Buying a Car?

Coronavirus: Q&A for drivers

Added 7 April 2020 by

Drivers are now sitting at home instead of using their cars, even for commuting, but what if you want to us this time to actually buy or sell a car? What do the formalities for motorists look like today? autoDNA has prepared a list of answers to questions that may arise during the epidemic.

Vehicle use

Do I have to use a mask in my own car?

There is no such requirement if we travel alone or with a child up to 4 years old or if we travel with people with whom we live in one household (this is how family is defined). Even if we drive alone, it is worth taking the mask with you in the car. The obligation to cover the mouth and nose applies in public places, e.g. in a store or pharmacy. When we get out of the car and go to a grocery store, for example, we should have our nose and mouth covered. If we park the car in a public parking lot, we should also have a face mask or even a scarf on the way to the car. The obligation to cover the mouth and nose also applies to taxis.

Can I change to summer tyres?

Yes, the Ministry of Health has approved the changing of tyres for people who use the car to commute or to satisfy their daily needs such as food shopping. So practically every car user can have the tyres replaced without fearing that they will get a ticket.

How many people can there be in a car?

There is currently no limit to the number of people being in the car but movement is only allowed in connection with commuting, going to the pharmacy or a grocery store, as well as volunteering in the fight against coronavirus. You can use the car only when it’s absolutely necessary.

How should I service the car safely?

Services, especially those operating at car showrooms, will collect the vehicle, repair it, disinfect it and bring it back to you. Of course, the cost of visiting an authorised repairer will be higher than in the case of an independent service which may not comply with such stringent sanitary standards. If you don’t have a very urgent fault to repair, it’s better to just wait.


Buying and selling a car

Is it a good idea to buy a new car now?

If you have too much money available, the answer is: yes. Dealers used to sell up to several dozen cars a month. During the pandemic, their sales will decrease to several cars per month, so this is a good time to buy a car with a substantial discount. Dealers don’t just ensure the safety of customers when it comes to the disinfection procedures; additionally, they handle all the formalities, including registering the car on your behalf. Buy for cash only, according to the “cash is the king” principle. Lease or credit are very risky in the current situation because nobody knows how long the sharp slowdown in the economy will take.

How to buy a used car safely? 

It’s hard to imagine buying a car without checking it out in person, including a test drive or a visit at the dealer’s. However, all these activities require direct contact with other people, which isn’t advisable at the moment: let’s stick to only leaving the house when you really have to. That is why it’s best to browse the online ads for now. Some of them already offer a 360-degree view of the inside and outside of the car, which feels like watching the car live. Of course, you can’t verify the technical condition of any car this way. You can do a partial check online using vehicle history check tools that only require the VIN number, such as autoDNA. It’s worth noting that used car dealers are changing the way customer service works, e.g. AAA Auto has introduced regular disinfection of their car centres, applied additional precautions during test drives, and they deliver purchased vehicles to customers’ homes without any additional charges.

How to sell a used car?

You can still sell a car for cash, and forms for initial valuation are available on the internet. Remember that some dealers will use the situation to understate the value of the car you want to sell. You can still try to make use of a used car dealer but they have few customers at the moment. However, your car will be advertised on popular websites. Of course, you can advertise your vehicle through such websites yourself. Preparing the car for sale looks almost the same as before the epidemic: the car should have a reliable history (supported e.g. by an autoDNA report), be clean and in a good technical condition. There’s no point in making very expensive repairs because you won’t recoup their value in a possible transaction.

Is it a good moment for selling a used car?

Generally speaking, this isn’t the best time to get rid of a used car. Unfortunately, announcements about the urgent cession of a lease contracts are beginning to appear, which means that many people will soon try to get rid of cars that they cannot currently afford. This means one thing: prices will be negotiated sharply and the buyer will be able to choose from many offers; for a while it will be the buyer’s and not the seller’s market. It’s worth considering whether you really need to get rid of your car now. You can expect your offer to receive much less attention than just a few weeks ago. If you have to sell the car, for example for financial reasons, don’t expect to get a market price for it. Nobody knows how the situation will develop, so the number of offers to buy your car can be very limited. If one of them is close to the acceptable sales price, better quickly finalize the transaction.


The formalities

How to register a car bought during the epidemic? 

The deadline for registering the vehicle in the case of purchase has been extended from 30 to 180 days. It means that if you buy a car now, you have six months to complete the formalities. Online vehicle registration is possible in some offices through the so-called trusted profile, and most likely this option will eventually be available in all communication departments.

How to report the purchase or sale of a car and pay the tax?

From the beginning of the year, failure to report the purchase or sale of a car within 30 days is punishable by a fine of up to 1000 PLN. If you have a trusted profile, you can report the sale or purchase online:

You must pay the tax when selling a car; the necessary form can be found here:

My driving license expires soon. How can I renew it?

Everything seems to indicate that you don’t have to worry about it now, even if your license has recently expired. According to the draft of the latest changes in the applicable regulations, drivers’ rights are to remain valid for up to 30 days from the end of the epidemic in Poland, which started on March 20.

How to create a trusted profile?

A trusted profile is useful when it comes to dealing with official matters online – this applies to the report of the purchase or sale of a car, or the registration of a vehicle. To set it up, visit and register your account: you’ll have to go to the selected office to confirm the creation of a trusted profile. The customers of T-Mobile, PKO BP, Inteligo, ING, Santander, Pekao, Millennium, Alior Bank, Envelo and mBank can create a trusted profile via their online banking account: they just have to log in to their bank and fill the forms.


The finance

How to suspend or negotiate repayment of loan or leasing instalments with a bank or leasing company during the epidemic?

Banks and leasing companies are now offering a suspension of repayment for up to 6 months, if instalments have been paid regularly so far. This type of assistance usually means postponing the financing period by the number of months suspended due to coronavirus, so the end of the loan or leasing contract will fall later by the time for which it was postponed.

How to renew the car insurance? Is it possible to terminate the contract remotely, e.g. if you sold a car?

Virtually all insurers now allow signing the contract, extending it and terminating it by phone, online or at least by mail.


Coronavirus: Q&A for drivers
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