Accounting in Poland is regulated by the Accounting Act, and the books must be kept in Polish and in złoty. Every Polish limited liability company must keep full accounting books, regardless of its size or revenue. Among the obligations are monthly tax filings in electronic form, e-invoicing in the National e-Invoice System (KSeF) and annual financial statements filed with the National Court Register (KRS). A good provider can still give the foreign parent its reporting in English and under group standards.
- Type of books: full (double-entry) accounting for every capital company and branch.
- Language and currency: Polish and złoty.
- Monthly deadlines: ZUS by the 15th, CIT advance and payroll tax by the 20th, VAT return (JPK_V7M) by the 25th.
- E-invoicing: mandatory in KSeF since 2026.
- Financial statements: prepared within 3 months of the year end, approved within 6 months, filed with the KRS within 15 days of approval.
- Statutory audit: required above two of three thresholds: 50 employees, EUR 3,125,000 in total assets, EUR 6,250,000 in net revenue.
Who has to keep full accounting books in Poland?
Every Polish capital company, including a limited liability company (sp. z o.o.) and a joint-stock company, must keep full accounting books under the Accounting Act, whatever its revenue. There is no turnover threshold below which a foreign-owned subsidiary can switch to simplified records. The same applies to a branch of a foreign company, which keeps separate accounting books in Polish.
Full accounting vs simplified records. Simplified records, such as the tax book of revenue and expenses (KPiR) or the lump-sum revenue register, are available only to individuals and some partnerships. They must switch to full books once their net revenue in the previous year reaches the PLN equivalent of EUR 2,000,000. A Polish limited liability company never qualifies for simplified records.
Full accounting books mean double-entry bookkeeping with a chart of accounts, a general ledger, subsidiary ledgers and a fixed asset register. The company must also have a written accounting policy, approved by the management board. This policy describes how the company recognises revenue, measures assets and organises its books.
For a CFO abroad, the key point is responsibility. Under Polish law, the management board is responsible for the company’s accounting, even when the books are outsourced. Outsourcing transfers the work, not the liability. This is why the choice of accounting provider and the quality of monthly reporting matter so much.
Can a Polish company use IFRS instead of Polish accounting rules?
Yes, in some cases. A Polish company that belongs to a group whose parent prepares consolidated financial statements under IFRS may prepare its own statements under IFRS, if it meets the conditions of art. 45 of the Accounting Act and its approving body decides so. Without such a decision, the company follows the Polish Accounting Act.
In practice, many foreign-owned subsidiaries keep their statutory books under Polish rules and prepare a separate reporting package for the group. The package follows the group’s accounting manual, often IFRS or US GAAP, and is delivered in English. This approach keeps local compliance simple and still gives the parent the numbers it needs for consolidation.
Choosing IFRS for the statutory statements has consequences. Statements prepared under IFRS must be filed in a specific electronic format, and IFRS reporters are always subject to an audit. Tax settlements still follow Polish tax law, so differences between accounting and tax figures must be tracked anyway.
What are the monthly accounting and tax obligations?
A Polish company has fixed monthly deadlines: CIT advance payment (The exception is quarterly CIT) and payroll tax by the 20th, the VAT return by the 25th and social security contributions by the 15th. All filings are electronic. Most of them are prepared by the accounting provider and approved or paid by the company.
| Obligation | Deadline | Who usually prepares it |
|---|---|---|
| Social security (ZUS) contributions and reports for employees | 15th of the following month | payroll provider |
| CIT advance payment | 20th of the following month (small and new taxpayers can pay quarterly) | accounting provider |
| Personal income tax withheld from salaries | 20th of the following month | payroll provider |
| VAT return and records in JPK_V7M format | 25th of the following month | accounting provider |
| PPK contributions (employee capital plans) | 15th of the following month | payroll provider |
| E-invoices in KSeF | on an ongoing basis | the company or the accounting provider |
| Monthly management report for the parent | as agreed with the group | accounting provider |
The standard VAT rate in Poland is 23%, with reduced rates of 8%, 5% and 0% for specific goods and services. The CIT rate is 19%, or 9% for small taxpayers and companies in their first tax year, subject to exclusions.
What are the annual reporting obligations?
After the end of the financial year, a Polish company must prepare its financial statements within 3 months, approve them within 6 months and file them with the National Court Register within 15 days of approval. It also files its annual CIT return (CIT-8) by the end of the third month after the tax year.
| Step | Deadline (calendar year) |
|---|---|
| Prepare the financial statements in electronic form | 31 March |
| File CIT-8 and pay the final CIT | 31 March |
| Audit, if required | before approval |
| Shareholders approve the financial statements | 30 June |
| File the statements, resolutions and audit report with the KRS | within 15 days of approval |
Who signs the financial statements? The person who keeps the books and the management board sign them. Since 2022, it is enough for one board member to sign if the other members file statements instead. Signatures must be electronic: a qualified electronic signature, a trusted signature (which requires a Polish PESEL number) or a Polish e-ID signature. A qualified signature from another EU country is accepted. A proxy cannot sign the financial statements on behalf of a board member.
When is an audit required? A company must have its financial statements audited by a statutory auditor if, in the previous year, it exceeded at least two of three thresholds set in art. 64 of the Accounting Act: an average of 50 full-time employees, total assets of EUR 3,125,000 and net revenue from sales of goods and products of EUR 6,250,000 (amounts converted into złoty). Joint-stock companies and IFRS reporters are always audited. The board appoints the auditor early enough for the audit to finish before the shareholders’ meeting.
Other reports. Depending on its activity, a company may also have to file statistical reports with Statistics Poland (GUS), reports on foreign transactions with the National Bank of Poland (NBP) and Intrastat declarations for trade in goods within the EU. Foreign-owned companies should check these duties at the start, because they are easy to miss.
What is JPK (SAF-T) and how does it affect a foreign company?
JPK (Jednolity Plik Kontrolny) is the Polish version of SAF-T: a set of electronic files in which companies send accounting and tax data to the tax authorities. It allows the authorities to analyse a company’s data without visiting it.
Two JPK files matter most for a foreign-owned company:
- JPK_V7M: the monthly VAT return combined with VAT records. All active VAT taxpayers have filed it since October 2020.
- JPK_CIT: the annual file with accounting books and tax data (JPK_KR_PD), filed together with CIT-8. It covers tax years starting in 2025 for the largest taxpayers (revenue above EUR 50 million) and tax capital groups, tax years starting in 2026 for other CIT taxpayers filing monthly JPK_V7M, and tax years starting in 2027 for all remaining CIT taxpayers. The first file is sent after the end of the tax year, together with the annual return.
JPK_CIT has a practical consequence for the parent. Each account in the chart of accounts must be mapped to tax and financial categories. This often requires changes in the ERP system or in the chart of accounts, so it is worth planning together with the Polish accounting team.
What is KSeF and why does it matter for invoicing?
KSeF (Krajowy System e-Faktur) is Poland’s National e-Invoice System, in which invoices are issued and received in a structured electronic format. Where KSeF is mandatory, issuing an invoice outside the system breaches the rules, and from 2028 it can be penalised.
The timeline for 2026 is:
- 1 February 2026: all taxpayers must receive invoices through KSeF, and taxpayers with 2024 sales above PLN 200 million must issue them there.
- 1 April 2026: all other taxpayers must issue invoices through KSeF.
- until 31 December 2026: taxpayers with monthly sales up to PLN 10,000 may still issue some invoices outside KSeF.
- from 1 January 2028: penalties for breaches of KSeF rules can apply.
For a foreign-owned company, KSeF often requires an integration between the group’s ERP system and the Polish system. ALTO supports such projects as part of its KSeF implementation service.
Can accounting in Poland be kept in English?
No. Polish law requires the accounting books and the financial statements to be kept in Polish and in złoty. The company can, however, receive translations and management reports in English.
In practice, foreign-owned companies use three layers of reporting:
- Statutory books in Polish and in złoty, under the Accounting Act.
- Monthly reporting package for the group in English, often in the group’s currency and format.
- English translation of the annual financial statements, for the parent and the group auditor.
A chart of accounts with bilingual names makes the link between the layers much easier. It also helps during an audit, because the group auditor can follow the Polish books without a translator.
In-house accountant or accounting outsourcing in Poland?
Most foreign-owned SMEs in Poland outsource accounting, because it gives them full compliance and English reporting without building a local finance team. An in-house accountant becomes more attractive when transaction volumes grow and the company needs daily finance support on site.
| Criterion | In-house accountant | Accounting outsourcing |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | salary, social security, software, training | monthly fee based on volume |
| Continuity | risk during holidays, sick leave or resignation | team coverage |
| Knowledge of changes (KSeF, JPK_CIT) | depends on one person | spread across the team |
| English reporting | depends on the person’s skills | usually part of the service |
| Control over daily processes | high | agreed in the contract and procedures |
A common model is mixed: an in-house person handles documents and payments, and an external provider keeps the books, prepares tax returns and the financial statements. ALTO’s accounting outsourcing and tax compliance services work in both models.
FAQ
Do I need a Polish accountant? Polish law does not require the accountant to be Polish, but the books must be kept in Polish, under Polish rules and in złoty. In practice, this means an accounting team that knows Polish tax law, JPK files and KSeF. Many foreign-owned companies outsource accounting to a Polish provider that also reports to the parent in English.
Can financial statements be prepared in English? The statutory financial statements must be prepared in Polish and in złoty, and in electronic form. The company can attach an English translation for the parent, group auditors or banks. Only the Polish version is filed with the National Court Register and counts as the official document.
Who signs the financial statements? The financial statements are signed by the person who keeps the books and by the management board. Since 2022, one board member’s signature is enough if the other members file statements instead. A qualified electronic signature from another EU country is accepted. A proxy cannot sign on behalf of a board member.
When does a company need an audit? A company needs a statutory audit if, in the previous year, it exceeded at least two of three thresholds in art. 64 of the Accounting Act: 50 full-time employees on average, EUR 3,125,000 in total assets and EUR 6,250,000 in net revenue from sales. Joint-stock companies and companies reporting under IFRS are always audited. Check the thresholds each year, because they depend on the previous year’s data.
What happens if reporting deadlines are missed? Late filings can lead to penalties for the company and its board members. The registry court can also impose fines on the board for failing to file financial statements with the KRS. Missing tax deadlines results in late payment interest and possible fiscal penal liability. A reporting calendar agreed with the accounting provider is the simplest protection.
How ALTO supports
ALTO provides accounting, tax compliance and corporate services for foreign-owned companies in Poland. We keep full accounting books, prepare JPK files, VAT and CIT returns and annual financial statements. We report to the parent company in English and in the format required by the group. Our team also supports KSeF implementation and the preparation for JPK_CIT. Learn more on our accounting services page.
Sources
- Podatki.gov.pl, e-financial statements: questions and answers: https://www.podatki.gov.pl/e-sprawozdania-finansowe/pytania-i-odpowiedzi/
- Ministry of Finance, simplifications in signing financial statements: https://www.gov.pl/web/finanse/jakie-sa-mozliwe-uproszczenia-przy-podpisywaniu-sprawozdan-finansowych
- National Revenue Administration, JPK structures in income taxes: https://www.gov.pl/web/kas/struktury-jpk-w-podatkach-dochodowych
- Podatki.gov.pl, JPK_VAT with declaration: https://www.podatki.gov.pl/podatki-firmowe/jednolity-plik-kontrolny/jpk_vat-z-deklaracja/jpk_vat-z-deklaracja
- Podatki.gov.pl, CIT rates and limits: https://www.podatki.gov.pl/podatki-firmowe/cit/cit-klasyczny/stawki-i-limity
- Podatki.gov.pl, VAT basic information: https://podatki.gov.pl/podatki-firmowe/vat/informacje-podstawowe
- Biznes.gov.pl, CIT for companies: https://www.biznes.gov.pl/pl/portal/00251
- Biznes.gov.pl, ZUS contributions deadlines: https://www.biznes.gov.pl/pl/portal/00277
- Ministry of Finance, KSeF 2.0 manual, part I (25.03.2026): https://ksef.podatki.gov.pl/media/sthoiadq/podrecznik-ksef-20-cz-i-rozpoczecie-korzystania-z-ksef-25032026.pdf
- Tax Administration Chamber in Katowice, second stage of KSeF implementation: https://www.gov.pl/web/ias-katowice/drugi-etap-wdrozenia-krajowego-systemu-e-faktur
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Contact25 October 2026
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