An employer, an office, or a foreign institution asked you for a “certificate of no criminal record”, and you’re not sure whether you need to go to court in person or can do it from your couch. You can do it online, in a few minutes, but the e-KRK system has its own traps, especially if the document needs to go abroad or you don’t have a PESEL number. Here’s the step by step, the cost, the wait time, and when a plain certificate isn’t enough.
- A certificate from the National Criminal Register (KRK) online through e-KRK costs PLN 20 and is usually ready within 7 days starting the day after you submit the application.
- The paper version, filed in person or by mail, costs PLN 30, in person you usually get it on the spot, by mail you need to add delivery time.
- The KRK Act sets no expiry period for the certificate at all, it’s the recipient of the document, an employer, an office, or a foreign institution, who decides whether they’ll accept a document “no older than” a given number of months.
- The e-KRK response is an electronically signed XML file, its printout is not an official document, so if you need an apostille, you have to order the paper version instead.
- A foreigner can get a Polish certificate of no criminal record without a residence card, a PESEL number or a passport number is enough, though a residence card still confirms your identity and is worth having on hand when filing in person.
- An apostille is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the KRK, it costs PLN 60 and requires a paper original of the certificate (PLN 30), so budget around PLN 90 total and up to 30 days of waiting.
- What a KRK certificate is and who requires it
- How to order the certificate online through e-KRK, step by step
- When you need the paper version instead of the e-KRK file
- Cost and processing time in one place
- How long a certificate of no criminal record is valid
- Apostille and using the certificate abroad
- A foreigner without a PESEL number, how to apply
- When KRK is needed for a JDG or a company
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
What a KRK certificate is and who requires it
The National Criminal Register (Krajowy Rejestr Karny, KRK) is a central database of persons finally convicted in Poland, run by the Ministry of Justice. A “certificate of no criminal record” is, in practice, an information about a person drawn from that register, confirming that the person doesn’t appear in it as convicted (or, if they do, what specific entries concern them). The right to obtain information about yourself comes from Art. 7(1) of the KRK Act, everyone has the right to check what data about them is recorded in the register.
The certificate is most often required by: employers hiring for positions tied to responsibility (security, finance, work with children), offices issuing licenses and permits, courts and probation officers, and foreign institutions during residence legalization, qualification recognition, or citizenship and work applications. For foreigners in Poland, the certificate sometimes forms part of the documentation for certain residence procedures, although the residence card itself doesn’t replace it.
How to order the certificate online through e-KRK, step by step
The e-KRK system (ekrk.ms.gov.pl) lets you file the application and collect the response without leaving home, provided you have a way to sign the application electronically.
Create an account at ekrk.ms.gov.pl and log in.
Choose the “Request for information about a person” application type and fill in the form with your details (PESEL, or an ID document number if you have no PESEL).
Sign the application electronically, with a Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany) or a qualified electronic signature.
Pay for the application (PLN 20) through the e-KRK system, then submit it, paying alone does not automatically send it.
Download the response, an electronically signed XML file, from the “Responses” tab in your e-KRK account, usually within 7 days.
A common mistake worth flagging: clicking “pay” alone doesn’t finish the process, you still need to submit the application as a separate step in the system, otherwise the payment is lost and the application never reaches processing.
When you need the paper version instead of the e-KRK file
The e-KRK response is an electronically signed XML file, legally equivalent to a paper document, but its printout is not an official document. For most employers and offices in Poland, the electronic file is enough, because they can verify the digital signature. The problem starts when the document has to go to an institution that can’t or won’t verify an electronic signature from Poland, for example a foreign embassy, a foreign employer, or when you need an apostille.
In those cases you file a paper application, in person at a KRK information point (located at regional courts) or by mail to the KRK Information Bureau in Warsaw. An in-person application is generally handled on the spot, though exceptionally it can take up to 7 days if the case needs extra verification. A mailed application is usually processed within 7 days of receipt, plus you need to add the time for the letter to travel both ways.
Example. Marta works remotely for a company in Germany that requires a paper certificate with a signature and court stamp for its compliance file. The XML file from e-KRK, even though legally valid in Poland, won’t be accepted by the German legal department, which has no tool to verify a Polish electronic signature. Marta has to file a paper application, either in person or by mail, to get a document with a physical stamp.
Cost and processing time in one place
| Filing method | Cost | Processing time |
| e-KRK (online) | PLN 20 | up to 7 days from the day after filing |
| In person at a KRK point | PLN 30 | generally on the spot, exceptionally up to 7 days |
| By mail to the KRK Information Bureau | PLN 30 | up to 7 days from receipt, plus delivery time |
| EU citizen with a request to their country’s own registry | PLN 30 | up to 20 business days |
The PLN 20 and PLN 30 amounts are set by § 3 of the Minister of Justice’s Regulation of June 18, 2014 on fees for issuing information from the National Criminal Register. The fee is paid when filing the application, not after it’s processed, so if an application has an error and gets rejected on formal grounds, it’s worth contacting the KRK about a refund rather than simply filing a new application with a new fee without clarifying the situation.
How long a certificate of no criminal record is valid
This is one of the most common misunderstandings: the KRK Act sets no validity period at all for the certificate. The document itself doesn’t “expire” after a month or three. Whether a given institution will accept a certificate issued, say, six months ago depends entirely on that institution’s own internal requirements or the rules governing the specific procedure, not on the KRK itself.
In practice, many offices and employers follow the convention that a certificate should be “no older than” one, three, or six months, but that’s an industry convention, not a law. If you’re submitting a certificate for a specific matter, always check with the recipient what maximum age of the document they accept, rather than guessing based on what you read elsewhere.
The KRK Act sets no validity period for the certificate. It’s the recipient of the document, not the law, who decides how old a document they’ll still accept.
Apostille and using the certificate abroad
If the certificate needs to go to an institution outside Poland, the plain e-KRK file usually isn’t enough. An apostille is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the KRK, and only for a paper document, a printout of the XML file isn’t eligible for it. The full path looks like this: first a paper application for the KRK certificate (PLN 30), then an apostille application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (PLN 60), so budget around PLN 90 total and the processing time for both steps, the Ministry generally processes mailed applications within 30 days of receipt.
There’s an important exception for Polish citizens though: under EU Regulation 2016/1191, a Polish certificate of no criminal record presented to an authority in another EU country generally doesn’t require an apostille. You can additionally order a multilingual standard form (PLN 17) to make the document easier for an official who doesn’t speak Polish to understand. This EU apostille exemption applies to a Polish citizen’s document though, don’t automatically assume it covers a foreigner holding a Polish certificate on the same terms, when in doubt ask the target institution directly or consult a lawyer.
Outside the EU, an apostille works in countries covered by the 1961 Hague Convention. In countries that haven’t joined it, you may need additional legalization through that country’s consulate instead of just an apostille.
A foreigner without a PESEL number, how to apply
A foreigner can get a Polish certificate of no criminal record on the same terms as a Polish citizen, a residence card is not a condition for filing the application. If you have a PESEL number, you enter it in the application just like anyone else. If you don’t have one, Art. 19(3) of the KRK Act lets you provide your passport number or another identity document number instead. A valid residence card, while not a formal requirement of the application itself, serves to confirm your identity and is worth having on hand when filing in person, the same as a passport.
If you’re still deciding which residence basis to pursue so you can legally work or run a business in Poland, before you even get to compiling documents like a KRK certificate, our overview of how to legally move to Poland is worth reading first.
When KRK is needed for a JDG or a company
Simply registering a JDG in Poland doesn’t require a certificate of no criminal record, registration through CEIDG doesn’t check KRK entries. The certificate does come up for licensed or permit-based activities though (for example private security, arms trading, some financial services), where industry regulations explicitly require proving no criminal record as a condition for the license or permit. It also comes up in some public procurement and tenders, where the contracting authority may require a certificate from the people managing the company.
For companies, including a Sp. z o.o., registering with the KRS also doesn’t require a KRK certificate for board members, but some B2B contracts, especially with large corporations or the public sector, may require one as part of a due diligence or compliance procedure before signing. If you’re not sure whether your specific business requires such a certificate, check the relevant industry regulations or consult a lawyer before filing an application just in case.
Frequently asked questions
Is an e-KRK certificate the same as a paper one with a stamp?
Legally yes, both documents have the same value, the e-KRK file is electronically signed. In practice they differ in form: institutions that can’t verify a Polish electronic signature may not accept a printout of the XML file and may require the paper version with a physical stamp.
How long is a certificate of no criminal record valid?
The KRK Act sets no validity period. It’s the recipient of the document, an employer, an office, or a foreign institution, who decides whether they’ll accept a document issued, say, a few months ago. Always check the specific requirement with the recipient.
Can a foreigner without a PESEL number apply for a KRK certificate?
Yes. Under Art. 19(3) of the KRK Act, if you have no PESEL number, you provide your passport number or another identity document number in the application. A residence card is not a formal requirement for filing.
How do I get an apostille on a certificate of no criminal record?
The apostille is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the KRK, and only for a paper document. You first order the paper KRK certificate (PLN 30), then file an apostille application with the Ministry (PLN 60), budgeting around PLN 90 total and up to 30 days for both steps.
Does a Polish citizen presenting the certificate in another EU country need an apostille?
Generally no. EU Regulation 2016/1191 exempts a Polish citizen’s certificate of no criminal record from an apostille requirement between EU countries. You can additionally order a multilingual standard form for PLN 17 to make the document easier to understand.
Do you need a KRK certificate to register a JDG in Poland?
No, registering a JDG through CEIDG doesn’t require a certificate of no criminal record. It may be needed for licensed activities, some tenders, or as part of compliance in contracts with large companies.
Bibliography and legal basis
- Act of 24 May 2000 on the National Criminal Register, consolidated text, Journal of Laws 2024 item 276, Art. 7(1), Art. 19(1) and (3), Art. 24.
- Act of 13 February 2026 amending the Act on the National Criminal Register, Journal of Laws 2026 item 421.
- Minister of Justice Regulation of 18 June 2014 on fees for issuing information from the National Criminal Register, § 3.
- Ministry of Justice, information on the e-KRK system, gov.pl.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, information on apostilles, gov.pl.
- Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2016, eur-lex.europa.eu.
Legal status as of: September 28, 2026.
Author: Walery Kusznirski, in-house legal practitioner at MojaFirma.
This article is not legal advice. Every situation is individual and depends on the specific recipient’s requirement and the applicable regulations.
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