Speed limits in Poland for a passenger car are: 50 km/h in built-up areas at all hours, 90 km/h on ordinary roads outside towns, 100 or 120 km/h on expressways and 140 km/h on motorways. With a trailer, the maximum is 80 km/h. Road signs take priority over these limits, and since 3 March 2026 exceeding the limit by more than 50 km/h means losing your driving licence on many roads outside towns too. Below you will find the full table and a comparison with the countries people most often drive to in a rental car from Warsaw.
Speed limits in Poland: 2026 table
The limits come from Article 20 of the Polish Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym) and apply to passenger cars, motorcycles and vans up to 3.5 t. The same limits apply to drivers with Polish and foreign licences.
| Type of road | Passenger car | With a trailer |
|---|---|---|
| Residential zone (strefa zamieszkania) | 20 km/h | 20 km/h |
| Built-up area (24 hours) | 50 km/h | 50 km/h |
| Other roads outside built-up areas | 90 km/h | 70 km/h |
| Dual carriageway with at least 2 lanes each way | 100 km/h | 80 km/h |
| Single-carriageway expressway | 100 km/h | 80 km/h |
| Dual-carriageway expressway | 120 km/h | 80 km/h |
| Motorway | 140 km/h | 80 km/h |
A road sign always overrides the general limit. In built-up areas the road authority may lower or raise the limit; outside them it may only lower it.
What is the speed limit on Polish motorways?
On a motorway a passenger car may drive at up to 140 km/h, or 80 km/h with a trailer. At roadworks, junctions and tunnels the limit is often lower and shown by signs. The General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) points out that speed limits on motorways and expressways (in Polish) may also be changed because of weather or incidents.
What is the speed limit on expressways?
On an expressway with two carriageways separated by a central reservation, the limit is 120 km/h. On a single-carriageway expressway it is 100 km/h. With a trailer, the limit on any expressway is 80 km/h.
The same 100 km/h applies on an ordinary dual carriageway, but only if it has at least two lanes in each direction. A dual carriageway with one lane each way has a 90 km/h limit.
What is the speed limit in towns and residential zones?
In a built-up area, from the D-42 sign to the D-43 sign, the limit is 50 km/h at all hours. The former 60 km/h night limit no longer exists. On some streets signs raise the limit, for example to 70 km/h, while tempo 30 zones lower it to 30 km/h.
In a residential zone, marked with the D-40 sign, the limit is 20 km/h and pedestrians have priority.
Losing your licence for speeding since 3 March 2026
Until 2 March 2026, drivers lost their licence for 3 months for exceeding the limit by more than 50 km/h only in built-up areas. Since 3 March 2026 the same rule also applies on single-carriageway two-way roads outside built-up areas, which covers most national and regional roads. On a road with a 90 km/h limit, that means driving faster than 140 km/h. Fines and penalty points for smaller offences are explained in our guide to the new fine tariff in Poland.
Poland and neighbouring countries: limits for passenger cars
When you cross the border, motorway and ordinary road limits change. The values in the table apply to a passenger car without a trailer, unless signs say otherwise.
| Country | Town | Outside towns | Expressway | Motorway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 50 | 90 | 100-120 | 140 |
| Germany | 50 | 100 | no general limit, signs apply | no general limit, signs apply |
| Czech Republic | 50 | 90 | 110 | 130 |
| Ukraine | 50 | 90 | 110 | 130 |
In the Czech Republic you also need a vignette for motorways and expressways, which we cover in our article on the Czech vignette. In Ukraine, drivers with less than 2 years of experience may drive no faster than 70 km/h outside towns, which is worth knowing before a one-way car rental from Poland to Ukraine.
Frequently asked questions
What is the speed limit with a trailer on a motorway?
80 km/h. The same limit applies with a trailer on expressways and on dual carriageways with at least two lanes each way. On other roads outside towns the limit is 70 km/h.
Can I drive 60 km/h in town at night?
No. In built-up areas the limit is 50 km/h at all hours, unless signs set a different limit.
What is the speed limit outside built-up areas?
90 km/h on an ordinary road. Higher limits apply only on dual carriageways with at least two lanes each way (100 km/h), on expressways (100 or 120 km/h) and on motorways (140 km/h).
Do the limits apply to drivers with a foreign licence?
Yes. Polish limits apply in Poland regardless of the country that issued your licence or registered the car.