Practical guide on how to open a Polish company limited.

how to open LLC in Poland

How do I open a Limited Liability Company in Poland?

It can be done in person at a notary public and at the business registry, or it can be completed online. In most circumstances, an online submission to the business registry is the quickest way to setup a company. In the case of more complex business formations, such as several shareholders and special shareholder rights, I advise registering at a notary public. A company deed of an online registered corporation can also be modified by shareholders after registration by visiting a notary public.

 

What are the steps to open LLC in Poland?

Just a registration of a company limited in a business registry is not enough. A fully registered and operational company limited requires following steps:

  • Obtaining of Polish PESEL number – requires visit at polish public office with filing of a motion for PESEL number,
  • Obtaining of ePuap trusted profile – this is a government digital signature, which enables online registration of the company,
  • Registration of company electronically at S24 Portal – in a typical scenario, the registration is effective within one – three working days. In some cases, we need to additionally send some explanations to the court.
  • Execution of renting contract for an office space or registration address service – a simple “business address” service is usually sufficient for court and tax registration.
  • Registration for tax purposes (NIP-8)
  • Registration at Social Security Office (ZUS)
  • Registration of beneficial ownership
  • Opening of a bank account
  • Payment of share capital to the bank account
  • Registration for VAT purposes – optional but recommended due to the right to obtain VAT refunds.

 

Do I need to visit Poland to form a limited liability company?

Theoretically, it is feasible to start a company remotely, but it is practically difficult to register a bank account in Poland without visiting the country. Therefore, I strongly advise a minimum of one trip to Poland to handle both the setup procedure and the bank account.

 

Jerzy Gaweł
Partner – Tax Advisor