- Towing vehicles up to 3.5 t GVW with a trailer have been exempt from the e-TOLL requirement since 21 September 2026
- On the A1 and on sections of the A2 and A4, the toll still applies
- Remaining credit must be reclaimed by 21 March 2027
Poland has changed its toll rules for light vehicle-and-trailer combinations. Since 21 September 2026, whether the e-TOLL requirement applies depends solely on the gross vehicle weight of the towing vehicle. If it is no more than 3.5 tonnes (3,500 kg / around 7,716 lbs), adding a trailer no longer makes the combination liable for the toll. That holds true even if the car and trailer together weigh more than 3.5 tonnes. The change affects travellers with caravans or horse trailers. It also affects motorcyclists who bring their bike to Poland on a trailer behind a car or van, whether for a holiday, a training course or an off-road tour.
Which vehicle-and-trailer combinations are exempt from the e-TOLL toll in Poland?
Exempt are all combinations of a towing vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes and a trailer. The basis is an amendment to the Polish Public Roads Act.
Until now the situation was different. If a car and trailer together weighed more than 3.5 tonnes, the driver had to settle their journeys via e-TOLL. That required an account in the system, usually a prepaid account with a stock of credit. The new law looks only at the towing vehicle. A trailer is therefore no longer a reason to bring the combination into the electronic toll.
What changes for motorcyclists with a trailer?
Anyone bringing their motorcycle to Poland on a trailer behind a vehicle of up to 3.5 tonnes no longer has to pay the e-TOLL toll on state-run roads. An e-TOLL account is no longer needed for that.
This matters above all for heavy combinations. A van with a trailer for several motorcycles can easily exceed 3.5 tonnes. Until now such a combination fell under the e-TOLL requirement. Now only the weight of the van counts. If its gross vehicle weight is above 3.5 tonnes, the electronic toll still applies.
Does the toll exemption apply on all roads in Poland?
No. The exemption applies only on publicly funded motorways as well as on expressways and national roads.
Excluded are the routes operated by private concessionaires. These include the A1 as well as sections of the A2 and A4. Those stretches do not run through the state e-TOLL system. For vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, the toll continues to be collected there at toll plazas or through the operators’ own billing systems. When planning a motorcycle trip to Poland it is therefore worth checking the route. As in other European countries, toll rules often differ from road to road.
How do travellers get their e-TOLL credit back?
The credit is not paid out automatically. Anyone who is no longer liable for the toll and still has money in their e-TOLL account must submit an application within six months, meaning by 21 March 2027.
The sum involved is considerable. According to the Polish tax administration Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa (KAS), there are 365,252 billing accounts for light vehicles with trailers. Together they hold 20,846,049.12 zloty (around 4.79 million euros / 5.50 million US dollars). Most of these accounts are prepaid accounts.
It is not only prepaid credit that is refunded. Cash deposits that users lodged for a postpaid account are also returned. The money goes to the bank account stated in the application. Where the deposit was lodged as a bank or insurance guarantee, users get the original documents back.
The deadline matters. Money not reclaimed by 21 March 2027 flows into the National Road Fund (Krajowy Fundusz Drogowy). After that there is no refund.
What happens to penalties and ongoing proceedings?
The 500 zloty penalty (around 115 euros / 132 US dollars) for a missing e-TOLL payment no longer applies to the exempt combinations. Until now this penalty could be imposed if a vehicle under 3.5 tonnes with a trailer travelled as a combination over 3.5 tonnes without paying the toll.
Since 21 September, KAS has no longer been opening new proceedings in such cases. Proceedings already under way are to be discontinued. For all other vehicles the existing rules remain. Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes continue to fall under the electronic toll. Anyone driving them on toll roads without paying must expect a penalty.
What happens to the vehicle data in the e-TOLL register?
The data of vehicles that are no longer liable for the toll as of 21 September 2026 will be deleted from the e-TOLL register. Accounts used only for such vehicles will be closed by KAS itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I still have to pay e-TOLL in Poland with a car and a motorcycle trailer?
No, provided the towing vehicle has a gross vehicle weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes. Since 21 September 2026 the exemption applies even if the combination as a whole is heavier. On the privately operated sections of the A1, A2 and A4, a toll may still apply to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
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By when can I reclaim my credit from e-TOLL Poland?
The application must be submitted by 21 March 2027. The credit is not refunded automatically. Once the deadline has passed, the money flows into the National Road Fund.
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Is the penalty for a missing e-TOLL payment with a trailer still imposed?
Not for combinations with a towing vehicle of up to 3.5 tonnes. The 500 zloty penalty no longer applies to this group, and ongoing proceedings are to be discontinued. For vehicles over 3.5 tonnes the penalty still applies.
