🆔 Urząd gminy

Polish ID card (dowód osobisty)

The ID card is free and mandatory for every adult Polish citizen living in the country. You apply at any gmina office — regardless of your registered address — because fingerprints and a signature specimen are taken on site. Exception: for a child under 12 the whole application can be done online at gov.pl with a Trusted Profile. The card is valid 10 years for anyone over 12, and 5 years for younger children. Production takes up to 30 days; track the status on gov.pl with the application number.

Service passportUpdated: 30.07.2026.

Cost

Free

Duration

Up to 30 days

Deadline

Apply before the old card expires

Where

Any gmina office · child — gov.pl

Open the official service →

✓ Information verified: 2026-07-30 Report an error

Who this applies to

Adult citizens (mandatory), eighteen-year-olds getting their first card, parents making one for a child (e.g. for EU travel — a child can fly on an ID card instead of a passport), and anyone whose card is expiring, lost, or whose data changed (surname after marriage — replacement is mandatory). Report loss or damage immediately — the card is invalidated, protecting you from loan fraud. The mObywatel app with mDowód covers most matters domestically but doesn't replace the plastic card at borders or when applying for a new one.

Step by step

Prepare the photo

One current photo (no older than 6 months): face straight on, neutral expression, light background. For a child's online application a digital file meeting the same rules is enough.

Submit the application

Adults and children 12+ — in person at any gmina office (fingerprints on site; visits can be booked online). A child under 12 — via the 'Uzyskaj dowód osobisty' service on gov.pl, entirely from home.

Collect the card where you applied

Up to 30 days. Check production status on gov.pl ('Sprawdź, czy dowód jest gotowy'). At collection you set the PIN codes for the electronic layer — useful for e-signatures and logging in.

Common mistakes

Delaying replacement after a name change — the old card lapses automatically, and without a valid document the bank and notary are blocked.

Flying abroad with only mObywatel — the mDowód is not a travel document; outside Poland you need the physical card or a passport.

Delaying a loss report — until it's invalidated, the card can be used to take out loans in your name.

Frequently asked questions

Does the child have to be present?

Under 12 — no: you apply online and collect the card yourself (from age 5 the child must attend the collection). From 12 the child must come to the office, as fingerprints are taken.

I lost my ID — what first?

Invalidate it immediately: online at gov.pl ('Zgłoś utratę lub uszkodzenie dowodu'), at any gmina office, or — if stolen — at the police. Then apply for a new one; also restrict your PESEL in mObywatel.

Official sources

Verified against official sources · 30.07.2026.