How to check fines in Poland in 2025: a complete guide for Ukrainians

Fines in Poland can be a serious problem for Ukrainians if they don't know how to check and pay them. Learn about online and offline ways to check, the consequences of non-payment, and how to appeal fines in 2025

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Living or working in Poland often involves driving a car or using public transport. And even if you are a very careful driver or passenger, it is not always possible to avoid a fine: speeding, parking in a prohibited place, or traveling without a ticket can result in unpleasant expenses. In this article, we explain how to check for fines in Poland to avoid additional problems.

What types of fines are there in Poland?

The Polish penalty system distinguishes between several types of penalties depending on the circumstances of the violation and the status of the person. According to ukrainianinpoland.pl, there are three main categories of fines:

● Cash fines (Mandat gotówkowy) are mainly imposed on persons who are temporarily in the country – they are paid directly to the representative of the authorities at the place of the violation.

● Credit fines (Mandat kredytowany), the most common in practice, come into force immediately after acceptance by the offender and must be paid within seven days.

● Absentee fines (Mandat zaoczny) are sent by mail in cases where the offender was not present when the offense was recorded – for example, when recorded automatically by cameras.

A separate category is additional civil law fees for violations such as not having a parking ticket or a ticket on public transport.

Who can issue a fine in Poland?

It is not only the police who have the right to impose fines. In Poland, this can be done by:

● the police (Policja) – in particular for drunk driving, speeding, and other traffic violations;

● the municipal police (Straż Miejska) – mainly for parking violations or minor offenses;

● the forest service (Służba Leśna) – for violations in forests and nature reserves;

● transport inspectors – for traveling without a ticket;

● services that monitor traffic through cameras (GITD, CANARD).

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How to check fines in Poland?

The most convenient way is to use online services. To do this, you usually need your PESEL, vehicle registration number, or trusted profile (Profil Zaufany).

Online methods

1. mObywatel 2.0 app. The mobile app displays complete information: amount, date, reason for the fine, number of penalty points. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play, and you can log in via Profil Zaufany.

2. The e-Urząd Skarbowy website (podatki.gov.pl). This service allows you to check all fines and tax charges and pay them online. Authorization is possible via Profil Zaufany, mObywatel, or a bank account connected to the ePUAP system.

3. The obywatel.gov.pl portal. Allows you to find out only the number of penalty points, but not the amount of the penalty. Convenient if you need to quickly check the status of your driver's license.

4. Credit Information Bureau (BIG, ERIF). If fines are overdue, they may appear in debtor databases. Here you can check all debts registered in your name.

Offline methods

1. Tax Office (Urząd Skarbowy). All fines after 2016 are automatically sent to the central office in Opole. There you can get complete information about your debts.

2. Police. The police station only provides data on the number of penalty points. They do not provide information about the amount of unpaid fines.

What happens if you don't pay a fine in Poland?

In 2025, Polish legislation became stricter towards debtors:

● Increased costs. The court may increase the amount of the fine to PLN 5,000 and add the costs of the proceedings.

● Enforcement proceedings. Tax or court enforcement officers have the right to debit funds from your account or seize your property.

● Problems with loans. Data on overdue fines is transferred to debtor databases (BIG, KRD), which makes it difficult to obtain a loan, rent housing, or register for services.

● Penalty points. These are only removed after the fine has been paid and are valid for one year. Exceeding the limit (24 points for experienced drivers, 20 for new drivers) results in the loss of driving privileges.

● Arrest. In extreme cases, the court may replace the fine with up to 6 months' imprisonment.

How to cancel or appeal a fine?

● Refusal on the spot. If you are not sure about the legality of the police's actions, you can refuse to sign the report. Then the case will be considered by the court.

● Appeal. If the fine has already been issued, but you consider it unfair, you have 7 days to file a claim with the court.

● Installment plan or deferral. If you are in a difficult financial situation, you can apply for a payment plan or deferral.

Statute of limitations for fines in Poland

Theoretically, a fine can “disappear” over time, but in practice this rarely happens. Any action by state authorities — from reminders to transferring the case to enforcement agents — resets the statute of limitations. Therefore, it is risky to rely solely on the expiration of the statute of limitations.

How to avoid fines?

1. Regularly check for fines in the mObywatel app.

2. Do not delay payment, even if the amount seems small.

3. If in doubt, appeal the decision in accordance with the established procedure;

4. Follow the traffic rules and use only official parking and transport services.

And if you often travel to Poland in your own car, remember that you must obtain a Green Card. This is an international insurance policy that is checked at the border and protects you in the event of an accident. You can conveniently apply for it online on the Visit Ukraine portal, just like travel insurance for trips to Europe. This will help you avoid unnecessary problems and have peace of mind on the road.

We remind you! From October 1, 2025, Ukrainian drivers in Poland will face fines of up to PLN 2,000 for using Ukrainian licenses without exchanging them for Polish ones. The reason is the expiration of a special decree that allowed driving without mandatory replacement of documents. Read about who will be affected by the new rules and how to avoid fines in our previous article.

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