Code 95 in Poland

Are you a driver from outside the EU? Maybe you’ve tried googling the phrase “work for truck driver”? Are you looking for legal employment and a company that would facilitate all the formalities? Truck driver job in Poland is what you are after? Work Partner Service is here to help.

What does the term code 95 mean, who needs it, and what forms does it take?

In addition to categories C, C+E or D on a driving license, there are also codes on the back of the license that indicate different types of restrictions or additional rights. Code 01.01, for example, means the driver must wear glasses. Code 95 works differently — it is a professional qualification, not a restriction.

Code 95 currently appears as an entry in the format “95.DD.MM.YYYY”, where the numbers following 95 indicate the expiry date, after which you need to renew your code 95 by completing the appropriate training course. Code 95 is a professional qualification without which every person, regardless of their place of origin, will not be able to start working as a truck driver in the countries of the European Union, including Poland.

If you do not have a Polish driving license with code 95 on it (or another driving license issued in the EU), you will need a Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy, code 95). What is it, and why is this document mandatory for truck drivers?

Who exactly needs code 95?

Code 95 is not required for every driver. It applies to commercial transport. The rule is simple:

• goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, which means categories C1, C1+E, C and C+E;
• buses and coaches with more than nine seats including the driver, which means categories D1, D1+E, D and D+E.

It does not matter whether you drive domestically or internationally, or whether you are employed or self-employed. If the vehicle falls into one of those groups and you are paid to drive it, the qualification is mandatory across the whole European Union, plus Switzerland and the EFTA countries.

Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy (Driver’s Qualification Card, CPC)

Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy (Driver’s Qualification Card, CPC, code 95) is Poland’s implementation of the EU Directive on the professional competence of drivers. The Directive applies to all professional truck and bus drivers who want to work as a driver within the EU.

The Polish CPC (Driver’s Qualification Card, Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy, code 95) is designed primarily for foreigners who do not have a driving license issued in the EU, and who are planning to work in one of the European Union countries, for example in Poland. It is a document for people who want to work as a driver with categories D1, D1+E, D, D+E, C1, C1+E, C or C+E that confirms they meet the requirements, but who do not have the ability to have code 95 entered on their driving license.

European CPC card, Driver CPC, KKK, kod 95: one qualification, many names

Drivers searching for information often encounter several different terms and assume they refer to different documents. They don’t. There is one qualification, and the name changes with the language and the context:

• Code 95 (kod 95) is the entry printed on a driving license in the format 95.DD.MM.YYYY. It is not a separate document — it is a stamp confirming that the qualification is held and until when.
• CPC, or Certificate of Professional Competence, is the name used in the EU directive and in English-language paperwork. There is no separate “CPC exam card” to collect.
• European CPC card and Driver CPC card are informal names for the plastic card issued to drivers whose license was not issued in the EU.
• Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy (KKK), sometimes translated as Driver Qualification Card or DQC, is the official Polish name of that same plastic card.

The practical difference comes down to where your driving license was issued. License from an EU country, EFTA state or Switzerland: the qualification goes straight onto the license as code 95. License from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus or anywhere else outside that zone: nothing can be printed on your license, so the voivode issues the separate plastic Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy instead. Both are legally equivalent.

How to obtain a Polish Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, code 95)? Documents required to obtain code 95 in Poland.

Drivers who want to get code 95 in Poland need to prepare the following documents:

• a completed application form for the Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy, code 95);
• a psychological certificate confirming no contraindications for working as a truck driver (with a photocopy);
• a medical certificate confirming no contraindications for working as a truck driver (with a photocopy);
• a valid passport or another photo ID confirming your identity (with a photocopy);
• a valid driving license with the appropriate categories (with a photocopy);
• one photo 35 mm x 45 mm;
• a vocational qualification certificate (Świadectwo kwalifikacji zawodowej), which you receive after completing the appropriate course (issued in Poland; with a photocopy);
• PKZ (professional driver’s profile, profil kierowcy zawodowego).

Our company helps with preparing and submitting documents for code 95 (Driver’s Qualification Card, CPC). We will fill out the application for you and guide you through the whole process.

The waiting period for a code 95 card may vary depending on the city where you submitted your application. In general, it takes about two weeks. When your CPC is ready, you can collect it yourself or through an authorized representative — for example, one of our team members. Our experienced staff can handle the entire process on your behalf.

What is a vocational qualification certificate (Świadectwo kwalifikacji zawodowej), and how do you obtain it?

A vocational qualification certificate (sometimes referred to as a course for transporting goods and passengers, or simply as code 95) is a certificate for drivers who have completed a code 95 course in Poland and as a result received a qualification allowing them to transport cargo and passengers.

Note that until 4 April 2022, the certificate was issued in paper form, but since that date it has been issued only in electronic form. The vocational qualification certificate is valid for five years, after which it must be renewed.

Training for code 95 falls into two types of courses: short course and long course.

Short course and long course — who they are for and how they differ

Code 95 courses fall into two main categories: a short course and a long course. Which one you need depends on your age, when you obtained the relevant categories, and any previous vocational qualification courses you have completed.

A short course (periodic training, szkolenie okresowe) for code 95 is for drivers:

• who are at least 23 years old and obtained categories D1, D1+E, D or D+E before 10 September 2008;
• who are at least 21 years old and obtained categories C1, C1+E, C or C+E before 10 September 2009;

Drivers who have already completed a long course for code 95 (initial qualification, kwalifikacja wstępna), or who need to renew their qualification because it has expired, can take a short course. The short course lasts five days, after which the training centre issues an electronic certificate. The short course does not end with an exam.

A long course (initial qualification, kwalifikacja wstępna) for code 95 is for drivers:

• who are at least 21 years old and obtained categories D1, D1+E, D or D+E after 10 September 2008, or categories C1, C1+E, C or C+E after 10 September 2009;

The long course lasts about four weeks. The course ends with a state exam consisting of 30 questions based on the course material. After passing the exam, the voivode issues an electronic certificate. Drivers take the long course only once. However, the qualification must be renewed every five years by completing a short course.

How many hours does the course take, and from what age can you start?

“About four weeks” and “five days” are useful shorthand, but the regulations set exact figures. Here is what each variant actually involves:

Course	Hours	Minimum age (C, C1, C+E, C1+E)	Minimum age (D, D1, D+E, D1+E)
Kwalifikacja wstępna (full initial qualification)	280	18	21
Kwalifikacja wstępna przyspieszona (accelerated)	140	21	23
Kwalifikacja wstępna uzupełniająca (supplementary)	70	21	23
Kwalifikacja wstępna uzupełniająca przyspieszona	35	21	23
Szkolenie okresowe (short, periodic training)	35	—	—

It is also worth knowing about the supplementary qualification. If you already hold code 95 for one group of categories and want to add the other, you do not repeat the full course. A driver qualified for trucks (C) who wants to move to buses (D) takes the supplementary qualification instead of another 280 hours.

The short course is 35 hours in total: 21 hours of core material and 14 hours of an additional module tailored to your specific driving role. Classes run seven hours a day, which is where the familiar “five days” comes from.

What the code 95 course covers

The course is not just a formality to complete. The syllabus is set at EU level and is the same in every member state. It covers:

• safe and fuel-efficient driving techniques: how the vehicle behaves on the road, braking systems, loading and securing cargo, economical driving;
• transport law and regulations: driving and rest times, the tachograph, chip cards, transport documentation, international rules;
• safety, vehicle care and logistics: technical condition of the vehicle, behaviour in emergencies, first aid, preventing human trafficking and illegal immigration;
• professional conduct: customer service, the company’s image, ergonomics and driver health.

For passenger transport (categories D and DE) the specialist part is different: more time goes to passenger safety, boarding and alighting, and handling incidents on board.

How the state exam works

Only the long course ends with an exam. The short course does not.

The exam is held by WORD (Wojewódzki Ośrodek Ruchu Drogowego), the voivodeship road traffic centre. It is a 30-question test split into two parts:

• the core part, 20 questions, with at least 16 correct answers needed to pass;
• the specialist part, 10 questions covering your stream (goods or passengers), with at least 5 correct answers needed.

Both parts must be passed in the same sitting. Passing the core part but failing the specialist part means the exam is not credited. The exam fee is 50 PLN. Once you pass, the voivode issues the electronic vocational qualification certificate.

How are the classes conducted?

Code 95 courses are conducted fully online. You can access all the training from your computer or smartphone. Every driver who enrols receives login details for a dedicated platform with unlimited access to lessons and lectures. In addition, you can complete practice exercises and mock tests linked to the subjects covered during the lectures. Because classes are taken remotely, even the busiest drivers can complete the course at any time.

PKZ (Professional Driver’s Profile, profil kierowcy zawodowego)

PKZ is a digital profile for professional drivers, created by the relevant transport authority, which allows you to take a code 95 course and consequently receive a Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC). It contains your personal data as well as information about your medical and psychological certificates, your vocational qualification certificate, and your professional driver’s card if you already had one.

PKZ is kept up to date and archived in an electronic system.

What do you need to receive PKZ?

The procedure for obtaining PKZ is very similar to that for a Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, code 95). You will need the following documents:

• a completed application form for the Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, code 95);
• a psychological certificate confirming no contraindications for working as a truck driver (with a photocopy);
• a medical certificate confirming no contraindications for working as a truck driver (with a photocopy);
• a valid passport or another photo ID confirming your identity (with a photocopy);
• a valid driving license with the appropriate categories (with a photocopy);
• one photo 35 mm x 45 mm.

Our company fills out the application and prepares the documents on your behalf. The Professional Driver’s Profile is issued in one day, free of charge. Once you receive your PKZ, you can start your code 95 training.

Why a CPC card issued outside the EU is not valid here

A CPC card, code 95 entry or driver qualification certificate is recognized only if it was issued in an EU member state, an EFTA country or Switzerland. Everything else is not recognized, regardless of how many years of experience you have.

This is not bureaucracy for its own sake. The EU sets one common syllabus, one exam standard and one register, so that a roadside inspection in Poland, Germany or Spain can verify any driver against the same rules. A qualification awarded under a different system cannot be checked that way, so it is treated as though it does not exist.

The practical consequence: a Ukrainian, Uzbek, Kazakh or Belarusian code 95 will not let you work in Poland, and there is no conversion or recognition procedure that turns it into a European one. The qualification has to be obtained again here. The good news is that your driving experience still counts for everything when you look for work, and the route through the process is well trodden.

Code 95 for drivers from Ukraine

According to the transport regulations in EU countries, every person who wants to work as a truck driver must obtain professional qualification code 95 within the EU. That is why drivers from Ukraine, like drivers from other non-EU countries, need a document proving their code 95 qualification was issued in the EU. A Ukrainian Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, code 95) is not such a document. If Ukrainian drivers want to work in Poland, they must obtain a Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, code 95) or exchange their driving license for a Polish one.

What to do if your qualification comes from outside the EU — step by step:

1. Check which course applies to you, the short one or the long one. It depends on your categories and on the dates they were issued.
2. Pass the medical and psychological examinations.
3. Obtain your PKZ — the professional driver’s profile.
4. Complete the course and, if it is the long course, pass the exam at WORD.
5. Apply for the Karta Kwalifikacji Kierowcy, which is what you receive instead of an entry on your license.

You do not need to exchange your driving license. You keep driving on your national one, and the separate card proves the qualification.

What happens if you drive without a valid code 95

Driving commercially without a valid qualification is an offence, and both the driver and the carrier are held responsible.

• The driver is fined during a roadside inspection by ITD or the police, and the journey must be halted. It can only continue once a driver with a valid code 95 takes control of the vehicle.
• The carrier faces a separate penalty for putting an unqualified driver on the road. Serious or repeated cases put the transport license itself at risk.
• After an accident the insurer may refuse or reduce a payout if it determines that the lack of qualification contributed to the accident.

One point is worth emphasising: an expired code 95 is legally equivalent to having no code 95 at all. If the date in the 95.DD.MM.YYYY entry has passed and you have not yet taken the short course, you cannot work, even though the C or D category on your license is perfectly valid.

Code 95 in Poland for non-Polish speakers

If you are not fluent in Polish and want to obtain qualification code 95 (Driver’s Qualification Card, CPC) recognized across the EU, Work Partner Service assists drivers throughout the entire code 95 qualification process.

We will help you obtain medical and psychological certificates at our partner clinic. We will explain every procedure related to the Driver’s Qualification Card (CPC, code 95) or PKZ and will assist you with the documentation.

Work Partner Service organizes courses for the transportation of goods and passengers — both short and long course, as well as second driver training. For your convenience, you can take all courses remotely. You can apply for code 95 (Driver’s Qualification Card, CPC) in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Poznan, Krakow, Gdansk, Bydgoszcz, Lodz, Lublin, Katowice, Szczecin, or any other city across Poland.

Looking for stable employment and good pay?

After you receive qualification code 95 (Driver’s Qualification Card, CPC), you can start working in Europe as a truck driver. If you need help finding work, our company can find a position for you. We offer employment on British, German, and Scandinavian freight lanes. We cooperate with companies that specialise in domestic and/or international transport. They differ in terms of the types of semi-trailers and vehicles used, systems of work, and location. Let us know which option appeals to you and we will handle the preparatory work.

Even drivers without experience have a chance for career development in our company. You will go through training with a more experienced driver who will show you the most important aspects of the job. They will show you how to work with a tachograph and explain what a chip card is.

Can you work as a truck driver part-time?

Yes, part-time work is possible if you work with us. You decide which days of the week you wish to work, and can indicate weekends or specific weeks in the year that suit you. You can work just one day a week, take to the road for a few days, or even longer. You decide which arrangement works best for you. You can work under a contract of employment or as a self-employed driver — the choice is yours.

Code 95 Online Test Preparation

Our training includes comprehensive online test preparation. Our remote driver training is built around a modern e-learning platform, giving you the flexibility to study from anywhere. This system includes a code 95 online test module for every part of the course.

How our online system helps you prepare:

• Practice tests: You take a practice test after each module to consolidate your understanding of the material.
• Exam-style questions: Our questions are designed to mirror the format of the final state examination, so you know exactly what to expect.
• Flexible study schedule: You can complete the course and take each test on your own schedule, whether you are at home or on a break.
• Instructor support: While the course is remote, our instructors are available to help you with any difficult topics.

By completing the course and the online test modules, you will be fully prepared to pass the final state exam. We assist with the entire process, from obtaining PKZ to receiving your certificate.

Code 95 in Poland — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Phone numbers:

+48 696653869