Registering a Company in the Polish KRS through a Legal Representative – Rules, Procedures and Legal Assistance

Registering a company in the Polish National Court Register (Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy, KRS) requires knowledge of commercial law and the court’s electronic filing systems. Formal errors can result in an application being returned and weeks of delay before a business can start operating. That is why it is worth entrusting the registration to a professional legal representative — an advocate (adwokat) or a legal counsel (radca prawny).

Who Can Act as a Representative for KRS Registration?

Under current Polish law, an application for the entry of a company in the KRS may be filed on behalf of the entity only by a qualified legal professional:

an advocate (adwokat), or
a legal counsel (radca prawny).

An accountant, tax adviser, or any other person cannot represent a company before the registration court when filing a registration application. This is a significant difference compared with registering a sole proprietorship in the Central Register of Business Activity (CEIDG), where any person may act as a representative.

How to Appoint a Representative — Differences between Company Types

The rules for granting a power of attorney depend on the legal form of the company being established.

Partnerships (general, professional, limited, limited joint-stock) — any partner may appoint a representative individually, or all partners may do so jointly. If partners appoint separate representatives, the court will process the application that was filed first.

Capital companies (limited liability company, simple joint-stock company, joint-stock company) — the power of attorney must be signed by all members of the management board acting unanimously.

Stamp Duty on a Power of Attorney — How Much and Where to Pay?

Filing a power of attorney document with the registration court is subject to a stamp duty of PLN 17 (approx. EUR 4).

Because all KRS applications are filed electronically — via the Court Registers Portal (Portal Rejestrów Sądowych) or the S24 system — the stamp duty must be paid to the municipal authority competent for the registered office or place of residence of the principal (the partner or board member granting the power of attorney).

If the principal has no registered office or place of residence in Poland, the payment is made to the Tax Service Centre of the City of Warsaw (Centrum Obsługi Podatnika Urzędu m.st. Warszawy).

Exception: The stamp duty does not need to be paid separately if the power of attorney was granted in a notarial deed that includes a note confirming the duty has been collected.

Form of the Power of Attorney — Electronic or Paper?

KRS applications are filed exclusively in electronic form — via the Court Registers Portal (PRS) or the S24 system. A power of attorney may also be submitted electronically.

However, the registration court may request that the paper original of the power of attorney be presented. It is therefore advisable to prepare complete documentation in both formats.

Why Entrust Your Company Registration to Our Law Firm?

Navigating the registration procedure on the Court Registers Portal on your own takes time and precision. As a law firm with 20 years of experience in Polish corporate law, we offer:

Time savings — we handle the entire procedure; your involvement is limited to the essential minimum (e.g. a visit to a notary if a traditional articles of association is required).
No formal errors — an application filed by an advocate or legal counsel minimises the risk of requests for corrections and ensures the fastest possible entry in the KRS.
End-to-end advisory — before registration, we advise on the optimal legal form, draft articles of association tailored to your situation, and propose the most tax-efficient solutions. We also handle post-registration filings with the tax office, social insurance institution (ZUS), and Central Statistical Office (GUS).

FAQ — Common Questions about Registering a Company through a Representative

Can I register a limited liability company (sp. z o.o.) by myself online? Yes — via the S24 system or the Court Registers Portal. However, this requires knowledge of the applicable procedures, correctly prepared attachments, and a qualified electronic signature or a trusted profile (ePUAP). Engaging a professional legal representative significantly speeds up the process and eliminates the risk of formal errors.

Can an accountant act as a representative for KRS registration? No. Only an advocate or a legal counsel may represent a company before the registration court for the purposes of registration.

How much is the stamp duty on a power of attorney, and does each partner pay separately? The stamp duty is PLN 17 per power of attorney document. Where there are multiple principals based in Poland, the payment is made to the municipal authority competent for the principal listed first in the document.

Do partnerships and capital companies appoint a representative in the same way? No. In partnerships, any partner may grant a power of attorney individually. In capital companies, a unanimous decision of all management board members is required.

Does the power of attorney have to be in paper form? No — it may be submitted electronically together with the application. However, the court may request that the paper original be presented, so it is worth preparing one in advance.

Need help registering a company in the Polish KRS? Contact our law firm — we will guide you through the entire process quickly and securely.