ID card - consequences of having an invalid identity document

An identity card is one of the documents confirming the identity of a citizen of the Republic of Poland or another country.

Detailed regulations on the issue of identity cards are contained in the Act of 6 August 2010 on identity cards (hereinafter: the Act on identity cards). The aforementioned legal act specifies to whom and in what cases the identity document is issued and, inter alia, the consequences of its invalidity.

Who must have an ID card?

Pursuant to Art. 5 section 2, the act on d.o. a person who is 18 years of age and is a Polish citizen and resides in the territory of the Republic of Poland is required to have an ID card.

How long is the ID card valid?

In principle, the ID card is valid for 10 years from the date of its issue.The 5-year validity of this document applies to persons under 5 years of age.

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On the other hand, the ID card issued to a person who has reached 65 years of age is valid for an indefinite period, provided that the person has requested an identity card with such a validity period.

What are the risks of using an invalid ID card?

Anyone who evades the obligation to have or exchange an ID card, keeps someone else's ID card without legal basis or does not return an ID card in the event of loss of Polish citizenship, is subject to legal liability. The penalty for such acts is restriction of liberty or a fine, which can reach up to PLN 5,000.

When to replace your ID card?

The identity card should be replaced, inter alia, no later than 30 days before the expiry date of the document (about when to replace the ID card is provided in Art. 46 of the Act).

In addition, it is worth adding that from January 1, 2010, the exchange of the ID card is free of charge.