Licenses and concessions

ONE PLUS checks whether a Polish business needs a licence, concession, sector permit or entry in a regulated-activity register. We begin with the actual business model, PKD 2025 codes, operating location, equipment, staff and planned contracts.

We identify the competent authority and procedure, prepare a list of corporate and sector-specific documents, and review requirements for premises, qualifications, insurance or financial security. We then prepare the application and attachments and assist with official requests within the agreed scope.

Before launch, the business owner knows which authorisation is required and what conditions must be met. This helps avoid starting regulated activity too early or having to change registrations, premises or contracts after an authority review.

When a Polish business needs a license or concession

Not every company in Poland can simply register a JDG or Sp. z o.o. and start trading the next day. Some sectors are regulated separately: without a concession, license, permit or entry in a regulated-activity register, the activity is unlawful. In practice this covers transport, alcohol sales, security, energy, pharmacy, waste handling and several other fields.

ONE PLUS has worked officially since 2018 and brings practical experience in business and administrative procedures. From our office in Wrocław we support clients across Poland. A common mistake is launching ads or hiring staff before the required permit is in place. The risk is then operational and financial: fines, suspension of activity and inspections by supervisory bodies, including PIP.

The information below is general. The exact list of permits depends on PKD codes, business form, location and the rules in force in 2026. The competent authority always takes the final decision.

How concessions, licenses and permits differ

Concessions

A concession is required for especially sensitive activities: mining, energy and fuels, protection of persons and property, radio and television. Validity often runs for years, and conditions are stricter than for an ordinary permit. Breach of conditions can lead to withdrawal of the concession.

Licenses

Licenses are most common in transport: passenger and goods carriage, international haulage, taxis. The application alone is not enough. Authorities look at the operating base, fleet, managers’ qualifications and insurance. International routes usually face higher requirements than local services.

Permits

Permits are typical for retail and wholesale alcohol sales, certain construction procedures, pharmaceutical activity and waste management. Local bodies often decide: the starosta, city office or voivodeship marshal. Even a “simple” alcohol permit can require a different document set depending on the municipality.

Regulated activity

A separate track is entry in a regulated-activity register. This may apply to employment agencies, travel agencies, bookkeeping services and selected advisory fields. It is not always called a “license”, but operating without the entry is still unlawful.

What to check before you file

We first align the real business model with PKD codes and the company form. If you are still planning Sp. z o.o. incorporation or a JDG, build the regulated activity into the structure from day one: address, premises, managers, insurance, capital and hiring plan.

A useful starting point is biznes.gov.pl. You can review general requirements there, but portal wording does not replace a case-specific review. The same PKD code can require different annexes in different cities.

What authorities usually verify

• match between PKD and actual activity;
• right to use the premises or site;
• documents of founders and managing persons;
• absence of bans or restrictions;
• insurance and technical, sanitary or sector rules;
• fees and completeness of the application.

If accounting support runs in parallel, figures in reports, lease contracts and staffing should match what you declare in the license application. Mismatches on address, turnover or service type often trigger further requests.

Sectors where a permit is hard to skip

Transport and logistics

Passenger and goods carriage almost always needs a license. International routes need separate preparation. Mistakes on the operating base or vehicle list can delay issuance by weeks.

Alcohol

Alcohol permits are handled locally. Restaurants, shops and wholesale face different conditions. You often need the landlord’s consent, floor plans, proof of fee payment and confirmation that there are no arrears.

Security

Security services fall under concession rules. Qualifications, company structure and sector requirements matter. Filing without a document check raises the refusal risk.

Healthcare and pharmacy

Pharmaceutical and related activity is regulated separately. Deadlines and fees are often higher, and the file is thicker. Legal caution is essential here: the sector authority always decides.

Waste and construction

Waste management and some construction procedures require permits from the starosta or voivodeship marshal. Company registration alone does not authorise you to start without the sector permit.

How the ONE PLUS process works

1. Business and PKD review: we identify whether you need a concession, license, permit or register entry.
2. Readiness check: address, premises, managers, insurance, contracts.
3. Preparation of the application and annexes.
4. Filing with the competent authority and deadline tracking.
5. Replies to requests and support during inspections.
6. Decision follow-up and advice on renewal or condition changes.

We do not replace the public authority and do not promise approval. Our role is to reduce refusal risk caused by incomplete files, the wrong authority or contradictions in documents.

Frequent mistakes by founders

Sales first, permit later

The company launches marketing, signs contracts and only then learns the activity is regulated. Processes then stop while the file is assembled under pressure.

Wrong filing authority

The application goes to the wrong body: a voivodeship office instead of the starosta, or the reverse. Time is lost and launch dates slip.

Address “on paper”

Some licenses require a real site, not only a correspondence address. If the premises do not fit the activity, the authority may refuse or request supplements.

No updates after the decision

Address, management, fleet or service scope changes, but the permit still shows old data. That becomes a separate risk at inspection.

Mixing company licenses with staff immigration

A company license does not replace a work permit for foreign employees and is not the same as a residence permit. These are different tracks: business regulation and personal legalisation.

How ONE PLUS helps with licenses and concessions

ONE PLUS has operated officially since 2018, with an office in Wrocław and experience in business procedures. We support both foreign founders at launch and established companies expanding PKD codes or preparing for inspection.

In practice we:

• identify the exact permit your activity needs;
• connect the process with JDG or Sp. z o.o. setup;
• prepare documents under the authority’s requirements;
• monitor filing and replies to requests;
• involve accounting support when company data must stay consistent;
• explain where the business license meets foreign hiring via work permits for staff.

On business and hiring projects, the ONE PLUS team combines legal practice with management experience. This helps companies obtain the required authorisations before operations begin.

If you plan a regulated activity in Poland, check the requirements before you start selling. ONE PLUS specialists will review the business model, identify the required authorisation and prepare a clear filing plan.