For buyers
What documents you need to buy a flat in Poland
There are fewer documents than people expect, but they sit in three different places: some you bring, some the seller has to obtain, and some only come into being at the bank. The longest wait is on the seller's certificates — and it is those, not your papers, that move the signing date.
Legal status as of October 8, 2026
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What you bring
- An ID card or passport — the same document you will identify yourself with before the notary.
- A PESEL number. A foreigner without one will be assigned an identification number by the notary, but settle it before the date.
- A marriage certificate if you buy with a spouse, or a deed of separation of property if you buy into your personal estate.
- A power of attorney in notarial form if you represent someone, or someone represents you.
- Proof of the deposit payment and the account number the price will be transferred from.
- The preliminary contract, if one was signed.
When each one is needed
- 01
At the viewing — the land register number
One number that answers the questions that matter: who owns the flat, whether there is a mortgage, whether anyone has a registered claim. The register is free to read at ekw.ms.gov.pl.
A seller who will not give the number is an answer in itself. It is not a secret — land registers are public.
- 02
Before the preliminary contract — the title of acquisition
The document showing where the seller's ownership comes from: the earlier purchase deed, a court order confirming inheritance or a notarial certificate of inheritance, a deed of gift.
If the flat came by inheritance or gift, a tax-office certificate will also be needed. That is what most often moves the date.
- 03
Before the deed — the seller's certificates
No arrears with the building community or housing co-operative, who is registered as resident, and with a mortgaged flat, the bank's statement of the outstanding debt and its undertaking to discharge the mortgage.
Communities issue these within days; co-operatives can take two weeks. Ask for them right after the preliminary contract, not a week before the deed.
- 04
Before the deed — the energy performance certificate
Since 28 April 2023 the seller must hand the buyer an energy performance certificate for the unit. The notary records the handover in the deed.
Its absence does not void the transaction, but the notary will give a formal caution and the seller faces a penalty. Ask early — issuing one takes a few days.
- 05
With a mortgage — the bank's set
The application, income documents, the preliminary contract, the land register number, and after initial approval a valuation report on the flat, ordered by the bank or by you.
The valuation is sometimes lower than the agreed price. The bank then calculates your contribution from its figure, not yours — and the cash suddenly falls short.
- 06
From a developer — a different set
The information prospectus, the development contract in notarial form, and for a finished flat: the occupancy permit, the certificate that the unit is self-contained, and the handover protocol.
The developer must provide the prospectus before signing, on request and free of charge. It is where you find out what else is going to be built on the plot next door.
Your documents: a short list, no surprises
For the notarial deed an ID card or passport and a PESEL number are enough. The notary verifies identity and that is all — nobody asks a buyer for proof of earnings or a clean criminal record.
Marital status is the one place where confusion arises. Married with no prenuptial agreement, the flat enters the joint estate and your spouse is either a party to the deed or gives consent. If you want to buy into your personal estate — with money from before the marriage, say — tell the notary in advance, because it requires a statement in the deed.
Buying through a representative, mind the form: a power of attorney to acquire real property must be in notarial form. A signed sheet of paper will not do, and issuing a new document from abroad takes days, not hours.
The seller's documents: this is where the schedule risk lives
The title of acquisition shows where the seller's ownership comes from. The simplest case is an earlier purchase deed. The hardest is an unsettled estate — the inheritance then has to be confirmed by a court order or a notarial certificate before the flat can be sold, and that is not a matter of a week.
For a flat acquired by inheritance or gift there is also a tax-office certificate confirming the tax was paid, waived or time-barred. Without it the notary will not execute the deed — that is not a whim but a statutory duty. The office usually issues it in a few weeks.
A certificate of no arrears with the building community or co-operative protects you from debt that follows the unit. The land register will not show it, because service-charge arrears are not entered there.
The certificate of registered residents is issued by the district office. Registration does not create a right to the flat, but removing someone against their will is an administrative procedure you would rather not inherit with the keys.
If there is a mortgage on the flat: the bank's statement of the current debt and its undertaking to discharge the mortgage once repaid. The price then goes in two transfers — part to the bank, the rest to the seller.
What the notary will not take from you
You do not need to order an extract from the land register — the notary checks it electronically before the deed. The number is enough.
A land registry extract or a survey map is not needed for a flat in a multi-family building. Those belong to land transactions.
A buyer does not file a tax-clearance certificate. It is the seller who proves the unit is in order, not the other way round.
The mortgage: a set with a life of its own
The bank cares about three things: whether you can repay, what the flat is worth, and whether a mortgage can be registered on it. Hence the income documents, the valuation report and the land register number.
The bank needs the preliminary contract for the application — which is precisely why its deadline must be set with slack. The bank receives a document with a date on it and has to deliver its final decision before that date.
After the deed comes one more thing that is easy to forget: the bank requires property insurance assigned to it. The policy has to be in place on the day the loan is released, not later.
If you are not a Polish citizen
You do not need a permit to buy a self-contained flat, whatever your citizenship. Documentwise little changes: a passport instead of an ID card, and an identification number assigned by the notary if you do not have a PESEL yet.
What is added is a sworn translator, if your Polish is not good enough to understand the deed, and translations of documents issued abroad — a marriage certificate, a power of attorney. The translation must be made by a translator on the list of the Polish Ministry of Justice.
The specifics for Ukrainian citizens — including apostille and transferring money — are covered in a separate article.
The order that saves two weeks
You take the land register number at the viewing. The title of acquisition, and whether an inheritance is involved, before the preliminary contract. The certificates from the community, the district office and the tax office are ordered by the seller RIGHT AFTER the preliminary contract, not before the deed.
If the seller says it will all be there on the day, ask for the dates on which each was ordered. The commonest delay in the whole transaction is not the bank but a certificate nobody applied for in time.
One question at the first meeting is a good test: where did you get this flat, and is the inheritance tax settled. An evasive answer to that tells you more than an hour of viewing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need proof of earnings to buy a flat?
Not if you buy in cash — the notary only verifies identity. Income documents are for the bank when you borrow, not for the deed itself.
What if the flat came from an inheritance?
The seller needs a court order confirming the inheritance or a notarial certificate of inheritance, plus a tax-office certificate that the tax is settled. Without that certificate the notary will not execute the deed.
Do I have to order a land register extract?
No. The notary checks the register electronically before the deed and only needs the number. An extract is useful at most for your own careful reading.
Must the seller provide an energy performance certificate?
Yes, since 28 April 2023 it is an obligation on sale and the notary records the handover in the deed. Issuing one takes a few days, so raise it early.
How long does gathering all the certificates take?
From a few days to a few weeks. Communities answer quickly, co-operatives more slowly, and the tax-office certificate in an inheritance case is usually the longest. That is why they are ordered right after the preliminary contract.
Can I buy through a representative?
Yes, but the power of attorney must be in notarial form and wide enough in scope. Agree the wording with the Polish notary before the document is drawn up, especially if it is issued abroad.
What documents does a developer provide?
The information prospectus before the contract, the development contract in notarial form, and for a finished flat the occupancy permit, the self-contained-unit certificate and the handover protocol.
Is someone registered as resident in the flat a problem?
Registration does not create a right to the flat, but removing someone against their will requires an administrative procedure. That is why a certificate of no registered residents, or an undertaking to deregister, is required in the contract.
This text describes the legal position as of the date above and is informational — it does not replace legal advice on a specific case. If your situation differs from the one described, write to us or consult a lawyer.
See also
Still have a question?
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