Księga wieczysta — what is it and why you can't buy real estate in Poland without it

What is księga wieczysta in simple words

Księga wieczysta (the book of the vechista) - in simple terms, it is property passport.
It is in this document that most of the information that may be important for buyer of an apartment, house or land plot in Poland.

In księdze wieczystej you can find out:

• who is the current owner of the property;
• who was the previous owner;
• the exact size and location of the object;
• are there any debts or encumbrances;
• do they exist? third-party claims (roszczenia - demands or claims to real estate);
• is there any mortgage or other financial obligations.

⚠️ Important: in księdze wieczystej there is no information about the year the property was built. This may change in the future, but at the moment such data is not provided there.
This information can be found in certyfikacie charakterystyki energetycznej (energy certificate) - I will talk about it separately in another article.

Why do you need a księgi wieczystej (KW) number?

The number of księgi wieczystej is key information, which you are required to request from the seller before signing:

• any preliminary agreement,
• reservation agreement,
• declarations of intent to purchase.

❗ Without KW number there is no need to take any steps, related to purchase of real estate.

Once you receive your księgi wieczystej number, you must:

• or check and analyze its content yourself (if you understand how to read KW), on the website https://ekw.ms.gov.pl/eukw_ogol/menu.do
• or transfer the number to the notary, with whom you plan to sign the deal.

👉 As a rule, a notary checks księgę wieczystą besplatno and will point out possible risks.

Sections of the księgi wieczystej - what they contain

Księga wieczysta consists of four main sections:

Dział I — Property Description

Contains:

• address and location,
• square,
• type of real estate (apartment, house, plot),
• additional elements (storage room, basement, garage space).

Dział II — Property

This section states:

• who is the owner of the property,
• one or more owners,
• on what basis the property was acquired (purchase, gift, inheritance).

➡️ This is one of the most important sections for the buyer.

Section III — Rights, Claims, and Limitations

The following may be indicated here:

• roszczenia - claims or demands of third parties,
• easements (for example, the right of lifelong residence),
• litigation,
• warnings about inconsistency of the legal status.

⚠️ This section requires special attention and frequent consultation with a specialist.

Dział IV — Mortgage

Contains information about:

• the presence of a mortgage,
• amount of liabilities,
• bank or financial institution.

Availability of a mortgage does not mean a ban on purchase, but requires proper legal registration of the transaction.

What to do if the apartment doesn't have księgi wieczystej

Lack of księgi wieczystej does not always mean a problem.
This situation often occurs when spółdzielczych apartments (cooperative form of ownership).

✔️ There is no need to be afraid of this.

When purchasing such real estate:

• the notary files an application with the court for the creation of a księgi wieczystej,
• this is a standard and normal procedure,
• lack of KW does not discredit the apartment.

The seller's right to real estate is verified on the basis of:

• documents from the spółdzielni (cooperative),
• relevant certificates and extracts.

👉 All these moments a notary must check, so you shouldn't automatically exclude such apartments from your search.

Conclusion

• ❌ Without the number księgi wieczystej do not take any steps, related to the purchase of real estate.
• ✅ Having received the KW number — be sure to analyze its content.
• 🤝 If you have any doubts - contact a specialist: to a notary or a realtor.

Księga wieczysta is the main security tool when purchasing real estate in Poland.