How to start working with Uber, Bolt and FREENOW in Poland: a step-by-step guide

Step 1. Prepare your driver documents

To get set up, prepare valid documents and certificates confirming your fitness to work as a taxi driver.

Foreign drivers also need to check their basis for staying in Poland and their right to work. The specific documents depend on citizenship and status: a work permit is not required in every case. These conditions must be checked before you start work.

The basic set of documents for getting set up is as follows:

For an application to an administrative office, check the photo size required for the particular document. The 3×4 format for the preparation package does not replace those requirements. A separate digital driver photo may be needed for the app account.

Order your Polish criminal record certificate with the date of your in-person verification in mind. Uber, Bolt and FREENOW specify that it must be recent: no more than 30 days old at the relevant verification stage. If you obtain the certificate well before booking your appointment, you may need a new one by the time you attend.

Foreign drivers preparing to work with GCAR Partner need to plan for a certificate from their country of citizenship/origin and a sworn translation into Polish. The Polish certificate and the foreign certificate are separate documents. Before ordering them, agree with the team on the documents required and how recently they must have been issued: these requirements depend on your situation and the platform.

You obtain the Polish certificate through Krajowy Rejestr Karny (KRK), the National Criminal Register. The foreign document is translated by a sworn translator of Polish — a tłumacz przysięgły. Check that your first name, surname and other details match your identity document.

When booking your medical and psychological examinations, specify that you are a taxi driver. Take photos of documents so that the details are legible and all edges of the document are visible. Prepare the originals for in-person verification.

Check the validity periods in the certificates themselves. If you previously underwent an examination for a different job, confirm whether its wording is suitable for work as a taxi driver.

Step 2. Discuss working with a partner

Before registering and taking over a vehicle, make sure you understand the working terms. Clarify the partner's fee, how payments are settled, platform commissions and vehicle costs.

If you plan to rent a car, discuss the rental terms, security deposit, servicing and what to do if it breaks down separately. Find out how much money you need to have ready before starting taxi work.

GCAR Partner arranges cooperation under an umowa zlecenia contract, helps with platform registration and handles accounting for the drivers it employs. The team will explain how payments are settled and the terms of cooperation.

Step 3. Prepare your own car for taxi work

If you want to work with your own car, prepare it for taxi work first. Check that the car meets the platforms' requirements, gather the equipment, complete the additional inspection and arrange the documents. The steps for preparing your own car are described below.

The registration certificate — dowód rejestracyjny — must receive a TAXI annotation. A wypis z licencji, or extract from the operator's licence, is then obtained for the vehicle, and the mandatory local markings are applied. After that, the car is added to the platforms.

If you are taking a ready-to-use fleet car, agree with GCAR Partner on which documents and equipment have already been prepared. Before receiving the vehicle, check its condition, equipment, payment terms and the costs for which the driver is responsible.

3.1. Gather the taxi equipment

Before visiting a vehicle inspection station, check the equipment:

• A fire extinguisher. Position it so the driver can reach it when needed.
• An illuminated “TAXI” roof sign that meets the requirements.
• A first aid kit. It is part of the mandatory equipment for taxis.
• One reflective vest for the driver.
• A warning triangle.
• A spare wheel suitable for the vehicle, or a repair kit intended for it.
• A jack and wheel wrench, if changing the wheel is the intended way to deal with a puncture.

If there is no spare wheel, prepare a suitable repair kit with sealant/gel and a compressor. Check the sealant's expiry date, that the compressor works and that the kit is compatible with the vehicle. The vehicle inspector will confirm which equipment is permitted; the rules also allow special self-sealing tyres of the Seal tyre type.

We include the vest and tools in the practical vehicle preparation checklist. They supplement the prescribed taxi equipment. Before the inspection, also check the lights, tyres, brakes, seat belts and access to the passenger doors.

3.2. Complete the taxi inspection at an SKP

Book an appointment at a Stacja Kontroli Pojazdów, a vehicle inspection station that performs the required additional inspection. When booking, say “badanie dodatkowe TAXI”. This tells the inspector that you are preparing the vehicle for taxi work.

Bring the vehicle's registration certificate. The station will check that the car meets the additional taxi requirements, including equipment, and, if it passes, issue a certificate — zaświadczenie o przeprowadzonym dodatkowym badaniu technicznym.

Ask the station which checks are needed if the vehicle's periodic inspection is still valid. The additional inspection for the TAXI annotation and the regular periodic inspection serve different purposes. Keep the certificate you receive: you will need it at the administrative office.

3.3. Add the TAXI annotation to the registration certificate

After receiving a positive inspection result, contact the vehicle registration department — wydział komunikacji — of the competent administrative office. This is usually the authority where the car is registered.

Prepare:

• An application to add the TAXI annotation to the registration certificate.
• The vehicle's registration certificate.
• The certificate of the additional taxi inspection.
• A valid identity document.
• Proof of valid OC insurance, if required by your office's procedure.
• A power of attorney, if a representative is submitting the documents. For a jointly owned vehicle, check the other owners' consent requirements and how it must be documented.

The office employee will check the documents and add the TAXI annotation. When you receive the registration certificate, check the annotation itself and the vehicle details.

In the experience of GCAR Partner, the inspection and TAXI annotation usually take up to two days, provided the vehicle is ready, all documents have been gathered and the necessary appointments are available. This is an estimate for this particular stage. It may take longer because of waiting times, issues identified by the inspector or additional requirements from the office.

3.4. Obtain the vehicle's wypis z licencji

The next step is to add the car to the operator's licence and obtain a wypis z licencji. In conversation, this is often called a “wypis”. It is a document for a specific vehicle under the licence you will be working under.

When working with a partner, the arrangements are agreed with the licence holder. An application usually requires the vehicle details and registration certificate with the TAXI annotation, a document confirming the right to use the car, an application form and proof of the relevant payment. The exact set of documents depends on the city and type of application.

The TAXI annotation and the wypis are two separate stages. After obtaining the annotation, make sure the vehicle has been added to the correct licence and that the extract is for that particular car and operating area. Prepare the extract for uploading to the platforms. Keep it with you while working so you can present it during a check.

3.5. Apply the mandatory stickers and markings

Preparing the car includes applying the required stickers and local taxi markings. Check which items are needed and where to place them: these may include a taxi identification number, an operating-area marking, a coat of arms, passenger information stickers and other elements required by local rules.

GCAR Partner will advise you on the markings needed to prepare your car. Apply them in the required places and check that they are legible. If a driver ID is required, display it inside the vehicle in accordance with local requirements.

Agree on platform-logo stickers separately: they do not replace the mandatory taxi markings. For registration, prepare vehicle photos showing the registration number, TAXI roof sign and necessary markings.

3.6. Check the vehicle before activation in the apps

Before starting taxi work, make sure you have the registration certificate with the TAXI annotation, valid OC insurance, the licence extract, the required local markings and vehicle photos that meet each platform's requirements. Discuss using the car for paid passenger transport with your insurer.

GCAR Partner handles the formalities for registering your car for taxi work if you are joining with your own vehicle. We will discuss the necessary steps and documents before registration.

If you do not have your own car, discuss choosing a fleet vehicle and the available terms of cooperation with GCAR Partner.

Step 4. Register with the platforms and complete in-person verification

You need a separate driver account for each platform. Approval by Uber does not mean that Bolt or FREENOW has already activated your profile.

GCAR Partner helps with registration and linking your account to the partner, uploading documents and booking verification appointments. For registration, have a phone number and email address ready that you can access.

The steps for getting set up on each platform:

1. Create or prepare a personal driver account with your details.
2. Agree with GCAR Partner on linking the account to the partner and the terms of cooperation.
3. Upload the driver documents: identity document, Polish driving licence, medical and psychological certificates, criminal record certificates and the other documents on the platform's list.
4. Add the vehicle and its documents: the registration certificate with the TAXI annotation, OC insurance, wypis and vehicle photos showing the required markings.
5. Complete in-person verification and fulfil the platform's document requests.
6. Wait for confirmation that the profile and vehicle are ready to accept bookings.

You must attend identity verification yourself. Platform staff check the driver's documents and identity. Bring the originals listed for your appointment: photos on your phone may not replace physical documents.

After verification, make sure the platform has approved both the driver and the vehicle. If a document is rejected, first find out why and prepare the necessary correction.

Step 5. Get ready to go online

Before setting off, check that:

• The correct vehicle is selected in your account and you can accept bookings.
• Your driver details in the app are up to date.
• Your phone has an internet connection, and you have a charger and phone mount.
• You know how payments are settled and how to contact the support team.
• You understand how to accept a booking, find the pickup point and complete a trip.

GCAR Partner helps configure the apps and provides a short introduction to the work. Before going online, ask any remaining questions about bookings, the car and payouts.

How long it takes to get set up

The time required depends on whether your documents are ready, the vehicle registration formalities, available verification appointments and each platform's decision.

The estimate of up to two days applies to the inspection and TAXI annotation for a prepared vehicle with a complete set of documents. Obtaining certificates, arranging the wypis and account verification each have their own timescales.

If examinations or certificates are still needed, complete those first. Once the full set is ready, agree on the next steps and a start date.

When contacting GCAR Partner, explain what you have already arranged. This will help the team assess the steps needed to get you set up and explain what remains to be done.

Frequently asked questions before starting work

Can I start without my own car? Yes, you can discuss finding a vehicle for work with GCAR Partner. We will discuss availability and terms when you contact us.

Can I join all three apps at once? GCAR Partner helps with Uber, Bolt and FREENOW. Each platform checks the driver and vehicle separately and makes its own activation decision.

Do I have to handle the whole registration process myself? The team helps prepare documents, set up accounts and configure the apps. The driver attends examinations and in-person verification themselves.

What should I include in my first application? Give your name and phone number. When we speak, tell us which documents are already ready, whether you plan to work with your own car and what you need help with.