Types of Polish Companies (2024)

Poland is a country that is constantly evolving. Investors have a wide range of business opportunities here and those who choose toopen companies in Polandhave a variety oftypes of legal entitiesfrom which they can choose the one best suited to their needs.The Commercial Companies Codestipulates the types of structuresthat can be set up in Poland.

Thetypes of companies in Polandare similar to those in other European countries.Commercial companiescan be either corporations or partnerships. OurPolish law firmcan help youchoose the type of companythat is best suited for your specific business needs.

Regardless of the type of company you choose to incorporate in Poland, our local team ofattorneys in Warsawwill be able to offer guidance and legal representation as needed, throughout our business activities in the country. You can rely on our assistance for business and employment matters, for handling issues concerning contractual breaches or debt collection, as well as many other issues.

Types of corporations in Poland

There are twotypes of corporations available in Poland: the limited liability company and the joint-stock company.

The Polish Limited Liability Company(abbreviated “sp. z o.o.”) is the most common form of legal entity and can be established for any kind of activity. It requires a minimum share capital of 5,000 PLN and the nominal value of a share must be of at least 50 PLN. The share capital can be divided into shares of equal or unequal nominal value.The shareholdersare not liable for the company’s obligations and they can be natural or legal persons or organizational units without legal personality. The members of the management board can be liable towards the company’s creditors. A limited liability company must pay corporate income tax andVAT in Poland.

The Polish Joint-Stock Companyis designed for large businesses. It requires a minimum share capital of 100,000 PLN and the nominal value of one share cannot be lower than 0.01 PLN. The shareholders are not liable for the obligations of the company and they can be natural or legal persons or organizational units without legal personality. Like the limited liability company, the joint-stock company is also a taxpayer of thecorporate income taxand VAT.

Foreign investors who want toexpand their business in Polandcan also choose toopen a branch or a subsidiary in Poland. Our lawyers an also help youopen a bank account in Polandfor your business.

Ourlawyer in Polandcan help you with additional information about how to register a company in Poland. In case you need toobtain an EORI number for your business in Poland, our team is at your disposal.

Partnerships in Poland

There are severaltypes of partnershipsthat can be formed in Poland, each having different advantages forbusiness owners.

The Civil Law Partnershipis a good business option for a small business. It is a simple business form with no legal personality that requires two partners who declare that they have common business goals and are willing to share material contribution. The founders can be natural or legal persons or organizational units without legal personality. Each partner is liable to the debts and obligations of the partnership.

The General Partnershipis designed for relatively small businesses conducted by at least two entities. It has no legal personality and requires no minimum share capital. The partners are liable for the partnership’s obligations. The partnership must be registered in the National Court Register, otherwise it cannot conduct any business activity.

The Limited Partnershipis meant for a business activity of any scale. It has no legal personality but it does have legal capacity and judicial capacity. It does not require a minimum share capital and it must have at least two founders (natural or legal persons or organizational units without legal personality). The partners are liable for the partnership’s obligations.

The Limited Joint-Stock Partnershipcan be suited for a number of business activities and must include an active partner (the general partner) and a passive partner or shareholder (the provider of capital). It has no legal personality and the two partners can both be natural or legal persons or organizational units without legal personality. This type of partnership requires aminimum share capitalof 50,000 PLN, with a minimum nominal value of a share no lower than 0.01 PLN. The general partner bears unlimited liability for the partnership’s obligations up to the full value of all the assets. The shareholder has no liability for the obligations of the partnership.

The Limited Liability Partnershipcan be established by at least two partners who have the right to practice a freelance procession (physician, architect). It has no legal personality and it requires no minimum share capital. The partners are liable for the partnership’s obligations.

The Sole Proprietorshipis abusiness form available in Polandfor individual activities. It can be set up by a natural person who has legal capacity. It requires no minimum share capital and the founder bears full liability will all personal assets. The income of a person who conducts an individual business activity in Poland is subject to Personal Income Tax.

We invite you to watch the following video on thetypes of companies in Poland:

Pleasecontact our Polish law firmif you have any questions or need personalized advice. If you need tax advice, our lawyers can give you more details about the types oftaxes in Polandand can help you comply with the Polish taxation system.