Poland’s general speed limits for cars are 140 km/h on motorways, 120 km/h on dual-carriageway expressways, 100 km/h on single-carriageway expressways, 90 km/h on most other roads outside built-up areas and 50 km/h in built-up areas. Automated enforcement is run nationally by the CANARD system of the road transport inspectorate, GITD. It operated 461 fixed cameras and 70 average-speed systems in the first half of 2025, according to GITD data reported by Auto Świat.
| Road type | Cars |
|---|---|
| Motorway | 140 km/h |
| Dual-carriageway expressway | 120 km/h |
| Single-carriageway expressway | 100 km/h |
| Dual carriageway with two lanes each way | 100 km/h |
| Other roads outside built-up areas | 90 km/h |
| Built-up area | 50 km/h |
| Residential zone | 20 km/h |
What are the speed limits in Poland?
Article 20 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym) sets the limits above for cars, motorcycles and goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.
- Residential zones: 20 km/h. These zones are marked by signs and have their own traffic rules.
- Dual carriageways: a road with two carriageways and at least two lanes each way that is not a motorway or expressway has a limit of 100 km/h outside built-up areas.
- Trailers: a car towing a trailer is limited to 80 km/h on motorways, expressways and dual carriageways with at least two lanes each way, and to 70 km/h on other roads outside built-up areas.
- Local changes: under Article 21, the road authority can use signs to raise or lower the limit in a built-up area and to lower it outside one.
What kinds of speed cameras does Poland use?
Poland uses fixed cameras, average-speed sections and red-light cameras, run through CANARD. GITD data for the first half of 2025, reported by Auto Świat, listed 461 fixed cameras, 70 average-speed systems and 54 red-light systems.
The network has been expanding since. CANARD announced in January 2025 a project of 128 new devices: 43 average-speed systems, 70 fixed cameras, 10 red-light systems at junctions and 5 at railway crossings. With the 43 new sections, the system would run 114 average-speed sections over more than 670 km. Auto Świat reported in February 2026 that 11 of the 43 were working and that 14 of the 70 fixed cameras were running, with the rest due during 2026. Treat these as dated figures, because the total keeps changing.
Does Poland publish where its cameras are?
Yes, GITD publishes a device map on the CANARD website. It marks point speed measurement, average-speed measurement, red-light registration and control points. The page states that the map is for illustration only and is not an official document. CANARD has also published a list of the 43 new average-speed locations.
Are speed camera apps legal in Poland?
Polish law prohibits devices that inform of the operation of enforcement measuring equipment, and we found no specific rule on phone apps. Article 66(4)(4) of the Road Traffic Act bans fitting a vehicle with a device that informs of the operation of measuring equipment used by traffic control authorities, or that disrupts it, and carrying such a device ready for use (consolidated text Dz.U. 2024 item 1251, with later amendments checked on 30 October 2026). We found no court ruling or official statement on whether a phone app counts as such a device, so check locally.
What should visiting drivers know about Poland?
Speeds are in km/h, and a built-up area in Poland is defined by road signs: Article 2 of the Road Traffic Act calls it an area marked with the appropriate signs. The 50 km/h limit therefore applies from the sign, even where the surroundings look open. The motorway figure of 140 km/h is a maximum and applies only where no lower limit is signed. Expressways differ too: 120 km/h on a dual carriageway, 100 km/h on a single one, so check which type you are on. If your route runs south or west, see our guides to Italy and France.
