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Can you keep a right hand drive car in Poland? [57]
Hi,
This is a reply that I received from the EC enquiry desk
EU rules on the issue of vehicles registration provide a very general guidance only. You will find info on those rules on Your Europe website:
. As there are no pan-European detailed rules concerning car registration, each EU country operates its own individual provisions. In your case, to register a British car in Poland, you will be subjected to Polish rules on car registration.
Indeed in the light of Polish law (Road Traffic act and law on technical specifications of vehicles) local registration authorities are prohibited from registering a right hand driven vehicle in Poland. The law cannot however be condemned per se, as it allows for an exception – namely an owner of right hand driven vehicle may apply to the Ministry of Transport for a special permit to have a right hand driven vehicle registered in Poland.
I do appreciate that the system of applying for additional permits may be difficult and burdensome for individual citizens (thus suggesting the system if a barrier to absolute enjoyment of free movement rights by EU citizens). On the other hand however, one must also appreciate a potential defence used by Polish authorities – that the system is introduced with the aim of ensuring and enhancing road safety. Until details of how the system of obtaining additional permits is working on the ground are known, we may not authoritatively confirm if Polish law allowing for difference in treatment of right and left hand driven vehicles is justifiable.
I would advise that you contact the Polish Ministry of Transport direct to find out how you may apply for the special permit to have a right hand driven vehicle registered in Poland. The telephone number to the appropriate department within the Ministry (department of technical specifications) is: 022 630 12 52. Full contact details of the Ministry may be found on:
If following that encounter you will remain convinced that the Polish system is incompatible with EU law, you may prepare an official complaint to the European Commission and/or the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament.
