Company Registration in Poland: The KRS Procedure

For a company to be legally established within the territory of Poland, the law indulges to pass a standard registration process with the National Court Register, known as the Krajowy Rejestr Sadowy – KRS. The Polish Trade Register is the institution responsible for the company registration in Poland, but the organization is also liable for multiple other administrative and legal functions. This article offered by our lawyers in Poland will offer an overview of the Polish company registration process and the types of documents and other requirements that companies should submit within the Trade Register.

Quick Facts
Trade Register in Poland is known as	National Court Register (KRS)
Overseen by	Ministry of Justice and the registry (commercial) divisions of district courts
Applicable legislation	National Court Register Act (1997) sets out rules for registration, management, and reporting of companies.
Main roles	– officially registers companies, – grants companies legal personality, – keeps record of essential company data (name, legal form, address, management, shareholders).
Other responsibilities	Records changes in management, shareholders, share capital, mergers, liquidation, and insolvency proceedings.
Required documents for company formation in Poland	– Articles of Association, – list of shareholders, – statement of share capital contributions, – consents from board members, – registered office address,
Application forms	Notarized or standardized forms, depending on the type of company
Name verification & reservation	No separate process, as the name is checked during registration.
Issuing the Incorporation Certificate (YES/NO)	Yes, registration in KRS confirms the company’s legal existence.
Provides access to company data	Yes, the register contains public information on company name, address, legal form, representation, and other key details.
Business precautions in Poland	– ensure a valid Polish registered office, – paid share capital, – correct PKD activity codes, – proper declarations about ownership, – reporting of beneficial owners (UBO).
Is an electronic signature allowed? (YES/NO)	Yes, required for registration or submitting official documents.
Company changes that must be recorded	Changes in: management, board members, registered office, shareholders, share capital, business scope or liquidation.
Representative agent for company formation in Poland	A legal representative with power of attorney can act on behalf of the founders during registration.
Working with our Polish lawyers	Our legal advisors can help prepare documents in Polish, ensure compliance with regulations and can act as local representatives.

Registration of a business in Poland

In order to register a company in Poland, entrepreneurs must adopt one of the common legal forms in Poland, such as: a limited liability company (Sp. z o.o.), a joint-stock company (S.A.), or a sole proprietorship. Most entrepreneurs must go through KRS for registration, but individual entrepreneurs can use the Central Register for business activity (CEIDG). The general rule for Polish business registration is that the submission should be done electronically, and it can take from a few working days up to two weeks under the standard procedure. Our team can help you open a limited company in Poland.

Main requirements to register a company in Poland

The success of the Polish company registration means the recognition of the legal entity, obtaining formal taxation rights, and commercial activity initiation. It is necessary to include the information below while applying for business registration in Poland:

The legal name;
Business address;
Shareholders details;
Polish Classification of Activities’ (PKD): activity codes from the PKD;
A minimum share capital in the form of Polish zloty is required, such as 5,000 PLN to create an Sp. z o.o, the Polish LLC.

Once the registration is complete, a NIP or tax ID number is assigned to the company, and a REGON statistical number is included. Our Polish attorneys can offer additional support in this matter in order for the business to have a successful registration in Poland.

Documents to submit for business registration in Poland

The registration of a company in Poland requires the following documentation:

Articles of Association of company agreements signed by the founders;
Personal information about shareholders and members of the board of directors;
Confirmation of the legality of the business address or lease agreement;
Declarations of no legal restrictions by members of the board;
Confirmation of the size of the authorized capital.

All documentation for Polish company registration must be submitted to the registering authority and state fees are paid directly during the submission at the Trade Register in Poland.

Roles of the Trade Register in Poland

Apart from registering companies in Poland, the National Court Register performs other roles as the only central registry in Poland, where the most thorough and legally reliable verified business information is available.

First, the KRS operates to keep records regarding the corporate nature, financial sustainability, and existence of businesses and allows employees, partners, ba n ks, regulators, and other stakeholders to verify the official information about an entity. As such, the Trade Register in Poland is authorized to provide and obtain information regarding the insolvency, ban on activity, liquidation, or orders to restrict the owners or directors from occupying such positions.

Secondly, the KRS protects the creditors and other economic agents from possible fraud, authorized to check company register documents, provide extracts and certificates, and assure the due diligence checks.

In addition, Poland strengthens the business-monitoring cooperation within the EU, linking its business registry to the other European databases. By integrating all relevant corporate legal information, the Trade Register increases the international confidence in the Polish business environment and supports the country’s economic stability.

Data on companies in Poland

The most recent data from the 4^th quarter of 2024 provides a comprehensive view of the current situation of business in Poland. This information relates to the total number of active enterprises, major sectors in which companies operate, and the distribution of companies throughout the country:

There were 2,788,814 active enterprises in Poland in Q4 2024;
The trade and motor vehicle repair sector represented 18.0% of all active enterprises;
The Mazowieckie voivodship accounted for 20.1% of all active enterprises by registered office;
Compared to Q4 2023, the number of active enterprises increased by 3.7% in 2024.

For more information and support regarding company registration in Poland, do no hesitate to contact our specialists.