Guides

How to read a Polish land register (księga wieczysta)

A land register (księga wieczysta) is a public record of who owns a property and what burdens it. Anyone can view it for free.

The register number

The number looks like XXXX/12345678/9: a court code, eight digits and a check digit. The seller gives it to you. With it, you can view the register in the EKW system.

Section I – the property

Section I-O describes the property: location, plot number, area and, for a flat, the number of rooms and the floor. Section I-Sp lists rights attached to ownership, such as a share of the common parts. Compare the plot number with what NieroCheck shows.

Section II – ownership

This lists the owner or co-owners. You can only sign with the person listed here, or with their attorney. If there are several owners, they all have to sell their shares.

Section III – rights, claims and restrictions

The key section when buying. It shows easements (for example a right of way across the plot), life tenancy, third-party claims and warnings, and any note of bailiff enforcement. Every entry here needs explaining before you sign.

Section IV – mortgages

A mortgage secures a loan. When you buy a flat with the seller's mortgage on it, the bank usually receives part of the price directly and then consents to deleting the mortgage. Set this out precisely in the contract.

Pending applications (wzmianki)

A note of an application means the court has received a request to change an entry that it hasn't decided yet. Before buying, find out what it concerns. It could be a new mortgage or a change of owner.

Updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.