Speed camera letter in Poland: CANARD, the 7-day ticket rule
Short answer: The first CANARD letter is not a fine: the owner must return one of three statements. A credited ticket must be paid within 7 days to its own bank account number.
A letter from the Polish traffic enforcement centre is one of the more stressful things a driver can find in the post box. The rules are fairly simple once you know what the first letter is, and what it is not. This guide follows the official pages of the Chief Inspectorate of Road Transport (GITD) and its camera centre CANARD, as checked on 17 October 2026.
The first letter is not a fine
Speed cameras, red-light cameras and section-speed systems send their data to CANARD, the Automatic Traffic Supervision Centre run by GITD. After staff verify the evidence, the vehicle owner is identified through the central vehicle register, and a letter goes to the owner asking who was driving.
CANARD states clearly that this first piece of correspondence is not yet a fine (mandat karny). It contains forms to fill in so the facts can be established, plus an information card with a sample of a ticket. You do not pay anything on the basis of that first letter.
The three statements
The owner or holder of the vehicle must answer by filling in one of three statements, according to GITD and CANARD:
- Statement 1: filled in by the person who was driving at the time of the offence.
- Statement 2: filled in by the owner or holder who names the person they entrusted the vehicle to at that time.
- Statement 3: filled in by the owner or holder who does not name, or refuses to name, the driver.
CANARD publishes sample filled-in forms on its website. It asks that the chosen statement be signed legibly with a name and surname and that the date and place be completed. You can post the forms back to the address in the letter, or use the electronic customer office (eBOK CANARD). Registering for eBOK needs a trusted profile on ePUAP or a qualified electronic signature, according to the GITD page.
Depending on the statement, CANARD then issues a fine, sends the case to court, or sends a statement to the person you named.
Why you should not just ignore it
CANARD's FAQ explains that under article 78 paragraph 4 of the Road Traffic Act, the owner or holder must say, on the request of an authorised body, to whom the vehicle was entrusted. That means a specific person with an address. Not naming anyone is an offence under article 96 paragraph 3 of the Code of Petty Offences, punishable by a fine. CANARD adds that being unable to identify the driver from the photo does not remove this duty.
If you think the evidence is wrong, CANARD says the photos can be viewed digitally, and at its office at ul. Przyczółkowa 109a in Warsaw or at GITD regional branches.
When a ticket is issued
A ticket is issued after CANARD receives a correctly completed statement in which the offender agrees to accept it. It can arrive as a registered paper letter, or electronically if you confirmed consent to electronic delivery through an active eBOK CANARD account.
The ticket is a "credited" ticket (mandat karny kredytowany). The key points from the GITD pages:
- The fine must be paid within 7 days from the date you received the ticket (article 98 paragraph 3 of the Code of Petty Offence Procedure, quoted by CANARD).
- Each ticket has its own individual bank account number printed on it. Pay to that number, not to a general GITD account.
- Pay at a bank, at the post office, or by online banking.
- In the transfer title give the ticket series and number, the PESEL number, the name and address of the person fined, as shown on the ticket stub.
If you pay from a joint or company account, the title must still name the person the ticket was issued to. If you pay several tickets, each payment goes to the account number on its own ticket. If you were granted instalments, use the data in the instalment decision.
What happens if you do not pay
GITD's debt collection page says that if the fine is not paid on time, GITD, as the creditor, sends a reminder, then issues an enforcement title and passes it to the competent tax office to start administrative enforcement.
Once a tax office writes to you about enforcement proceedings, pay to the account number given in that letter, in the amount it states, and not to the GITD account on the ticket. GITD also says not to pay into the account of the First Tax Office in Opole by yourself on the basis of the ticket.
Beware of fake payment demands
CANARD has published a warning about fraudulent reminders and payment demands for supposed traffic offences. Its points:
- Correspondence about camera offences is conducted by traditional mail (Poczta Polska) or through eBOK CANARD.
- GITD does not send links for paying a fine imposed by ticket.
- The ticket always has an individual bank account number, and payment is made at a bank, at the post office or via online banking.
If a text message or email asks you to click a link to pay a speeding fine, treat it as suspect and check the case through the official CANARD site, which you open yourself.
Questions the sources do not answer
The GITD and CANARD pages we checked do not set out a step-by-step process for a vehicle registered abroad, nor for tourists who rented a car, so check the letter itself and contact GITD if the case involves a foreign registration. The pages also do not say what the exact reply deadline is for a statement, so read the date in your letter. The fine amounts themselves are set in the government regulation on the ticket tariff, which this guide does not reproduce.
For questions about debt collection of tickets, GITD lists its Settlements and Debt Collection Department phone line as 22 22 04 800, open Monday to Friday 9:00-14:00, as stated on the debt collection page, version of 24 October 2025.
* Photos: speed camera in Warsaw (Przyczółkowa) and a speed camera at Mokre-Kolonia, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay the amount in the first letter from CANARD?
No. According to CANARD, the first letter is not a ticket. It contains forms to establish who was driving. A ticket comes later, and it has its own individual bank account number.
How long do I have to pay a credited ticket?
7 days from the date you received it, according to CANARD and GITD. If you miss the deadline, GITD sends a reminder and can pass the case to the tax office for enforcement.
Does GITD send payment links by text or email?
No. GITD says it does not send links for paying a fine. Correspondence goes by Poczta Polska or through eBOK CANARD, so treat any link as suspect.
