Money

Reserve your PESEL number in Poland: free protection from loan fraud

Short answer: Reserving your PESEL is free and instant online. Banks must check it before lending. Do it in mObywatel, on gov.pl or at any gmina office; lift it when you need a loan or account.

Published 16 Oct 2026, 13:38 CEST · By Expats Poland Editorial Team

If you have a PESEL, you have a number that banks, lenders and offices use to identify you. A criminal who gets hold of it, together with your name, can try to take out a loan or a hire-purchase deal in your name. Poland has a free official tool against this: you can reserve (zastrzec) your PESEL, and lenders must then refuse to use it without you lifting the reservation. This guide explains how it works, how to switch it on and off, and what the sources say about foreigners. It is based on the gov.pl service page, a Ministry of Digital Affairs notice of 17 August 2026 and a municipal office page, as of 16 October 2026.

What reserving your PESEL does

According to gov.pl, a PESEL reservation protects against identity theft and against paying off obligations taken out by fraudsters with stolen data. Since 1 June 2024, financial institutions such as banks have to check whether a PESEL is reserved before they conclude, for example, a loan agreement.

Everyday life continues as normal. The gov.pl page says that with a reserved PESEL you can still:

register with a doctor
collect a prescription
withdraw money from an ATM
order a bank transfer
travel abroad
deal with an official matter

The Ministry of Digital Affairs recommends keeping the PESEL reserved by default and lifting the reservation only temporarily when you want to do something like open a bank account, take out a loan or buy something in instalments.

A padlock

Who can do it

The gov.pl service is open to everyone who has a PESEL number and is an adult. A foreigner with a PESEL is therefore covered by the wording of the service.

Three ways to reserve it

The Ministry of Digital Affairs lists three options, and all are free:

in the mObywatel app: log in, tap Services at the bottom, choose Reserve PESEL and confirm
on gov.pl, where you sign in and the system takes you to mObywatel.gov.pl. You need a trusted profile, a qualified signature, an e-ID card or your online banking login
in person at any municipal office (urząd gminy)

According to gov.pl, an online reservation is carried out immediately.

Reserving at a municipal office

If you do not have the digital tools, go to any gmina office. A municipal information page describes what to bring: a completed and signed application form for reserving or lifting the reservation, and an identity document to show. gov.pl states that you can ask the clerk to print the completed form from the system.

For foreigners, gov.pl names the document: a foreigner's travel document, or another document confirming identity and citizenship. For Ukrainian citizens, and spouses of Ukrainian citizens who are not Ukrainian citizens, with a PESEL carrying the UKR status, another document on which identity was established when the status was granted is accepted if they have none of the others.

A person who cannot come because of illness, disability or another insurmountable obstacle can use a representative with a special power of attorney, who appears in person at any municipal office.

Lifting the reservation

You can cancel the reservation the same way you made it. Online you have two choices, according to gov.pl:

lift it indefinitely
set a date and time when the system automatically reserves your PESEL again

The second option is handy when you plan to open a bank account or sign a loan on a particular day. The ministry also says the service lets you check the history of changes and of the checks of your number's status made by companies and institutions.

If your data has leaked

The ministry's notice of 17 August 2026 suggests several steps after a data leak: reserve your PESEL, check its usage history, turn on notifications in the Bezpiecznie w sieci service, and watch your bank accounts, cards and post for suspicious activity. If identity theft has happened, it says to invalidate your ID card by reporting unauthorised use of your data, through the app, on gov.pl or at a municipal office, and to report the theft to the police. The notice speaks about the Polish ID card, so a foreigner should ask the municipal office or the police how to proceed with their own documents.

Help

If the reservation or lifting does not work, gov.pl gives the helpline email [email protected] and the phone number +48 422 535 460.

* Photos: padlocks in Lima, Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (illustrative, not Poland). Lock image, Wikimedia Commons, public domain (illustrative).

Frequently asked questions

Is reserving a PESEL free?

Yes. Gov.pl says the service is free, and an online reservation or cancellation is carried out immediately.

Can I still see a doctor or use my bank card with a reserved PESEL?

Yes. According to gov.pl, you can still register with a doctor, collect a prescription, withdraw cash at an ATM, order a bank transfer, travel abroad and deal with official matters.

How do I open a bank account or take a loan if my PESEL is reserved?

Lift the reservation first. Online you can lift it indefinitely or set a date and time when it is reserved again automatically.

Can foreigners reserve their PESEL?

Gov.pl says the service is for adults who have a PESEL, and it names a foreigner's travel document as the identity document for an office visit.