally, and this document is the community license. This is a different document than the national transport license, which authorizes the performance of commercial transport of goods or persons exclusively within Poland.

On the other hand, the community (EU) license opens doors to the entire European Union market – it allows for the free provision of transport services (transport of goods and passenger transport) between member states, as well as in transit and cabotage.

However, if you want to learn more about the community license, including the cost of an international transport license, requirements for obtaining an international transport license, and other aspects related to it – all this information can be found in our article: International Transport License - What is it and how to get it? We invite you to read it!

National transport license - Summary

A national transport license is not only a legal obligation but also a guarantee that your company operates fully legally and in accordance with applicable industry standards. Having it opens the way to business development in the road transport sector in the domestic market and builds trust among customers and contractors.

If you need support in obtaining, renewing, or supplementing documentation for a national transport license, contact us. The Evotax team consists of experienced specialists who will guide you through the entire process, as well as provide support in other aspects of transport company operation, including drivers’ payroll calculation, or HR and payroll aspects!

Don’t wait, rely on specialist support and save time and gain confidence in properly conducted processes!