CEIDG is free: ignore paid "register" letters

Entry in CEIDG (Centralna Ewidencja i Informacja o Działalności Gospodarczej, Poland's public register of sole traders) is free, so a letter with a payment slip "for entry in the register" doesn't come from CEIDG. It's sent by a private company with a name similar to an official one, and if you don't pay, nothing happens: your business stays listed in CEIDG.

How much does a CEIDG entry cost?

Nothing. Art. 13 of the CEIDG Act says it outright: "An application for entry in CEIDG is free of charge." CEIDG is kept by the minister responsible for the economy, and according to the Revenue Administration Regional Office (IAS, Izba Administracji Skarbowej) in Warsaw it is the only public register of individuals running a business. Nobody sends you an invoice afterwards for "activating" or "maintaining" the entry.

CEIDG Act (Dz.U. 2026 item 30), art. 2 ust. 1 and art. 13 biznes.gov.pl, CEIDG entry

Where do these letters come from?

Ania opened her business as a graphic designer, and two weeks later she got a letter headed with something like "Centralna Ewidencja…", her NIP (tax ID), a pre-filled bank transfer slip for a few hundred złoty and a "final" deadline. The IAS in Warsaw has described exactly this pattern: firms offering paid entry in commercial registers use names "deceptively similar" to CEIDG, write in an official style, and the transfer slip with a deadline suggests that the entry is mandatory.

The address and NIP of a new business are easy to get, because CEIDG data is public and anyone can access it online (art. 45 of the CEIDG Act). That's why such a letter can arrive right after you register.

IAS in Warsaw, warning (published 2016, updated 2020)

Is it fraud or just an offer?

Formally it's usually an offer: the IAS writes about "letters offering to pay an optional fee", meaning one you don't have to pay. The same office adds that demands for registration fees "may bear the hallmarks of fraud", and that not paying them "has no legal consequences". An entry in a private directory doesn't replace CEIDG and changes nothing about your obligations.

It's similar for companies. The Ministry of Justice warns about firms posing as the National Court Register (KRS, Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy) and advises treating their payment demands as a commercial offer.

Ministry of Justice, KRS, “Ostrzeżenia” (warnings) section

How to tell the letter isn't from a public office

• It asks for money for the entry. The official entry is free, so any amount "for registration" rules out CEIDG.
• The name is almost right. The word "Informacji" is missing, or "i Firm" appears. The real name is "Centralna Ewidencja i Informacja o Działalności Gospodarczej".
• A deadline and a threat. According to CERT Polska, the national cyber incident response team, pressure to act quickly or face a penalty is a strong sign that you're dealing with financial fraud.
• The sender in an e-mail. The sender name field can say anything, so CERT advises checking the full e-mail address before you open an attachment.

CERT Polska, (Un)safe payments

What to do with the letter

1. Don't pay. You can check your own entry in the search on the CEIDG website. If you're there, your registration is complete.
2. Don't call the numbers in the letter or reply to the addresses it gives. If you want to confirm something, use the contact details on biznes.gov.pl or ask your tax office.
3. Report the e-mail or text message to CERT Polska through the form at incydent.cert.pl, especially if it contains a payment link or an attachment.
4. If the transfer has already gone out, call your bank straight away and ask whether it can be stopped. If the letter posed as a public office, you can also report it to the police. This is our advice, not an official procedure, and it doesn't guarantee you'll get the money back.

Does KSeF cost anything?

You don't have to buy software to use KSeF (Krajowy System e-Faktur, Poland's National e-Invoicing System). The Ministry of Finance (MF) provides free tools, including the KSeF Taxpayer Application (Aplikacja Podatnika KSeF) and the KSeF Mobile Application (Aplikacja Mobilna KSeF). The most you might pay for is your own invoicing software, if you choose one. Treat a message demanding a fee for "activating KSeF" or "entry in KSeF" the same way as a letter about a supposed CEIDG entry.

MF, KSeF 2.0 questions and answers

A payment demand for a "register" arrives by post or e-mail, outside KSeF. A dishonest firm can also issue an invoice to your NIP in KSeF itself, and then you handle it differently: see how to report a fake invoice in KSeF. If you're just starting out, also check when KSeF applies to sole traders.