LicenseTaxiKatowice
Taxi license in Katowice 2026: step-by-step guide
May 30, 20268-minute readPodpin Research Team
TL;DRKatowice is the heart of the Upper Silesian conurbation (the GZM Metropolis) — a dense, compact market where Bolt, Uber, FreeNow and yellow taxis operate side by side, and where Katowice–Pyrzowice airport (KTW) feeds a steady flow of longer airport runs. Here the passenger-transport (taxi) license is issued by the Mayor of Katowice (Prezydent Miasta Katowice) through the relevant department of Urząd Miasta Katowice. Since the 17 June 2024 reform, the rules for all platforms are unified nationwide. From filing to decision the average wait is about 21 days, and the all-in cost is around 740 zł plus 100-300 zł for incidentals. Below is the breakdown. If you want to start faster, you can drive on a fleet partner's license without dealing with the office yourself.
Short answer in four numbers
~620 zł
all-in cost
5-year license + all certificates
~21 days
approximate wait
from filing to decision
5 years
validity
minimum tier, same price up to 15 years
17 Jun 2024
rules reform
Polish cat. B license mandatory
These numbers assume "first time, all from scratch" in Katowice, 2026. If you already have medical certificates or a clean criminal record on file — less. EU/EEA citizens have it simpler but still need certificates plus a Polish or EU cat. B license. Confirm exact fees, the bank account and the timeline on bip.katowice.eu — administrative rates can change.
What changed on 17 June 2024 (national rules)
The reform ("Lex Uber") tightened rules across several fronts and applies the same in Katowice, Kraków and across Poland. Older guides on Google are outdated. The key points:
- A Polish category B license is mandatory as of 17 June 2024 for all platform drivers. Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian and other non-EU licenses no longer work for passenger transport. Exchange yours at WORD (the regional road-traffic center), sometimes with a re-test of theory and practice.
- In-person driver verification by the platform was introduced on 1 October 2024: Bolt, Uber and FreeNow must confirm the driver's identity and documents on-site. Remote registration without verifying originals no longer works.
- The passenger-transport license itself has been mandatory since 2020 — it is not new in 2024. The 2024 reform added the Polish-license requirement and mandatory verification.
- Minimum age 21 plus driving experience; a clean criminal record — for offenses against life and health, sexual freedom, and traffic safety.
- Medical and psychological exams from authorized practitioners (occupational doctor / transport psychologist). Lists are on the Silesian voivodeship office website in Katowice.
- The topography exam was abolished across all of Poland on 1 January 2020 — this covers Katowice, Kraków and every other city. If a blog claims you must pass a Katowice topography exam — it's outdated info.
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Drivers already working had a transition period to swap licenses. Now any roadside check without current paperwork = platform block + fine, and since 1 October 2024 there's also on-site verification on the platform's side.
Who specifically needs the license in Katowice in 2026
Different services, different rules. Here's the table:
| Activity | Taxi license | PL cat. B | Verification (from 1.10.24) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolt / Uber / FreeNow (car) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yellow taxi | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| KTW (Pyrzowice) airport transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bolt Food / Uber Eats / Glovo (car) | No | Yes | No |
| Bolt Food / Glovo (bicycle) | No | No | No |
| Cargo up to 3.5 t | No (different license) | Yes | No |
Couriers on bicycles or scooters don't need a license — but if you plan to side-gig as a taxi driver in Katowice on weekends or take night runs from Pyrzowice airport, you need it upfront, even for 1 ride per week.
Full document checklist
Gather it all before going to the Katowice office — saves at least one wasted trip:
- Wniosek o udzielenie licencji — passenger-transport license application. Downloadable from BIP Katowice or filled in on-site. Available via ePUAP if you have a profil zaufany.
- Copy of a Polish cat. B license (or EU/EEA equivalent). Non-EU licenses must be exchanged for Polish ones before filing — the requirement applies since 17 June 2024.
- Zaświadczenie o niekaralności (KRK) — clean criminal record certificate, valid up to 30 days. Online via e-KRK for 20 zł, or in person for 30 zł.
- Orzeczenie lekarskie — medical certificate from an authorized occupational doctor. Cost: 150-250 zł.
- Orzeczenie psychologiczne — psychological assessment from an authorized transport psychologist. Cost: 150-300 zł.
- Proof of payment — license fee receipt (200 zł for 2-15 years) + wypis (~2 zł per car, i.e. 1% of the fee). Pay to the Miasto Katowice account — check the account number on bip.katowice.eu.
- Vehicle documents: registration certificate + valid OC insurance. For non-EU foreigners the office may request a legal-residence document — confirm the exact scope with the office; requirements for foreigners vary.
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If you'll drive a rented car — also include a copy of the registration document and a rental agreement. If your own — proof of ownership + OC insurance covering commercial use. Confirm the exact document set with Urząd Miasta Katowice — forms and attachments are updated periodically.
Total cost — every line item (approximate)
Full "all-in" cost for Katowice 2026, 5-year license, one car. The license fee is national and depends on the validity period:
Total license cost end-to-end, zł
License (5 years)200 zł32%
Wypis for 1 car2 zł0%
Niekaralność (e-KRK)20 zł3%
Medical exam200 zł32%
Psychological exam200 zł32%
zł · License fee by validity period
200
250
300
2-15 lat
320 zł
15-30 lat
380 zł
30-50 lat
450 zł
Lifehack: pick 5-15 years on first application. Same price (200 zł) as 2 years, validity 2-7× longer. The wypis for the main car is 1% of the fee (≈2 zł); each additional car is a separate fee, +11% of the base (≈22 zł).
Step-by-step plan: zero to license in 3 weeks
Done in parallel (2-3 items per day) — realistic 14-21 days. One after another — 4-6 weeks.
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Step 1. Exchange license for Polish0-30 days (skip if already Polish)
If your license is non-EU/EEA — book a WORD Katowice slot for the exchange. 1-2 week lead time. Cost: 100-200 zł exchange + 100-300 zł sworn translation. Do this first — without a Polish cat. B you can't proceed under the 17 June 2024 rule.
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Step 2. Book medical exams1-7 days
Authorized occupational doctor and authorized transport psychologist — both have queues; across the conurbation there are centers in Katowice as well as Sosnowiec and Chorzów. Book immediately. The exam itself takes ~2 hours. You leave with the orzeczenie same day.
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Step 3. Niekaralność via e-KRKSame day
Visit ekrk.ms.gov.pl, log in via profil zaufany or MOJE-ID, pay 20 zł, download PDF. No profile? — the Sąd Rejonowy Katowice KRK point with passport + 30 zł.
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Step 4. File the application at Urząd Miasta Katowice1 day (visit)
Go to the relevant department of Urząd Miasta Katowice with the full document set. Fill in the wniosek. Pay on-site or show the transfer receipt. The clerk verifies and assigns a case number. Check the exact address/department on bip.katowice.eu.
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Step 5. Wait for the decisionapprox 14-30 days
The office verifies the criminal record, driving license, vehicle documents, sometimes asks for clarifications. The ready license plus wypis for the car are issued together.
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Step 6. Verification on the platform1 day
Since 1 October 2024 Bolt/Uber/FreeNow must confirm your identity and documents on-site. Book a verification point in Katowice — without it your account won't be activated.
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Total: parallel work — 2-3 weeks and 580-780 zł. If you want to earn right away — consider starting on a fleet partner's license while your own is being issued.
Where exactly to apply in Katowice
The passenger-transport (taxi) license in Katowice is issued by the Mayor of Katowice through the relevant department of Urząd Miasta Katowice. Approximate details (confirm on bip.katowice.eu):
- Urząd Miasta Katowice — main site katowice.eu, documents and forms — on bip.katowice.eu
- Transport license matters are handled by the relevant city department — check the exact department name and address in the BIP (the structure is occasionally reorganized)
- Citizen service points (punkty obsługi mieszkańców) operate at several locations across the city, including the center near the Rynek
- Office hours are usually Mon-Fri; walk-in queues are possible — book a slot
Online via ePUAP: with a profil zaufany you can submit the wniosek electronically. Originals still need one in-person visit for verification.
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Tip: book your visit slot online through the office's system to skip the queue. Before the visit, check the current document list on bip.katowice.eu — more reliable than any guide, including this one.
Frequently asked questions
Answers that didn't fit in the main text:
Can I drive Bolt/Uber while waiting for the license?
No on your own license until it's issued and until you've passed verification. But you can start on a fleet partner's license — the legal and fastest way to begin driving in Katowice while you sort out your own.
Does a Katowice license work in other cities?
The passenger-transport license works across all of Poland. No need to redo it for runs to Sosnowiec, Chorzów, Gliwice or Kraków — the whole GZM conurbation and the entire country.
What if I had a license in Ukraine/Belarus?
Doesn't count. The Polish license is a separate document, issued by Polish standards only. Foreign driving experience does count toward the requirement.
Topography exam for Katowice — yes or no?
No — topography was abolished across all of Poland on 1 January 2020. Neither in Katowice nor in any other city do you need to take it.
Is the license tied to the car or to me?
To the carrier. But wypis is a separate document per car. Change the car — renew wypis for ~2 zł (1% of the fee).
What is the verification from 1 October 2024?
Since 1 October 2024 the platforms (Bolt, Uber, FreeNow) must confirm a driver's identity and documents on-site before activation. It's a national requirement; Katowice has its own verification points.
How much does the license itself cost?
The fee is statutory and the single-gmina rate (Warsaw: 320/380/450 zł): 200 zł for a 2-15 year term, 250 zł for 15-30 years, 300 zł for 30-50 years. Confirm the exact amount at filing time on bip.katowice.eu.
Can I start driving this week?
Yes — via a fleet partner: you drive on their license while getting your own in parallel. Partner catalog for Katowice — on Podpin.
Common pitfalls — where weeks and money disappear
From real driver experiences obtaining the license in Katowice in 2024-2026:
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Pitfall #1 — skipping platform verification. Since 1 October 2024, even with a ready license your account won't be activated without on-site identity confirmation. Fix: book a Bolt/Uber/FreeNow verification point in Katowice ahead of time so you don't lose days after the license is issued.
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Pitfall #2 — medical certificate from the wrong doctor. Only authorized occupational doctors licensed to examine professional drivers count. A regular family-doctor visit doesn't. Fix: the list of authorized doctors is on the Silesian voivodeship office website.
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Pitfall #3 — Ukrainian/Belarusian license without exchange. Since 17 June 2024 non-EU licenses don't work for commercial transport. Fix: a WORD Katowice exchange takes 4-8 weeks plus money. Put it at the start of your plan.
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Pitfall #4 — outdated address/department from an old guide. The structure of Urząd Miasta Katowice changes and the application intake point can move. Fix: before the visit, always verify the department, address and document list on bip.katowice.eu, not in a year-old guide.
Waiting for the license — but want to drive now?
Podpin lists fleet partners in Katowice and across Silesia: start on a partner's license while your own is being issued. Filter by partner, read real driver reviews, transparent terms.
Sources (May 2026): BIP Urzędu Miasta Katowice, katowice.eu, ustawa o transporcie drogowym (Dz.U. 2001 nr 125 poz. 1371 as amended; 26.05.2023 amendment effective 17.06.2024; driver verification from 1.10.2024), e-KRK. Important: the exact department name at Urząd Miasta Katowice, the office address, the bank account and the precise license fee should be verified at the Urząd Miasta Katowice / bip.katowice.eu or by phone with the city office before filing — these details change and are given here as approximate. Medical exam prices — averaged across Silesian occupational-medicine centers.