Polish B1 exam results and certificate: timing, look and validity

Updated 3 November 2026

When do the exam results arrive?

The examining board marks the papers, draws up the exam report and hands it to the centre without delay (§ 24 ust. 4). The centre must give you the result in writing within 3 days of receiving the report (§ 25 ust. 1). The rules do not say how long marking takes before the report — ask your centre for the exact date.

Step	Deadline	Legal basis
The board draws up the report and hands it to the centre	without delay	§ 24 ust. 4
The centre tells you the result	within 3 days of the report	§ 25 ust. 1
The centre sends the report to the State Commission	within 3 days of the report	§ 24 ust. 5
The Commission issues the certificate to the centre	within 30 days of the report	§ 27 ust. 1
The centre hands the certificate to you	without delay	§ 27 ust. 2

Checked on 3 November 2026 against the text of the regulation. Rules for registrations from 1 January 2027 are below.

How do I get my result and what does it show?

The result comes from the centre in writing — there is no need to look it up on the Commission’s website, the rules do not provide for that. Ask at registration how the centre will send it (letter, e-mail or in person).

The result is a percentage for each part separately: listening, reading, grammar, writing and speaking (§ 22 ust. 3). Points for the written part are marked on the paper itself; for speaking, the board fills in an assessment sheet with points and a justification (§ 22 ust. 1–2).

What result counts as a pass?

At B1 you need at least 50 % in each of the four written parts and in speaking (§ 23 pkt 1 lit. b); at B2 and C1, at least 60 % (lit. c). There is no average: 49 % in one part means a fail, even if the others are at 90 %. Only those who pass receive a certificate (§ 27 ust. 1).

If you fell short, you have 21 days to view a copy of your paper at the centre (§ 25 ust. 2), and you can ask for the written part to be re-marked. Details in our article failed B1: what next.

When and where do I get the certificate?

The State Commission issues the certificate within 30 days of receiving the report and sends it to the centre, which hands it to you without delay (§ 27). You collect it at the centre where you sat the exam, or the centre posts it — ask them which. In total, it usually takes about six weeks from the exam to the certificate, depending on how fast the report is drawn up.

Until the end of 2026 the certificate costs €20: the centre pays it to the Commission, and some centres include it in the exam price — ask at registration.
From 1 January 2027 you pay 100 zł to the centre within 7 days of being told you passed, and the Commission sends certificates to the centre within 30 days of the centre paying (art. 11a ust. 4c–4d). The sooner you pay, the sooner you get the document.
Anyone entered in the database before 1 January 2027 sits the exam under the old rules (art. 3). Details in our article on the 2027 changes.

What does the B1 certificate look like?

The certificate template is set out in annex 2 to the regulation (§ 28 ust. 1). It is an A4 document headed «Rzeczpospolita Polska» and «Certyfikat znajomości języka polskiego», stating that the State Commission confirms your knowledge of Polish at the given level. It shows:

your first name(s), surname and date of birth;
the level — for example, B1;
a reference to the Polish Language Act under which it is issued;
the place and date of issue and the certificate number;
the official seal and the stamp and signature of the Commission’s chair.

It is printed on security paper: a multitone watermark, security fibres visible in daylight and under UV, a guilloche background, microprint, a relief background with the letters RP and the outline of Poland’s borders in iridescent ink in the lower left corner. A document without these features is a red flag.

The supplement: percentages for each part

The certificate comes with a supplement (suplement do certyfikatu); its template is annex 3 to the regulation (§ 28 ust. 2). It shows the certificate number, your name, the overall exam result in percent and the percentage for each part: rozumienie ze słuchu, poprawność gramatyczna, rozumienie tekstów pisanych, pisanie and speaking. From 2027 the supplement is also named in the Act itself (art. 11a ust. 4a).

How long is the certificate valid?

The certificate does not expire — the FAQ on certyfikatpolski.pl says so. You do not need to resit the exam after a few years. However, the institution you apply to (voivodeship office, university, employer) may decide for itself what level it requires.

What if I lose the certificate?

From 1 January 2027, if the certificate is lost or destroyed, you can get a duplicate: apply to the Commission via NAWA no later than 25 years after receiving it; the Commission decides within 60 days, and the fee is 100 zł (art. 11a ust. 4b–4c, art. 11ab). For the procedure before 2027, check certyfikatpolski.pl.

What do I do with the certificate next?

You submit the B1 certificate with an application for Polish citizenship or for an EU long-term resident card. Which certificate fits which purpose and what else to check before applying — in our article B1 certificate for citizenship and the resident card.

Not taken the exam yet? Start with the diagnostic test: it shows which parts are below 50 % and builds a plan up to your session.

Take the diagnostic test B1 mock exam All about the B1 exam

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Zdałem is an independent trainer, not affiliated with Państwowa Komisja. Rules change: before registering or filing documents, check certyfikatpolski.pl