How to Establish a Company in Poland: A Practical Guide for Entrepreneurs

06.06.2025

• Types of Companies in Poland
• Tips for Foreign Entrepreneurs
• Most common choice
• Company registration – two paths
• Documents required for registration
• Registration in offices – what happens after KRS?
• How REVERA can help you?
• Want to establish a company in Poland?
• Contact our lawyer for more details

Setting up a company in Poland is for many entrepreneurs — both from Poland and abroad — the first step to building a stable, scalable business in the European Union market. The Polish legal system offers great flexibility when founding companies, access to EU funds, quick registration procedures, and increasing openness to investors.

In this guide, we show step-by-step how to establish a company in Poland — from choosing the legal form, through registration, to practical matters, including for people from outside Poland.

Types of Companies in Poland

Polish law provides several forms of conducting business activities within companies — they differ in terms of shareholder liability, registration requirements, and capital acquisition possibilities. Companies in Poland are divided into two main categories:

Partnerships

• Registered partnership (sp.j.) — simple structure, partners are liable with their entire assets;
• Professional partnership (sp.p.) — for liberal professions (e.g., doctors, lawyers, architects);
• Limited partnership (sp.k.) — one person manages and is liable, the other contributes capital and is liable up to their contribution;
• Limited joint-stock partnership (S.K.A.) — mainly for investment purposes.

Capital companies

• Limited liability company (sp. z o.o.) — the most common form for startups, service companies, and investors; shareholders are not liable for company debts;
• Simple joint-stock company (P.S.A.) — a modern form, possible to register even with PLN 1 capital;
• Joint-stock company (S.A.) — for large entities, e.g., planning to go public.

Tips for Foreign Entrepreneurs

If you are an individual or a company from abroad and want to establish a company in Poland, remember a few key points:

Identity – individuals

If you don’t have a PESEL number or a trusted profile, you can still establish a company but:

• You must notarize your identity in your country;
• The document must be translated into Polish by a sworn translator;
• In most cases, an apostille or legalization of the document is also required.

Foreign companies as shareholders

If a foreign legal entity is establishing a company in Poland, you need to prepare:

• A current excerpt from the commercial register (e.g., from the register of companies in the country of establishment);
• Documents confirming representation (who can sign documents on behalf of the company);
• Power of attorney for the person representing the company in Poland, if the management board does not act directly;
• Possibly, the company agreement.

All these documents must also be:

• Notarized in their country;
• Translated into Polish by a sworn translator;
• Often apostilled (or legalized if the country is not a party to the Hague Convention).

Most common choice

Choosing the right legal form is one of the key decisions when establishing a company in Poland. It should take into account, among others, the business profile, number of shareholders, risk level, planned financing model, and development goals.

• A limited liability company (sp. z o.o.) is the most frequently chosen form of doing business in Poland. It combines a simple structure with limited liability of shareholders, low share capital (minimum PLN 5,000), and great management flexibility. It works well for service companies, e-commerce, IT, as well as an investment or holding vehicle.
• A joint-stock company (S.A.) is a more formalized structure mainly intended for larger entities planning to issue shares, go public, or attract institutional investors. It requires higher share capital (minimum PLN 100,000), full accounting, and a two-tier management structure (management board + supervisory board).

Company registration – two paths

In Poland, there are two ways to register a capital company — online via the S24 system or traditionally before a notary. The choice depends on the complexity of the company agreement, number of shareholders, and preferred pace of action.

Online via S24

• Requires electronic signature (trusted profile or qualified signature);
• Company agreement based on a standard template (no modifications outside the given pattern);
• Contributions must be cash only;
• Registration time: usually 1–3 business days.

Traditional – at a notary

• Possibility of individual provisions in the company agreement (e.g., for investors);
• Non-cash contributions possible (e.g., IP contribution, shares, equipment);
• Registration time: approx. 7–14 days.

Documents required for registration

Before starting the registration process, prepare the necessary information and documents. Completeness will help avoid delays and smoothly go through the procedure.

You will need:

• Company name — should be unique and available in the KRS register;
• Registered office address — can be an office, coworking space, or virtual address;
• Data of shareholders and management board members — names, surnames, addresses, PESEL or passports;
• Company agreement — as a template (S24) or notarial deed;
• Contributions to share capital — minimum PLN 5,000 for sp. z o.o., PLN 1 for P.S.A.;
• PKD codes — i.e., the classification of the company’s economic activity.

Registration in offices – what happens after KRS?

After obtaining the entry in the National Court Register (KRS), some formalities are automatic. Your company will receive:

• NIP — tax identification number;
• REGON — statistical number issued by the Central Statistical Office (GUS);
• Possibility to register as a VAT taxpayer — VAT registration is not automatic and requires a separate application (VAT-R).

Additional obligations after registration:

• Register the beneficial owner (CRBR) — to be done after the KRS entry;
• Open a company bank account — required for VAT registration and settlements;
• Register with the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) — if you employ workers or management board members are subject to insurance;
• Register for EU VAT — if you plan sales or purchases within the European Union.

How REVERA can help you?

At REVERA Polska, we support entrepreneurs, investors, and funds — both from Poland and abroad — in efficiently establishing and running companies in Poland. Thanks to experience working with innovative businesses, we offer practical, market-adapted solutions.
 
Our support includes:

• Advice on choosing the appropriate legal form — considering business profile and development plans;
• Complete company registration — via S24 or notarial deed;
• Handling formalities for foreign clients — including powers of attorney, apostilled documents, coordination with a notary;
• Preparation of documentation — compliant with Polish law and international structures;
• Ongoing legal support for newly established companies;
• Support in strategic areas — such as shareholder agreements, investor relations, IP protection, VC/PE investments, or founders’ agreements.

Want to establish a company in Poland?

We act efficiently, communicate clearly, and understand how important time is when launching a business. If you plan to establish a company in Poland — we can guide you through the whole process step-by-step without unnecessary bureaucracy.

• Starting a company. Guide covering 5 jurisdictions

  PDF | 15 MB

Author: Aleksander Skirpan

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