How to set up a for-profit limited company.

The Polish Government has a guide on how to start a company in Poland. In it, it lays out a series of steps to register a business in Poland. All commercial businesses except for small ones should register.

All company registrations can be done by proxy, either in paper on online. Here are official Polish guides on how to register a Sole Proprietorship, Civil Law Partnership, LLC, General Partnership, Limited Partnership, Joint-Stock Company or Limited Joint-Stock Company in Poland.

You need to set up a business bank account in Poland and obtain a registered office on Poland. After registering your company you also need to register for taxes. After this process, you will obtain two numbers, the Tax Identification Number (NIP) and the registration and statistical number (REGON) for identification and reporting purposes that identify you as a registered company.

The Registration Process for a LLC

To Register an LLC in Poland, the following information is needed:

• The articles of association (or memorandum, in case of single-person limited liability company). The articles of association should be in the form of a notarial deed. The articles shall specify the seat of the company, the object of activity, the amount of the share capital, whether the partner may have more than one share, and the number and nominal value of the shares to be subscribed by the shareholders.
• Statement of all members of the Board that the contributions to the share capital were fully paid by all members.
• Proof of appointment of board members
• The list of shareholders
• The surnames, names and addresses of the members of the Management Board.
• Statement of consent of the persons authorised to represent the entity, liquidators and proxies for the performance of their functions. See a guide here for more details.

Interested founders can set up a limited liability company (LLC) online in a simplified manner in Poland using the online S24 process. The procedure for registration of limited liability companies using the standard template of contract (S24) is available on the Ministry of Justice website. This site detials how to use the portal.

The information you require include:

• the registered name of company (box in the form called ‘name of the company’),
• contact details of company (there is a possibility to indicate the website address and e-mail address of registered company — after the registration the data are visible in the National Court Register (KRS),
• the competent registry court at the seat of the company (select from a drop-down list),
• the list of shareholders, members of management bodies of company and branches of the company (if applicable)

There are also several forms to fill out.

Registering a Nonprofit

There are two types of nonprofits in Poland, associations and foundations. According to this source, “associations are organizations between several members that are joined together by a non-profit objective. This type of non-profit organization is supervised by the supervising agencies that have the power to verify its activities, demand copies of the acts, require explanations from the association’s authorities” while “A foundation opened in Poland is created with no membership for pursuing non-profit objectives. These objectives may be protection of the historical landmarks, advancement of health, education and technology, culture, literacy, social services and others.”

In order to register an association, the founding committee must deposit the statute, a list with all the founders and their details, the address of the temporary seat and the procedure under which the founding committee was elected.

More details on non-profits in Poland can be found here and here.

Sources:

• What You Need To Know Before You Start A Business Activity In Poland (Government Guide)
• How to Register a Business in Poland - Sole Trader, LLC, GP, LP, Joint Stock Company (Government Guide, in Polish)
• Register an LLC in Poland (Government Guide)
• Online Registration for LLCs in Poland (Government Guide)
• Comprehensive Guide to Nonprofits in Poland
• Shorter Guide to Nonprofits in Poland