Penalty Points Poland 2026: Check, 17 zł Certificate, Limits
Short answer: Check your penalty points online with a trusted profile or free at a police station; a certificate costs 17 zł. Points are usually removed a year after the fine is paid. Over 24 triggers a requalification exam.
Penalty points (punkty karne) are recorded on a driver's account in Poland whenever a traffic offence is punished. Knowing how many you have, when they disappear and what happens at the limit matters if you drive a car in Poland, including a company car. This guide follows the official Gov.pl service page "Sprawdź swoje punkty karne" (last updated 23 July 2026), which is run by the Ministry of Digital Affairs, with the Ministry of the Interior and Administration responsible for the content. It explains how to check your points online or in person, what it costs, when points are removed and what happens when you pass the limit.
How to check your points online
According to Gov.pl, you need a trusted profile (profil zaufany) to check online. It confirms your identity. You can check only your own points, not anyone else's.
The steps on the official page are:
1. Click "Sprawdź swoje punkty karne" on the service page. 2. Log in with your trusted profile. 3. After logging in, the system moves you to the mObywatel service. 4. The information about your penalty points appears immediately.
The page notes that the database is updated from data passed on by the records kept by the Police, so the displayed number can change. If you doubt it, check again, for example the next day.
How to check at a police station
You can also ask at a police station (komisariat). Bring a document that confirms your identity, such as an identity card or a passport. A police officer tells you how many points you have. The oral information is free.
Gov.pl says the police do not give this information by phone or by email.
The official certificate
If you want an official certificate of the number of points, you can get it at the police station. The page says it can be useful, for example when an employer asks for it before you drive a company car.
- The certificate costs 17 zł, as of the page update of 23 July 2026.
- You pay at the city or municipal office where the police station is located, either at the cash desk or by bank transfer.
- Bring the proof of payment or transfer confirmation to the police station and submit the application there.
Temporary and active points
The page distinguishes two kinds of points:
- Active penalty points are the points you have on your account.
- Temporary penalty points come from offences for which you did not accept a fine ticket. They are not yet counted on your account and wait for a court decision.
When points are removed
Gov.pl lists these situations:
- One year after the day you pay the fine ticket, if the ticket was issued and counts as state budget revenue, or if it was issued by the Road Transport Inspectorate (ITD).
- In other cases, one year after the ticket becomes final. The page gives the example of a fine imposed by a municipal guard.
- One year after the date a court judgment becomes final, if you did not accept the ticket and a court decided the case.
- If you pass a control check of qualifications with a positive result.
- If the starost issues a decision withdrawing your driving entitlement.
- If the starost refuses to issue a decision directing you to a control qualification check or withdrawing entitlements, on the request of the voivodeship police commander.
Reducing points at a WORD course
If you take a re-education course organised by a provincial road traffic centre (WORD), your number of points can be reduced by a maximum of 6. The page adds two conditions under which the number is not reduced: if you do not pay the fine ticket, or if you attend the training only after you have passed 24 penalty points.
What happens at the limit
The official page describes two cases:
- If you have held a driving licence for more than a year and have more than 24 penalty points, the starost sends you a referral for a qualification check exam (the same type of exam as the one for the licence) and for a psychological examination. If you fail the exam or the tests, the starost withdraws your driving entitlements.
- If this is your first licence, you have held it for less than a year and you have more than 20 penalty points, the starost immediately withdraws all your driving entitlements.
If the number looks wrong
The page points to a separate service, "Zgłoś rozbieżność w punktach karnych" (report a discrepancy in penalty points), for cases where the points do not match. For questions about the service, the helpline given is 422 535 450, open Monday to Friday from 7:00 to 18:00.
What the page does not cover
The page does not say how points are treated for a foreign driving licence, or for offences committed by a foreign driver. If that is your situation, ask the police or the traffic department of your local office. Rules on points are also under discussion: the Ministry of the Interior announced in March 2026 that it is working on tightening road traffic rules, so check the current text before relying on any detail here.
* Photos: Polish driving licence, front (Wikimedia Commons, public domain); unmarked police vehicle at a traffic stop (Wikimedia Commons, CC0). The second photo is illustrative and not from Poland.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check someone else's penalty points?
No. The Gov.pl page says you can only check your own points.
How much does it cost to check my points?
Checking online with a trusted profile and getting the oral answer at the police station are free. A printed certificate costs 17 zł as of 23 July 2026.
When do my points disappear?
Usually after one year from paying the ticket or from the ticket or court judgment becoming final, depending on who punished the offence. The exact starting day is listed above.
How many points trigger a check of my qualifications?
More than 24 points for drivers who have held a licence for over a year. For a licence held under a year, more than 20 points leads to immediate withdrawal of entitlements.
