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Starting a business in Poland in 2025 is a process that can be carried out efficiently and largely online —provided you know where to start. Regardless of whether you choose a sole proprietorship or a limited liability company, registering a company is much simpler than it was a few years ago. Proper preparation is key: choosing the legal form, determining the business address, specifying PKD codes, and choosing the form of taxation.
In this article, you will find a practical step-by-step guide to the entire process —both online and offline. You will also learn what documents are required, how to apply to CEIDG or KRS, how long it takes to register a company, and when you need to visit ZUS or the tax office. If you are planning to start a business and do not want to waste time wandering around government offices, this material will give you a clear and organized picture of the entire procedure.
Setting up a company – professionally and without mistakes
We will prepare all the documents and guide you through the process of registering your company in the National Court Register step by step. Start your business without the risk of formal mistakes and delays.
Set up a company with our support →Forms of economic activity
There are many forms of economic activity permitted in Poland. These can be listed here: Sole proprietorship, limited liability company, limited partnership, civil partnership, joint-stock company... I will briefly discuss sole proprietorship and limited liability company here.
A sole proprietorship is the simplest form of business. Establishing a business in this form is also simple and quick. What we need to set up a sole proprietorship is an ID card. Such a business can be established online including reporting to the social security company.
A sole proprietorship has one major disadvantage. In the event of failure, the owner is responsible for all the company's liabilities, and with all his assets.
A more difficult form of business to set up is a limited liability company. As in the case of a sole proprietorship, almost everything can be done online. It is also possible to buy a ready-made limited liability company. This is completely legal, and many companies, including ours, sell companies.
Unlike a sole proprietorship, a limited liability company is a safe form of business. In case of failure, the liability of the shareholder or shareholders is limited to the amount of the company's share capital.
Form of taxation vs. sole proprietorship
In the case of a sole proprietorship, it is possible to choose the most convenient form of taxation.
What taxation for a sole proprietorship?
In the case of a sole proprietorship, taxation in the form of a tax card is possible. Entrepreneurs whose income does not exceed a certain amount can use simplified accounting and pay a fixed amount of income tax.
Entrepreneurs in certain industries, for example, hairdressers, beauticians, can choose a flat tax option. The tax is paid on a certain amount of revenue and the entrepreneur does not have to keep full accounts.
For small businesses, it is possible to pay a flat tax. This is a fixed income tax rate of 19%.
Of course, it is also possible to keep a full accounting of recorded income.
Documents needed for company registration
The list of documents that are needed to register a business depends on the legal form of the business. If you want to set up a sole proprietorship you will need an ID card or passport. A PESEL number is also necessary.
If you are setting up a limited liability company, you will need a memorandum of association in addition to the documents listed above. In the case of simple companies with only cash contributions, such a contract is available online.
These are the minimum documents necessary to establish a company. In practice, additional paperwork will probably be needed.
Notification to the Central Economic Register and Information (CEIDG)
Filing with the Central Business Register means establishing a company as a sole proprietorship. It is mandatory. The entrepreneur must fill out the appropriate form, which can be done online. It will be necessary to select the appropriate numbers of the Polish business classification. The entrepreneur will automatically receive REGON and NIP numbers.
Entries in CEIDG are publicly available and serve, among other things, to make business activities transparent.
How to start an online business?
A business in the form of a limited liability company as well as a sole proprietorship can be established online. You should start by preparing a company name, registered office address, PKD codes. Further steps depend on the form of business we have chosen. If it is to be a sole proprietorship, registration must be made in CEIDG, in the case of a limited liability company it will be in the National Court Register. In both cases of online registration you will need a trusted profile.
How long does it take to set up a business online?
It is possible to set up a company online even in one day. However, in the case of setting up a limited liability company, it may be impossible in practice to obtain such time.
How do you set up your business in the traditional way?
As with online registration, it depends on the legal form of the company. To set up a sole proprietorship, you need to go to the municipality office, fill out a form there and wait for the clerk to complete the paperwork. Then you need to register with the Social Security Administration. Social security contribution is mandatory regardless of the company's income.
Establishing a company in the form of a limited liability company is more complicated. At the same time, it is not possible to do everything in the traditional way. The registration of the company itself in the KRS is only possible online. That is, the company's contract, concluded in front of a notary, must then be registered with the KRS via the Internet. This can, of course, be done by a notary.
Notification of activity to the Social Security
For some time now it has been possible to register a company with ZUS not only traditionally, but also online on PUE ZUS. It is possible to register in this way both the payer who will pay ZUS premiums and the employee.
You can also go to the Social Security office and do all the paperwork there.
Choosing the form of settlement with the tax office
Polish law gives some small options for choosing the form of taxation.
In general, companies must pay PIT on all employees. VAT is mandatory on a certain amount of revenue. Income tax is another levy. It can be paid according to a tax scale, but one can opt for a flat tax. The tax scale is profitable up to an annual income of 180-200 thousand zlotys. At higher incomes it is worth switching to a flat tax.
A modern company needs a professional image from day one. A virtual address for your company combines a prestigious registration address with comprehensive mail handling and a dedicated phone line—everything a company operating in the digital age needs.
