Energy Performance Certificates in Poland: Renting and Buying
Short answer: Since 28 April 2023 an owner selling or renting out a building or flat in Poland must have an energy performance certificate, drawn up by a listed assessor through the Central Register. It is valid for 10 years and listings must show its energy indicators; renters and buyers should always ask for it.
When you buy or rent a flat in Poland, the owner usually has to have an energy performance certificate for it - the świadectwo charakterystyki energetycznej. It tells you how much energy the home needs for heating, hot water and cooling, and it is one of the most useful documents an expat can ask for before signing. This guide is based on the consolidated text of the Act on the Energy Performance of Buildings, Dz.U. 2024 poz. 101, current as of October 2026.
When is a certificate mandatory?
Under art. 3 of the Act, the owner or manager of a building or part of a building - including a person holding a cooperative ownership right to a flat - must ensure a certificate is drawn up when the property is:
- sold under a sale contract
- sold as a cooperative ownership right to a flat
- rented out
The obligation applies to the person on the selling or letting side, not to the buyer or tenant. For you as an expat, the practical rule is simple: ask for the certificate before you sign.
Which buildings are exempt?
Art. 3 ust. 4 exempts:
- buildings under heritage protection
- buildings used as places of worship and for religious activity
- industrial and utility buildings without energy-using installations, except built-in lighting
- homes used no more than 4 months a year (typical summer cottages)
- freestanding buildings with a usable area below 50 m2
- farm buildings with a low primary energy indicator
Ordinary flats and houses on the market are almost always covered.
What the certificate tells you
The certificate is drawn up through the Central Register of Energy Performance of Buildings (Centralny Rejestr Charakterystyki Energetycznej Budynków), carries a register number, and is signed by an assessor from the ministerial list - the owner may not draw it up personally (art. 4, art. 16).
For a renter or buyer, the key numbers are the indicators of annual demand for useful energy (EU), final energy (EK) and non-renewable primary energy (EP), plus the share of renewable energy and unit CO2 emissions. They let you compare the real heating costs of two flats before you commit. The certificate also contains recommendations for improving the building's energy performance.
Validity: 10 years, unless the building changes
Under art. 14, a certificate is valid for 10 years from the day it was drawn up. It loses validity early if construction or installation works changed the building's energy characteristics - for example after a new heating system or insulation.
Energy data in advertisements
Since the 2023 reform, art. 13 requires that when a certificate exists, advertisements and listings for the sale or rental of a building or its part must state the annual demand indicators for useful, final and non-renewable primary energy, the renewable share and unit CO2 emissions. If a portal listing shows these numbers, you can check them against the certificate itself.
Handing the certificate over
On a sale, the seller must hand the certificate to the buyer, and the notary records the handover in the notarial deed. If it was not handed over, the notary warns the seller about the fine (art. 11). Failing to meet the handover obligation is punishable by a fine (kara grzywny) under art. 41 of the Act.
For rentals there is no notary involved, but the obligation to have the certificate still rests on the landlord. As a tenant you can simply ask to see it.
Why expats should care
Heating is the biggest variable cost in a Polish flat in winter, and two similar-looking listings can differ by hundreds of zloty a month in heating. The certificate is a free, standardized way to check this before you sign a lease or a preliminary sale agreement. If the owner cannot show one for a covered property, treat it as a red flag - the obligation has been in force for sales and rentals since 28 April 2023.
Frequently asked questions
### Do I pay for the certificate as a tenant or buyer?
No. The Act places the obligation on the owner, manager or cooperative rights holder - the person selling or letting the property. The assessor's fee is a market price paid by that person.
How do I check a certificate is genuine?
Every certificate carries a number from the Central Register of Energy Performance of Buildings. It is issued electronically with a qualified, trusted or personal signature, or on paper with the assessor's personal signature, and the assessor must be on the ministerial list.
The flat I want to rent was renovated last year. Is the old certificate still good?
Possibly not. A certificate is valid for 10 years, but it loses validity early if construction or installation works changed the building's energy characteristics - so after a major renovation the owner should have a new one drawn up.
