Can a Canadian Female Drive in Poland??

Hello everyone!

I'm a 23 year old female from Canada, with a Class 5 Driver's License (a general license to drive cars with more than one person with you)... and am wondering if I am allowed to drive in Poland with it, or am I supposed to obtain an 'International License'?

Any input would be much appreciated, thanks :)

You cannot drive here on a Canadian license, but only on EU member's state. Get an International one.

Here is what our Police writes on their website in FAQs:


policja.pl/palm/pol/167/4373/

Not sure if you have to be a member of CAA (Canadian Automobile Association). You can apply for an International Driver Permit there. PL is among the signators.

Driving in Poland? Be brave. Be very brave.
I consider myself as an excellent driver, but I have goose bumps when I'm driven in Poland. I would not dare to sit behind the wheel. It scares me. What if I decide to retire in Poland some day? Should I learn how to drive all over again?

Clearly, you overestimate your abilities. When someone else besides you and your mom calls you an excellent driver, you'll be good to go.

You might want to practice your drinking and driving technique though just to be on the even playing field.

You're supposed to, but the police don't care.

that means I drive illegally since I still have not renewed the old driving licence and I carry the Canadian one in case I am stopped.

Thanks for the advice! :) I think the drinking and driving in Poland is exaggerated. Whenever I am in Poland 'my drivers' are afraid to even have a tiny sip of alcohol. I guess, it is the other drivers one should worry about.


Are you comfortable driving in Poland?

well, not really, the roads are pretty narrow, drivers are quite crazy, so I always get stressed when driving and it is not as much fun as it is to drive in North America, when one can actually relax on the highway.

aphrodisiac wrote:


i do the same.

i don't know how it is for canadians, but for Americans, if i understand the laws correctly, you're allowed 3 months?/6 months? to drive using your American DL on a tourist stamp.....otherwise, how else would people visiting be able to rent a car.

one option is that when i drive, i take my passport with me and if i get stopped, i show my passport instead of my KP, assuming i've been in the states recently because i'd have a fresh stamp in it.

Ponder the meaning of the words International License.

By carrying an IDP.

In practice, the police don't seem bothered in Poland by the existence of a licence from the USA/Canada - legally, it's not enough, but I think they seem to treat it as being equal to an EU licence. But still, it's not allowed by law - and you always run the risk of running into a police officer who just wants to ruin your day.

jola1 wrote:


oooohh.....your sarcasm.....so biting, so clever.....

there's a significant reason for this time buffer.

99.999999% of all people living in America/Canada will never live in Europe for over 6 months at a time, and even less are willing to drive when they vacation in europe (especially in countries that drive on "the other side") making an international DL completely useless to just about everyone out there.

like i said, how would anyone visiting be able to rent a car. good luck enforcing a law that requires everyone traveling to europe from the USA/Canada to have an international DL.

What time buffer? It doesn't exist in Polish law. The only foreign licences recognised "as-is" are licences issued by an EU member state. Everyone else needs an IDP (if their country signed the Gevena/Vienna Convention on road traffic - a nice map is here -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Countries_that_Recognize_International_Driving_Permit.svg

Of course, if you can point me to anything in Polish law which states that short term visitors, holding non-EU licences from a country which signed one of the conventions can drive without an IDP legally, then I'll eat my words. I don't think you'll be able to though ;)


It doesn't matter if it's "useless" or not - the point is that they have to obtain it in order to be regarded as having a valid licence. Poland may not bother to enforce the law, but other countries can and will. No IDP means they don't have a valid licence in other countries - end of story.


Good luck with the arrogance - it's pretty obvious that you've never rented a car in Europe. The IDP is an integral part of the licence if you want to have it recognised abroad - but really, it seems as if you don't even know what an IDP actually is. It's not an "international driving licence" at all.

Anyway, car hire agencies may check, or may not. But if you have an accident in one of their cars, without possessing the required documentation (an IDP) - then good luck!

(gotta love the old "I'm American, the laws don't apply to me")

delphiandomine wrote:


you know what they say about people who assume. just rented a car last month, no probs. american passport, credit card, done deal.

delphiandomine wrote:


no, it's a BS permit that takes nothing more than a few passport photos, a short application and 15 bucks to AAA.

delphiandomine wrote:


which goes to show just how "integral" they really are.

delphiandomine wrote:


the same thought goes through my head with every illegal alien i meet in the USA....

Indeed, it is a done deal: unless you have an accident while driving without a valid licence. Then you get to find out that your insurance isn't valid and you are on the hook for the full amount of the damages.


These days pretty much every illegal alien I meet in Poland is a Yank.

Harry wrote:


i've only known a few americans in wroclaw and i can honestly say that every one of them had a KP. every one. in any event, sure, they exist here. the difference is, if i may say so, they generally don't stay very long and are few and far between.

Things are different in Warsaw, here most of the Americans who aren't on college programs which take care of their visas for them just do border runs. Why they think that that helps at all is quite beyond me.

lol. I like the 'relaxing' part. It doesn't mean that you can doze off behind the wheel but the wide open expressways make it a pleasure to drive. I'm sure it will take some adjustment and getting used to the narrow streets and crazy drivers, but you're going to be fine.

Gee, I rent a car in England all the time and all they ask for is my license which is American of course. It's different for Poland? I wonder, if I'm only going to be there for a week or so which I intend to do probably next summer and rent a car.

Can females drive?

Chicago Pollock wrote:


not every country requires you to have one and as far as i can see, England seems to be one of them.

gouk.about.com/od/tripplanning/f/drivingpermit.htm

$15? Looks like an IDP for me. If it's hassle free. If not I'll take my chances.

well, getting used to it is not the difficult, listening to my father giving me advice at every corner and turn (although he was the one who taught me driving a long time ago) could be a little annoying lol. I am guessing Polish man like to be behind the wheel at all times and if he isn't and there is a woman driving - he needs to say something;)

I am a Tunisian Citizen who holds a tunisian driving licence and i am wondering if i am allowed to drive in poland? if i need an international driving licence can i get it from poland ?

Female driving is not forbidden per se, but its not widely accepted and generally frowned upon. ;)

I am a Canadian who has driven in poland several times. Each I got the IDL through CAA here in Canada. Was pulled over once for not having my day lights on. My wife who is Polish explained things. There was another time when it was just a routine check from driving while impaired. I will say that in case the officer said to my wife it was that we had the IDL as I would have been given a ticket. If you want to risk problems that is your choice but it is something that I unnecessarily avoid. As for driving, there are idiots over there as well as anywhere else. The younger ones tend to be more speedy but I find this in most places. Overall driver are respectful outside the cities. I found Warsaw a little crazy but took my time and got to where I was going in every case. After the first time my driving became better due familiarity of roads etc.

I consider myself an average driver, but never get goose bumps when driving in Poland. Generally I don't like driving,
never had any problems in Poland. It is funny how Polish drivers make sure they don't even smell any alcohol before driving while
in CA driving after a beer or a drink (one....) is no problem. This summer I was driving a rental with California DL,
got stopped because of not turning lights on (at noon in June), had a conversation with police and was quickly on my way after
exchanging pleasantries.
The only problem I see is with increasing number of radars (my GPS was good in picking them out though).

Good luck.

PS. Why do you get goose bumps when driving in Poland? Because of handsome drivers?

"Can a Canadian Female Drive in Poland??"
What does your sex has to do with ability to drive?

It is quite an odd phrasing - I am a UK driver, not a 'female UK driver'....