Registering a UK or right-hand-drive car in Poland – rules, conversions and costs
Short answer: you can register a right-hand-drive car in Poland if it is a passenger car (category M1) that was previously registered in an EU country – for example in Ireland, Malta or Cyprus, or in the United Kingdom before 1 January 2021. It needs dipped headlights for driving on the right, a left mirror with the required field of vision and a speedometer in km/h (a dual km/h and mph dial is fine). Before the first registration it must pass a technical inspection at a Polish testing station, even if it has a valid foreign test. A passenger car first registered in the UK from 2021 onwards, a van or a motorhome with the steering wheel on the right will not be registered in this form, unless the vehicle was first registered before 1985.
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Contents · reading time approx. 6 min
Which right-hand-drive cars can be registered
The rule is in § 9(2), (2a) and (3) of the Polish regulation on the technical conditions of vehicles (Dz.U. 2024 item 502). A vehicle with more than three wheels and a design speed above 40 km/h must not have the steering wheel on the right. The exception is a passenger car (M1) that is either new with EC type approval or was previously registered in an EU member state.
| Car | Can it be registered with right-hand drive? |
|---|---|
| Passenger car registered in Ireland, Malta or Cyprus | yes, after the headlights (and the mirror, if needed) are adapted |
| Passenger car registered in the UK before 1 January 2021 | yes – the Polish government portal powroty.gov.pl treats UK registration from before 2021 as registration in the EU |
| Passenger car first registered in the UK from 2021 | no – the UK is no longer an EU member, so this registration does not meet § 9(2a), unless the car was earlier registered in an EU country |
| New passenger car with EC type approval (e.g. bought new in Ireland) | yes |
| Passenger car from Japan, Australia or South Africa, never registered in the EU | no – only after the steering is moved to the left |
| Van, truck, or motorhome registered as a special-purpose vehicle | no – the exception covers passenger cars only |
| Any vehicle first registered before 1 January 1985 | yes – the right-hand-drive ban does not apply to it |
Motorcycles and three-wheelers are not affected by the ban.
What has to be adapted
- Dipped headlights must be designed for right-hand traffic. Older cars usually need new headlamps. Some newer LED headlights can be switched over by a dealer or with a switch in the lamp – it depends on the model, so ask the brand’s service centre.
- Left exterior mirror must give the required field of vision. This does not apply to mirrors approved under UN ECE Regulation No 46, series 02 or later, or under Directive 2003/97/EC, so in most recent cars the mirror can stay. Check the approval mark on the mirror.
- Speedometer must show km/h, or km/h and mph together. A dual-scale dial is enough, and a digital display can usually be switched to km/h.
Moving the steering wheel to the left is a structural modification assessed by a vehicle testing station in an additional inspection. In practice it only pays off for valuable cars.
Step by step
- Before you buy, check the registration document: vehicle type (passenger car), date of first registration and the country where the car was registered. A registration document from an EU country confirms earlier EU registration.
- Excise duty or customs. A car from Ireland, Malta or Cyprus: file the Polish excise return AKC-U/S within 14 days and pay the excise within 30 days of bringing the car to Poland. A car from the UK: customs clearance, where duty, excise and VAT are settled.
- Adapt the headlights (and the mirror, if needed) in a workshop.
- Technical inspection in Poland. A right-hand-drive car must pass it before its first Polish registration, even with a valid foreign test (Article 81(4) of the Polish Road Traffic Act). The inspector checks the lights, mirrors and speedometer, and the document confirming earlier EU registration.
- Registration application within 30 days of bringing the car to Poland or of customs clearance. You get a temporary permit and plates on the spot and collect the permanent registration certificate later.
How much it costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Excise duty (car from an EU country) | 3.1% of the price for engines up to 2000 cm³, 18.6% above; full hybrid (HEV) 1.55% up to 2000 cm³ or 9.3% for 2001–3500 cm³ |
| Car from the UK | customs duty 10% (0% for a car of UK origin with proof of origin), excise duty and 23% VAT |
| Headlight adaptation | depends on the model – from switching the lamp mode to new headlamps |
| Technical inspection | 149 PLN, 245 PLN with an LPG system |
| Translations | an EU registration certificate does not need a translation; a UK V5C and a contract in a foreign language do |
| Registration with new plates | 160 PLN in official fees |
A registration certificate from an EU country does not need a sworn translation (§ 5(2) of the Polish regulation on vehicle registration, Dz.U. 2024 item 1709), although the office may ask for a translation of national codes if something is unclear. A UK V5C needs one, because the UK is no longer a member state. More on excise rates: car excise tax in Poland. Import from outside the EU: importing a car to Poland.
From Ireland, from the UK, from Japan
- Ireland – the simplest route: an EU country, no translation of the registration certificate, only excise duty.
- United Kingdom – customs clearance and a translation of the V5C. A right-hand-drive passenger car first registered in the UK from 2021 does not meet the Polish condition of earlier EU registration. Moving to Poland for good? A car used abroad may qualify for relief from duty and taxes as part of your household goods – see household goods relief for cars from the UK (in Polish).
- Japan – a right-hand-drive car registered only in Japan does not meet § 9(2a). It can be registered if it was first registered before 1985; otherwise the steering has to be moved.
Deadline and fines
You have 30 days from bringing the car from an EU country or from customs clearance of a car from outside the EU (Article 73aa of the Road Traffic Act). If you are late, the district office (starosta) imposes a fine of 500 PLN, or 1,000 PLN if the application is not filed within 180 days (Article 140mb). More: vehicle registration deadlines and penalties in Poland.
Frequently asked questions
Can you register a right-hand-drive car in Poland? Yes, if it is a passenger car previously registered in an EU country or new with EC type approval, and its headlights, mirror and speedometer are adapted for right-hand traffic.
Can I register a UK car in Poland after Brexit? A passenger car registered in the UK before 1 January 2021 – yes, after customs clearance, adaptation and an inspection. A right-hand-drive car first registered in the UK from 2021 – no, unless it was earlier registered in an EU country.
Do I have to change the headlights? Yes, dipped headlights must be designed for right-hand traffic. Sometimes switching the lamp mode is enough, more often the headlamps are replaced.
Does a right-hand-drive car need an inspection in Poland? Yes. It must pass a technical inspection before its first Polish registration, even with a valid foreign test. It costs 149 PLN.
Will a speedometer in mph pass? Yes, if it also shows km/h. An mph-only scale does not meet the requirements.
Do I need to translate an Irish registration certificate? No. A registration certificate from an EU country does not need a sworn translation. A contract in English does.
Can I register a right-hand-drive van or motorhome? No. The right-hand-drive exception covers passenger cars only, unless the vehicle was first registered before 1985.
How long do I have to register the car? 30 days from bringing it from an EU country or from customs clearance. Late registration means a fine of 500 PLN, or 1,000 PLN after 180 days.
See also: Car registration in Warsaw · How to register a car in Poland · Car excise tax in Poland · Rejestracja anglika (po polsku)
Sources (as of 14.11.2026): regulation on technical conditions of vehicles, § 9(2)–(3) and § 11 (Dz.U. 2024 item 502); Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym), Articles 72, 73aa, 81(3)–(4), 140mb; regulation on the scope of technical inspections, § 2(2a) (Dz.U. 2024 item 141); regulation on vehicle registration, § 5 (Dz.U. 2024 item 1709); powroty.gov.pl – registering a right-hand-drive car in Poland.
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