Vehicle registration plates of Poland indicate the region of registration of the vehicle given the number plate.
 According to Polish law, the registration plate is tied to the vehicle, not the owner. There is no possibility for the owner to keep the licence number for use on a different car, even if it's a cherished registration. The licence plates are issued by the powiat (county) of the vehicle owner's registered address of residence, in the case of a natural person. If it is owned by a legal person, the place of registration is determined by the person's address. Vehicles leased under operating leases and many de facto finance leases will be registered at the address of the lessor. When a vehicle changes hands, the new owner must apply for new vehicle registration document bearing their name and registered address. The new owner may obtain a new licence plate although it is not necessary.  In such a situation the licence plates are usually carried over to the new owner, because the change carries an additional cost. Upon purchasing a vehicle from another person, if the vehicle has an EU plate, the new owner must replace it with a registration for their address and area, and give the EU plate to their powiat licensing authority to free up numbers in the future. If the car has a plate dated before May 1, 2006, the owner is free to do whatever they wish with it, as long as it is legal under Polish law. The plaque cannot be replaced if destroyed. The change of the whole set is required.
 The change in system shown below in 2001 is related to the reduction in the previous year of the number of voivodeships in Poland from 49 to 16, based on the country's historic regions. The pre-2001 licence plates (white letters on black background) can be used indefinitely, but since they are obsolete they have to be replaced in case of change of vehicle's ownership.
 In the pre-2001 model, there were not sufficient letters in the Polish alphabet for each of the old voivodeships to have a single letter. Only the standard latin alphabet was used (excluding Q), and the specific Polish characters with diacritics were excluded in order to make the plates fully internationally readable. Therefore, two letters had to be used to indicate the vehicle's origin (the middle administrative level of powiat was not introduced until 1999). Since the change, the first letter has always denoted the new voivodeship. One additional letter is used in cities with rights of powiat (this applies to 47 of 49 capitals of the old voivodeships, the exceptions being Ciechanów and Sieradz, and numerous major cities). Two additional letters are used in any other powiat.
 It is not necessary for EU citizens to immediately re-register the vehicles they have brought with them if they are duly registered and taxed elsewhere in the EU, when living in Poland. This emerges from European law, although local regulations have to date not been changed to reflect the law, leading to officials locally sometimes giving incorrect advice on this point. When in doubt, motorists are recommended to refer to their respective embassies.
 The licence plates are invalid without two adhesive stickers with holograms placed on the license plates, and, before 2022, an adhesive plaque bearing the same number as the plates inside the windshield. If the vehicle uses only one licence plate then the second sticker must be attached to the registration documents.
 Each powiat uses a unique two or three letter code, with the first letter denoting the voivodeship. The number pools listed below are not used in any particular order, although one pool is usually depleted before the next one is used. A visible gap exists between the area code and series, but there is no possibility of confusion if the number is written down without it. 
 The following characters are used in licence plate examples: 
 The letters used in licence plates include all standard Latin alphabet letters outside of Q (not used at all in the Polish language). The letters B, D, I, O, and Z cannot be used in series area (on the right, after the gap), because they could be confused with similarly-looking digits. Custom plates are allowed to include these letters though. The leading 0 in numbers is part of the code and is never omitted.
 Due to the pool of license plates combinations possibly running out in some areas, in 2022 the Ministry of Infrastructure issued a directive under which extra leading characters were introduced for several of the voivodeships:
 Reportedly, the Warsaw district of Mokotów was the first to start issuing AE registration plates following the new directive.
 Format:
 The number of available unique numbers with these mentioned formats is 1,100,000 for each two-letter powiat code, and 872,400 for each three-letter powiat code. The combinations "XYZ 1234" and "XYZ 123J" are not used, because they would lead to creation of numbers identical to these in the old system. Also, the two-letter powiat codes must be followed by a leading digit, "XY 1...", to avoid confusion with the "XYZ ..." scheme, as the gap is not significant. Electric vehicles have green background on their license plates.
 Format:
 Cars – reduced size Format:
 The plates are designed for cars imported from USA and Japan. Reduced size plates are the same width as US plates.
 Format:
 These plates use black text on yellow background with an additional picture of a vintage car on the right side. Vehicles are required to meet three criteria:
 These criteria, however, can be waived for special cases, such as prototype vehicles that were never mass-produced, cars of considerable historical value, or models representing technological breakthroughts. As such, issuing of these plates is always handled on a case-by-case basis by the conservation officer. Registered classic cars are not required to undergo yearly technical checkup unless used for transportation services, such as taxi.
 Format:
 These plates use red text on a white background. The plates wear a seal with month and year of validation. The windshield plaque is not issued with it.
 Introduced on 1 January 2020, they are issued to battery-electric and hydrogen vehicles. They are similar to regular plates but the background colour is light green instead of white. Such vehicles are allowed to drive on bus lanes, therefore visibly different registration plates allow the police to establish whether a vehicle is doing so legally. Electric plates are also used in "American" plates with reduced space.
 Format:
 These plates use red text on a white background. The last character is always the letter B (which stands for badawcza, or "research type"). Only car manufacturers and automobile R&D centres are issued these plates.
 Format:
 These plates use standard black letters on a white background. Each custom number starts with the letter denoting voivodeship and a single digit, followed by the gap. This digit and next characters can be picked by the owner. Outside the availability the following constrains are used: 
 Format:
 Since July 2019 dealers of new cars can apply for special number plates with green letters on white background specifically for doing test drives. Those plates are issued exclusively for the company itself and not for a specific vehicle. This means they can be applied to multiple vehicles when needed. Only car retailers can obtain these and such cars can be driven only by the car dealer, owner of the company, their employees or customers, but only when accompanied by an employee.
 Format:
 White symbols on dark blue background. The leading character is reserved for voivodeship, but in practice all vehicles are issued W and registered by the Masovian voivode no matter the physical location of the mission. The first three digits indicate a country or organization as listed in the table below.
 On top of the origin of the diplomatic mission, the vehicle's function can also be determined by the latter three digits:
 Diplomatic vehicles are also required to carry a sticker with CD (corps diplomatique) or CC (corps consulaire).
 Format:
 Vehicles utilised used by the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration use licence plates beginning with "H", instead of the voivodeship code. The second letter denotes the service, for example "HP" is used by the Polish Police. Any standard Latin letter outside Q can be used (unlike common licence plates). These services are also allowed to use common licence plates.
 Codes:
 Format:
 The Polish military uses licence plates beginning with "U" instead of the voivodeship code. The following letter denotes the usage of the vehicle. For example, military trucks have licence plates beginning with "UC". The trailing T in the number denotes a tracked vehicle. The military are not obliged to use the standard licence plates on tracked vehicles, armoured cars and armoured personnel carriers — they can be painted on the vehicle itself or applied as a sticker.
 Codes:
 DB – Wałbrzych (city county)
DBA – Wałbrzych County
DBL – Bolesławiec County
DDZ – Dzierżoniów County
DGL – Głogów County
DGR – Góra County
DJ – Jelenia Góra (city county)
DJA – Jawor County
DJE – Jelenia Góra County
DKA – Kamienna Góra County
DKL – Kłodzko County
DL – Legnica (city county)
DLB – Lubań County
DLE – Legnica County
DLU – Lubin County
DLW – Lwówek Śląski County
DMI – Milicz County
DOA – Oława County
DOL – Oleśnica County
DPL – Polkowice County
DSR – Środa Śląska County
DST – Strzelin County
DSW – Świdnica County
DTR – Trzebnica County
DW, DX – Wrocław (city county)
DWL – Wołów County
DWR – Wrocław County
DZA – Ząbkowice Śląskie County
DZG – Zgorzelec County
DZL – Złotoryja County
 CAL – Aleksandrów Kujawski County
CB – Bydgoszcz (city county)
CBR – Brodnica County
CBY – Bydgoszcz County
CCH – Chełmno County
CG – Grudziądz (city county)
CGD – Golub-Dobrzyń County
CGR – Grudziądz County
CIN – Inowrocław County
CLI – Lipno County
CMG – Mogilno County
CNA – Nakło County
CRA – Radziejów County
CRY – Rypin County
CSE – Sępólno County
CSW – Świecie County
CT – Toruń (city county)
CTR – Toruń County
CTU – Tuchola County
CW – Włocławek (city county)
CWA – Wąbrzeźno County
CWL – Włocławek County
CZN – Żnin County
 EBE – Bełchatów County
EBR – Brzeziny County
EKU – Kutno County
EL , ED – Łódź (city county)
ELA – Łask County
ELC – Łowicz County
ELE – Łęczyca County
ELW – Łódź East County
EOP – Opoczno County
EP – Piotrków Trybunalski (city county)
EPA – Pabianice County
EPD – Poddębice County
EPI – Piotrków Trybunalski County
EPJ – Pajęczno County
ERA – Radomsko County
ERW – Rawa Mazowiecka County
ES – Skierniewice (city county)
ESI – Sieradz County
ESK – Skierniewice County
ETM – Tomaszów Mazowiecki County
EWE – Wieruszów County
EWI – Wieluń County
EZD – Zduńska Wola County
EZG – Zgierz County
 LB – Biała Podlaska (city county)
LBI – Biała Podlaska County
LBL – Biłgoraj County
LC – Chełm (city county)
LCH – Chełm County
LHR – Hrubieszów County
LJA – Janów Lubelski County
LKR – Kraśnik County
LKS – Krasnystaw County
LLB – Lubartów County
LLE – Łęczna County
LLU – Łuków County
LOP – Opole Lubelskie County
LPA – Parczew County
LPU – Puławy County
LRA – Radzyń Podlaski County
LRY – Ryki County
LSW – Świdnik County
LTM – Tomaszów Lubelski County
LU – Lublin (city county)
LUB – Lublin County
LWL – Włodawa County
LZ – Zamość (city county)
LZA – Zamość County
 FG – Gorzów Wielkopolski (city county)
FGW – Gorzów Wielkopolski County
FKR – Krosno Odrzańskie County
FMI – Międzyrzecz County
FNW – Nowa Sól County
FSD – Strzelce-Drezdenko County
FSL - Słubice County
FSU – Sulęcin County
FSW – Świebodzin County
FWS – Wschowa County
FZ – Zielona Góra (city county)
FZA – Żary County
FZG – Żagań County
FZI – Zielona Góra County
 KBC – Bochnia County
KBR – Brzesko County
KCH – Chrzanów County
KDA – Dąbrowa Tarnowska County
KGR – Gorlice County
KLI – Limanowa County
KMI – Miechów County
KMY – Myślenice County
KN – Nowy Sącz (city county)
KNS – Nowy Sącz County
KNT – Nowy Targ County
KOL – Olkusz County
KOS – Oświęcim County
KPR – Proszowice County
KR, KK – Kraków (city county)
KRA – Kraków County
KSU – Sucha Beskidzka County
KT – Tarnów (city county)
KTA – Tarnów County
KTT – Tatra County
KWA – Wadowice County
KWI – Wieliczka County
 WA – Warsaw (Białołęka district)
WB – Warsaw (Bemowo district)
WBR – Białobrzegi County
WCI – Ciechanów County
WD – Warsaw (Bielany district)
WE – Warsaw (Mokotów district)
WF – Warsaw (Praga-Południe district)
WG – Garwolin County
WGM – Grodzisk Mazowiecki County
WGR – Grójec County
WGS – Gostynin County
WH – Warsaw (Praga-Północ district)
WI – Warsaw (Śródmieście district)
WJ – Warsaw (Targówek district)
WK – Warsaw (Ursus district)
WKZ – Kozienice County
WL – Legionowo County
WLI – Lipsko County
WLS – Łosice County
WM – Mińsk Mazowiecki County
WMA – Maków Mazowiecki County
WML – Mława County
WN – Warsaw (Ursynów district)
WND – Nowy Dwór County
WO – Ostrołęka (city county)
WOR – Ostrów Mazowiecka County
WOS – Ostrołęka County
WOT – Otwock County
WP – Płock (city county)
WPI – Piaseczno County
WPL – Płock County
WPN – Płońsk County
WPR – Pruszków County
WPU – Pułtusk County
WPY – Przysucha County
WPZ – Przasnysz County
WR – Radom (city county)
WRA – Radom County
WS – Siedlce (city county)
WSC – Sochaczew County
WSE – Sierpc County
WSI – Siedlce County
WSK – Sokołów Podlaski County
WSZ – Szydłowiec County
WT – Warsaw (Wawer district)
WU – Warsaw (Ochota district)
WW ****(last K, L, M, N, V, R, S) – Warsaw (Włochy district)
WW ****(last F, G, H, J, W) – Warsaw (Wilanów district)
WW ****(last A, C, E, X, Y) – Warsaw (Rembertów district)
WWE – Węgrów County
WWL, WV – Wołomin County
WWY – Wyszków County
WX – Warsaw (Żoliborz district)
WX ***Y# – Warsaw (Wesoła district)
WY – Warsaw (Wola district)
WZ – Warsaw West County 
WZU – Żuromin County
WZW – Zwoleń County
WZY – Żyrardów County
 OB – Brzeg County
OGL – Głubczyce County
OK – Kędzierzyn-Koźle County
OKL – Kluczbork County
OKR – Krapkowice County
ONA – Namysłów County
ONY – Nysa County
OOL – Olesno County
OP – Opole (city county)
OPO – Opole County
OPR – Prudnik County
OST – Strzelce Opolskie County
 RBI – Bieszczady County
RBR – Brzozów County
RDE – Dębica County
RJA – Jarosław County
RJS – Jasło County
RK – Krosno (city county)
RKL – Kolbuszowa County
RKR – Krosno County
RLA – Łańcut County
RLE – Leżajsk County
RLS – Lesko County
RLU – Lubaczów County
RMI – Mielec County
RNI – Nisko County
RP – Przemyśl (city county)
RPR – Przemyśl County
RPZ – Przeworsk County
RRS – Ropczyce-Sędziszów County
RSA – Sanok County
RSR – Strzyżów County
RST – Stalowa Wola County
RT – Tarnobrzeg (city county)
RTA – Tarnobrzeg County
RZ – Rzeszów (city county)
RZE – Rzeszów County
 BAU – Augustów County
BBI – Bielsk Podlaski County
BGR – Grajewo County
BHA – Hajnówka County
BI – Białystok (city county)
BIA – Białystok County
BKL – Kolno County
BL – Łomża (city county)
BLM – Łomża County
BMN – Monki County
BS – Suwałki (city county)
BSE – Sejny County
BSI – Siemiatycze County
BSK – Sokółka County
BSU – Suwałki County
BWM – Wysokie Mazowieckie County
BZA – Zambrów County
 GA – Gdynia (city county)
GBY – Bytów County
GCH – Chojnice County
GCZ – Człuchów County
GD – Gdańsk (city county)
GDA – Gdańsk County
GKA – Kartuzy County
GKS – Kościerzyna County
GKW – Kwidzyn County
GLE – Lębork County
GMB – Malbork County
GND – Nowy Dwór Gdański County
GPU – Puck County
GS – Słupsk (city county)
GSL – Słupsk County
GSP – Sopot (city county)
GST – Starogard Gdański County
GSZ – Sztum County
GTC – Tczew County
GWE – Wejherowo County
 SB – Bielsko-Biała (city county)
SBE – Będzin County
SBI – Bielsko-Biała County
SBL – Bieruń-Lędziny County
SC – Częstochowa (city county)
SCI – Cieszyn County
SCZ – Częstochowa County
SD – Dąbrowa Górnicza (city county)
SG – Gliwice (city county)
SGL – Gliwice County
SH – Chorzów (city county)
SI – Siemianowice Śląskie (city county)
SJ – Jaworzno (city county)
SJZ – Jastrzębie-Zdrój (city county)
SK – Katowice (city county)
SKL – Kłobuck County
SL – Ruda Śląska (city county)
SLU – Lubliniec County
SM – Mysłowice (city county)
SMI – Mikołów County
SMY – Myszków County
SO – Sosnowiec (city county)
SPI – Piekary Śląskie (city county)
SPS – Pszczyna County
SR – Rybnik (city county)
SRB – Rybnik County
SRC – Racibórz County
SRS – Ruda Śląska (city county)
ST – Tychy (city county)
STA – Tarnowskie Góry County
STY – Tychy County
SW – Świętochłowice (city county)
SWD – Wodzisław Śląski County
SY – Bytom (city county)
SZ – Zabrze (city county)
SZA – Zawiercie County
SZO – Żory (city county)
SZY – Żywiec County
 TBU – Busko-Zdrój County
TJE – Jędrzejów County
TK – Kielce (city county)
TKA – Kazimierza Wielka County
TKI – Kielce County
TKN – Końskie County
TLW – Włoszczowa County
TOP – Opatów County
TOS – Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski County
TPI – Pińczów County
TSA – Sandomierz County
TSK – Skarżysko-Kamienna County
TST – Starachowice County
TSZ – Staszów County
 NBA – Bartoszyce County
NBR – Braniewo County
NDZ – Działdowo County
NE – Elbląg (city county)
NEB – Elbląg County
NEL – Ełk County
NGI – Giżycko County
NGO – Gołdap County
NIL – Iława County
NKE – Kętrzyn County
NLI – Lidzbark Warmiński County
NMR – Mrągowo County
NNI – Nidzica County
NNM – Nowe Miasto Lubawskie County
NO – Olsztyn (city county)
NOE – Olecko County
NOG – former Olecko-Gołdap County (Powiat olecko-gołdapski [pl]): divided into Olecko County (NOE) and Gołdap County (NGO) in 2002
NOL – Olsztyn County
NOS – Ostróda County
NPI – Pisz County
NSZ – Szczytno County
NWE – Węgorzewo County
 PCH – Chodzież County
PCT - Czarnków-Trzcianka County
PGN – Gniezno County
PGO – Grodzisk Wielkopolski County
PGS – Gostyń County
PJA – Jarocin County
PK – Kalisz (city county)
PKA – Kalisz County
PKE – Kępno County
PKL – Koło County
PKN – Konin County
PKO, PN – Konin (city county)
PKR – Krotoszyn County
PKS – Kościan County
PL – Leszno (city county)
PLE – Leszno County
PMI – Międzychód County
PNT – Nowy Tomyśl County
PO, PY – Poznań (city county)
POB – Oborniki County
POS – Ostrów Wielkopolski County
POT – Ostrzeszów County
POZ, PZ – Poznań County
PP – Piła County
PPL – Pleszew County
PRA – Rawicz County
PSE – Śrem County
PSL – Słupca County
PSR – Środa Wielkopolska County
PSZ – Szamotuły County
PTU – Turek County
PWA – Wągrowiec County
PWL – Wolsztyn County
PWR – Września County
PZ – Poznań County
PZL – Złotów County
 ZBI – Białogard County
ZCH – Choszczno County
ZDR – Drawsko Pomorskie County
ZGL – Goleniów County
ZGR – Gryfino County
ZGY – Gryfice County
ZK – Koszalin (city county)
ZKA – Kamień Pomorski County
ZKL – Kołobrzeg County
ZKO – Koszalin County
ZLO – Łobez County
ZMY – Myślibórz County
ZPL – Police County
ZPY – Pyrzyce County
ZS – Szczecin (city county)
ZSD – Świdwin County
ZSL – Sławno County
ZST – Stargard Szczeciński County
ZSW – Świnoujście (city county)
ZSZ – Szczecinek County
ZWA – Wałcz County
 From July 1922 Polish car number plates had two letters denoting voivodeship (being an abbreviation of its name), or single letter W denoting capital city of Warsaw, and up to five digits. Except for letter identifier, each voivodeship had own range of numbers (except for autonomic Silesian Voivodeship, which used ŚL identifier and own numbers from 1). Plates were white, with red letters and black digits, separated with red dash. 
 There were also temporary plates with PR letters and presidential plates with WZK letters (for President of Poland chancellery). Military plates had only four white digits on black background.
 From 1937 there was a new different system of registration numbers introduced, with white letters on black plates. There was one letter denoting vehicle type, two-digit number denoting voivodeship, and three-digit individual number after a dash. Letters A, B, C, D, E, H, K, L, X, Y, Z were used for cars, trucks and buses, T for taxicabs, M, N, P, R, S, U for motorcycles and W for military vehicles. A range of numbers 00 to 19 meant capital city of Warsaw, 20 to 24 indicated Białostok Voivodeship, and so on, in alphabetical order, up to 95 to 99 for Wołyńskie Voivodeship.
 During World War II there were plates introduced by occupants.
 From 1946 Polish car number plates had the LNN-NNN format, with L being a letter and N being a digit. The full name of the province was located at the bottom.
 From June 19, 1956, Polish car number plates had 2 letters and 4 digits, and after May 13, 1964, letters could stand after digits.[citation needed]
 Individual elements meant:
 Codes of voivodeships:[citation needed]
 Codes of special forces:
 Plates from the 1976–2000 series are still valid. They have white letters on black background. The coding used was three letters and four digits (XYZ 1234) or three letters, three digits and one letter (XYZ 123A), although at the beginning the configuration with a letter in the end was used for public cars only.
 The following coding was used for the 49 regions of the country:
 The following codes were used for special forces:
 Special plates:
 Since the year 2000 Polish car plates have black letters pressed onto white reflective blanks with an EU stripe and country code. The switch was made to conform with other EU countries and to increase visibility. The licence plates issued until May 1, 2006, bear a Polish national flag. Plates issued after that date have the 12 EU stars instead of the flag.[dubious  – discuss]