Since 2018
For over 8 years, we've helped clients navigate Polish law, combining our solid legal knowledge with practical immigration experience.
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 more than 12 years of 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
- Business and PKD review: we identify whether you need a concession, license, permit or register entry.
- Readiness check: address, premises, managers, insurance, contracts.
- Preparation of the application and annexes.
- Filing with the competent authority and deadline tracking.
- Replies to requests and support during inspections.
- Decision follow-up and advice on renewal or condition changes.
We do not replace the public authority and do not promise a “guaranteed grant”. 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 more than 12 years of practice. 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, ONE PLUS combines legal practice with management expertise: Dmitry helps companies build processes so licensing does not lag behind real operations.
If you plan a regulated activity in Poland, check the requirements before you start selling. ONE PLUS specialists will review your case, point to the right permit type and prepare a clear filing plan.
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