Poland to Abolish National Parking Cards Ahead of EU Directive

Poland is set to abolish its national parking card system for individuals with disabilities, a move driven by an upcoming European Union directive. The directive will introduce a unified European parking card, and the Polish government aims to prevent citizens from having to replace their documents twice in a short period.

The current Polish parking cards are scheduled to remain valid until the introduction of the new European model. According to Prawo.pl, the existing design does not meet national security requirements for public documents. Transitional regulations permit its use only until July 12, 2026. Without the planned change, Poland would first need to adapt the Polish card to national security standards and then again to EU requirements.

The Ministry of Family argues that modifying the current card design for a brief period would be costly and organizationally inefficient. It would necessitate two legislative processes, selecting a new card producer, and adding to the workload of issuing authorities. Therefore, the government proposes removing the parking card from the list of third-category public documents. This allows the current design to remain in use until the European parking card is implemented, ensuring holders of valid documents can continue using them.

The new European parking card is expected to be implemented across EU member states by June 5, 2028, with national cards being replaced by December 5, 2029. This unified card will feature standardized security features, including QR codes for authenticity verification. The EU also plans to introduce a digital version in the future, aiming to simplify travel for people with disabilities within the bloc. The criteria for obtaining parking cards will remain unchanged, continuing to be available for individuals with significant mobility limitations and a valid disability assessment.