Księga Wieczysta: How to Check Any Polish Property for Free
Short answer: Every Polish property's legal status is in a public land and mortgage register (ksiega wieczysta), free to view at ekw.ms.gov.pl. Check that the seller matches section II, scan sections III and IV for claims and mortgages, and watch for notes about pending applications before paying anything.
Before you buy a flat in Poland - or even sign a reservation agreement - there is one free check that tells you who really owns the property, whether a bank has a mortgage on it, and whether anyone has claims against it. It is the księga wieczysta, the land and mortgage register, and every entry is public. Here is how to read one.
What the register is
Księgi wieczyste are public registers that show the legal status of real estate - flats, houses, building plots and land - and of the cooperative ownership right to a flat (spółdzielcze własnościowe prawo do lokalu). They are kept electronically by the district courts, and the Ministry of Justice provides free online viewing at ekw.ms.gov.pl. The ministry takes responsibility for the browser view being fully consistent with the central database.
Each register is divided into four sections (działy):
- Section I - the property's description (location, plot numbers, area) and rights connected with ownership
- Section II - who owns it, or who holds the perpetual usufruct
- Section III - limited property rights other than mortgages (easements, claims, restrictions on disposal - this is where you might find a life-annuity right or a pre-emption claim)
- Section IV - mortgages
When checking a flat, you want a clean Section II naming your seller, and Sections III and IV free of surprises - or at least a clear story for every entry.
How to look one up for free
You need the register number, which looks like WA1M/00123456/7: a court-division code, the number, and a check digit. Ask the seller or agent for it - any legitimate seller will share it. On ekw.ms.gov.pl you enter the three parts and see the full current content, including notes about pending applications (wzmianki o wnioskach) - if a transfer or a new mortgage was applied for but not yet entered, it shows there. That pending-application note is exactly what you want to see before paying a deposit.
Official extracts and what they cost
Free browsing is enough for your own checks. When a bank or notary needs an official document, you order one from the Central Information of Land and Mortgage Registers (Centralna Informacja Ksiąg Wieczystych) or its desks at district courts. The Ministry of Justice fee table:
- Ordinary extract (odpis zwykły) - current entries plus notes on pending applications: 45 zł in person, 30 zł online with self-printing (an online self-printed extract has the force of a court-issued document)
- Full extract (odpis zupełny) - everything, including deleted entries: 90 zł, or 75 zł online
- Partial extract (wyciąg) by section: 25-45 zł in person, 10-40 zł online
- Certificate of closure of a register: 15 zł
The checks that matter for a foreign buyer
- The seller named in Section II matches the person signing the preliminary agreement
- Section IV shows no mortgage you did not know about - or the bank confirms it will be released at closing
- Section III has no third-party rights (life annuity, easements, claims) that would survive the sale
- No pending-application note pointing to another buyer or a court case
- The property described in Section I (plot, area, building) is the one you viewed
A notary handling the sale will re-check all of this and file the ownership-transfer entry electronically after closing - but the free look-up costs you two minutes and can end a bad deal before any money moves.
Frequently asked questions
### Is the Polish land register really public?
Yes. Księgi wieczyste are public by law, and the Ministry of Justice runs free online access at ekw.ms.gov.pl for anyone - no account needed.
What does a pending application note mean for a buyer?
It means someone has already applied for an entry - for example an ownership transfer or a mortgage - that is not yet visible as a completed entry. A note about another transfer is a red flag: do not pay anything until it is explained.
Do I need an official extract to make an offer?
No. The free browser view is the same data. You only pay for extracts when a bank, notary or office formally requires a document - and the online self-printed version is cheaper and legally equivalent.
What if the flat has no register at all?
Some older cooperative flats do not have one yet, and the cooperative's records are then the reference. Any flat bought on the open market should have a register - treat its absence as a question for the notary, not a detail.
