head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Infrastructure of Poland (gov.pl)
Verified
Quick answer: A Poland driver's license photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Plain light background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain light background. |
| Pose | Full face, looking directly into the camera. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | No tinted glasses; eyes and pupils must be clearly visible. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows or reflections. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Face from the crown to the upper part of the shoulders must be fully visible. |
| Digital resolution | 480 × 615 px |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
The Polish Ministry of Infrastructure says on gov.pl that the driving licence photo is «in colour, current — taken not earlier than 6 months before the application — sharp, without visible pixels, with a natural contrast, on a uniform light background, 35 × 45 mm», showing the whole head and the image to the upper part of the shoulders, the natural skin colour and the eyes — especially the pupils — clearly. You look straight ahead, with no headwear, no dark glasses and nothing that could make recognition harder, the eyes open and not covered by hair, a natural expression and the mouth closed; the face takes 70–80 % of the photo and the outline of the head is clear — an overexposed background is not allowed. A person with an eyesight defect may have a photo in dark glasses if a similar photo is in the identity document and a disability certificate is attached; a religious head covering is allowed if the whole face is visible, a similar photo is in the identity document and a certificate of membership of a religious community registered in Poland is attached. A digital photo on an external data carrier must be a JPEG with an EXIF header (version 2.1 or later, with the date of the shot), sRGB, 24-bit colour, 480 × 615 pixels, at most 100 KB, with compression quality not below 80/100.
The office may refuse an application with a photo that does not meet the requirements, and a photo for an online application is submitted as a current scan or file with the signed form and the medical certificate.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons Poland driver's license photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland (gov.pl) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo that is not in colour, not 35 × 45 mm, older than six months, blurred or with visible pixels | A sharp colour photo of 35 × 45 mm taken within the last six months. |
| A face outside 70–80 % of the photo, pupils not clearly visible, a head outline that is not clear or an overexposed background | The face at 70–80 %, the pupils clear, a clear head outline on a uniform light background. |
| Headwear, dark glasses, hair over the eyes, an open mouth or a non-natural expression without the allowed exception | No headwear or dark glasses, eyes open and uncovered, natural expression, mouth closed. |
| A digital file that is not a JPEG with EXIF 2.1 or later, sRGB, 24-bit, 480 × 615 pixels and at most 100 KB | Save a JPEG with an EXIF date, sRGB, 24-bit, 480 × 615 pixels, at most 100 KB, compression quality at least 80/100. |
How to take it
Background: plain light
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 70–80 % of the photo height
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Polish driving licence is applied for at the district office (starostwo) or city office — in person with a printed photo or a file on a data carrier, or online with a scanned form, the medical certificate and a current photo.
gov.pl — the driving licence service; the starostwo of your district
35 × 45 mm colour photo within six months; or a 480 × 615 px JPEG up to 100 KB on a data carrier.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland (gov.pl) |
|---|---|
| Source | gov.pl — Zdjęcie do prawa jazdy |
| Verified |
Questions
A colour photo of 35 × 45 mm taken within six months on a uniform light background, the whole head to the upper shoulders with the face at 70–80 %, the pupils clear, no headwear or dark glasses, a natural expression with the mouth closed, sharp without visible pixels.
A JPEG with an EXIF header (2.1 or later, with the date of the shot), sRGB, 24-bit colour, 480 × 615 pixels, at most 100 KB, compression quality at least 80/100.
Not dark ones, unless you have an eyesight defect, a similar photo in glasses in your identity document and a disability decision attached; ordinary clear glasses must not hide the eyes.
For religious reasons if the whole face is visible, a similar photo is in the identity document and a certificate of membership of a religious community registered in Poland is attached.
The Poland driver's license photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 70–80% of the photo height. For digital upload, use 480 × 615 px. The photo is printed on the card and stays there for years, so use one that looks like you every day.
Plain light background. Light should fall evenly on your face from the front, without shadows: face a window and turn off the flash.
Most offices ask for a photo taken within the last six months. Use an everyday photo rather than a styled portrait — the licence stays valid for years.
No. The rules are the same as for a passport: neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight into the camera.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the Poland licensing office.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.