Death Certificate in Poland — How to Obtain One in 2026 Step by Step

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Karta zgonu vs akt zgonu — the key difference
• How to obtain a death certificate step by step
• Required documents — full checklist
• Deadlines, fees and copies
• Special situations — death abroad, ePUAP, errors in the document
• Frequently asked questions
• Summary
• Related articles

Introduction

We understand that you are going through one of the most difficult moments of your life. The death of a loved one brings pain that is hard to put into words, yet at the same time there are numerous formalities that require immediate attention. One of the first and most important tasks is obtaining a death certificate (akt zgonu) — a document without which you cannot organise a funeral, apply for the burial allowance (zasiłek pogrzebowy), initiate inheritance proceedings or close the deceased's official affairs.

Many people confuse two different documents: the karta zgonu (a medical death certificate issued by a physician) and the akt zgonu (an official civil death certificate from the Civil Registry Office). In this article we explain step by step how to obtain a death certificate in Poland in 2026: how these two documents differ, which papers to bring to the registry office, what deadlines and fees apply, and what to do in special circumstances — such as when a death occurs abroad or when an error needs to be corrected.

This guide is intended for anyone who needs to handle formalities after the death of a loved one. We have written it in plain language, without legal jargon, so that you can focus on what matters most — being with your family. Beyond the official paperwork, it is also worth thinking about a lasting tribute to your loved one — an increasing number of families in Poland choose to create a digital memorial, which allows you to preserve photos, memories and a life story in one place accessible online.

If you are just beginning to organise a funeral and are looking for a complete list of formalities, we recommend our article Formalities After Death — Complete Document Checklist.

Karta zgonu vs akt zgonu — the key difference

The karta zgonu and the akt zgonu are two entirely separate documents, though they are often confused. The karta zgonu is a medical document issued by a physician, while the akt zgonu is an official civil record drawn up by the Civil Registry Office (Urząd Stanu Cywilnego, abbreviated USC). To obtain the akt zgonu, you must first have the karta zgonu — it forms the basis for registration.

Karta zgonu — the medical death certificate

The karta zgonu is issued by the physician who confirmed the death. It is a medical document certifying the fact and cause of death. Without it, you cannot report the death at the Civil Registry Office or arrange a burial.

Who issues the karta zgonu:

• The attending physician — if the death occurred in a hospital, hospice or other medical facility.
• The primary care physician (lekarz POZ) — if the death occurred at home and the deceased was a patient of that practice.
• The emergency medical service (pogotowie ratunkowe) — if they were called to a dying or deceased person.
• A forensic pathologist or court-appointed expert (koroner) — in cases of suspected unnatural death, suicide or accident.

Important: the karta zgonu consists of two parts. The section intended for the Civil Registry Office is taken by the family (or the funeral home), while the statistical section is forwarded to the statistical office. When collecting the karta zgonu, check all details carefully — the first name, surname, date of birth and date of death. Errors in the karta zgonu will carry over into the akt zgonu.

Akt zgonu — the civil death certificate

The akt zgonu is an entry in the civil register, made by the head of the Civil Registry Office on the basis of the karta zgonu and other documents. It is an official state document required for:

• organising the funeral (the cemetery requires a copy of the death certificate),
• applying for the burial allowance from ZUS,
• initiating inheritance proceedings,
• closing the deceased's bank accounts,
• deregistering the deceased from health insurance,
• transferring contracts (housing, utilities, vehicle).

Comparison: karta zgonu vs akt zgonu

Understanding this distinction is essential because at different stages of the formalities you will need different documents. The karta zgonu is needed to register the death, while the akt zgonu is needed for all subsequent official matters.

How to obtain a death certificate step by step

To obtain the akt zgonu, you must report the death at the Civil Registry Office within 3 days of the karta zgonu being issued. The procedure requires an in-person visit with a complete set of documents and usually takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. The first abbreviated copy of the death certificate is issued free of charge.

Step 1: Obtain the karta zgonu from the physician

After the death has been confirmed, the physician issues the karta zgonu. Depending on the circumstances:

• Death in a hospital — the karta zgonu is issued by the attending or on-duty physician. The family collects it from the ward secretariat.
• Death at home — contact the primary care physician (during clinic hours) or the emergency medical service (outside working hours). The physician confirms the death and issues the certificate.
• Death from an accident or unnatural causes — the body is transferred to a forensic medicine institute; the karta zgonu is issued by a forensic expert after the post-mortem examination.

Important: the karta zgonu is issued free of charge. If anyone demands payment for it, this is unlawful.

Step 2: Gather the documents

Before visiting the Civil Registry Office, prepare the following documents (a complete list is provided in the Required Documents section below):

• the karta zgonu (the section designated for the USC),
• the deceased's identity document (dowód osobisty or passport),
• your own identity document (as the person reporting the death).

Step 3: Visit the Civil Registry Office

The death is registered at the Civil Registry Office responsible for the place of death — not the place of residence of the deceased or of the person reporting. If the death occurred in a hospital in a different city from the deceased's home, you must go to the USC in the city where the hospital is located.

Procedure at the office:

1. Submit the karta zgonu to the registrar.
2. Hand over the deceased's identity document (it will be retained and cancelled).
3. Present your own identity document.
4. Sign the death report protocol.
5. Receive the abbreviated copy of the death certificate (first copy free of charge).

The entire procedure at the USC usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how busy the office is. In large cities, consider booking an appointment by phone or through the queue management system beforehand.

Step 4: Order additional copies

A single copy of the death certificate is usually not enough. You will need it in several institutions at the same time: at ZUS, the bank, the inheritance court, the deceased's employer and the housing co-operative. It is therefore advisable to order at least 3 abbreviated copies of the death certificate right away. Each additional copy costs 22 PLN.

Who may report a death at the Civil Registry Office

Under the Civil Status Records Act (Prawo o aktach stanu cywilnego), a death may be reported by:

• the deceased's spouse,
• descendants (children, grandchildren),
• ascendants (parents, grandparents),
• collateral relatives up to the 4th degree,
• in-laws in the direct line up to the 1st degree,
• an entity authorised to bury the remains (e.g. a funeral home acting on behalf of the family),
• the hospital or other facility where the death occurred.

In practice, the death is most commonly reported by the spouse, child or parent of the deceased. A funeral home can report the death on the family's behalf on the basis of a power of attorney — many firms offer this service as part of a comprehensive funeral arrangement package.

Required documents — full checklist

To register a death at the Civil Registry Office, you need: the karta zgonu (the section for the USC), the deceased's identity document, the identity document of the person reporting the death, and — depending on the situation — additional documents. A missing document may delay the procedure, so it is worth preparing the full set before your visit.

Mandatory documents

Additional documents (depending on the situation)

What happens to the deceased's identity card

The deceased's identity card (dowód osobisty) is retained and cancelled by the Civil Registry Office. This is required by law — a cancelled identity document prevents fraud (e.g. identity theft for loan applications). If the deceased also held a passport, it must be returned to the passport authority (the regional governor's office or a consulate).

Practical tips:

• Before visiting the USC, make a photocopy of the deceased's identity card — the copy may be useful for banking or inheritance matters.
• If the identity card has been lost — report this at the USC; the death can still be registered on the basis of other identity documents or a declaration.

Did you know? Between one formality and the next, it is worth thinking about something lasting. On Kinmory, you can create a memory page with photos and memories of your loved one — accessible to the entire family from anywhere in the world.

Deadlines, fees and copies

A death must be reported at the Civil Registry Office within 3 days of the karta zgonu being issued (or within 24 hours in the case of an infectious disease). The first abbreviated copy of the death certificate is free of charge; each additional copy costs 22 PLN. The death certificate is usually drawn up on the day the death is reported.

Reporting deadlines

Polish law sets strict deadlines for reporting a death:

What happens if the deadline is missed? Registration is still possible — the Civil Registry Office will not refuse to accept the report. However, a delay may require additional explanations and complicate the funeral arrangements, as cemeteries and funeral homes require a copy of the death certificate.

Fees

How many copies do you need? In practice, it is advisable to order at least 3 abbreviated copies:

1. For ZUS — for the burial allowance application.
2. For the bank — to close or freeze the deceased's accounts.
3. For the court or notary — for inheritance proceedings.

If more institutions are involved (the employer, housing co-operative, insurer), order 4 to 5 copies. The cost of additional copies is a worthwhile investment that will save you further visits to the office.

Abbreviated copy vs full (unabridged) copy

• Abbreviated copy (22 PLN) — contains the most important details: the deceased's name, date and place of death, date of birth and parents' names. Sufficient for most situations (ZUS, bank, inheritance court).
• Full copy (33 PLN) — contains the entire content of the death certificate, including any supplementary notes and annotations. Needed less often — primarily for court proceedings or when the certificate contained corrections.

Multilingual copy of the death certificate

If the death certificate is needed for matters abroad (e.g. insurance, inheritance in another country), you can order a multilingual copy in accordance with the Vienna Convention. Such a copy does not require a sworn translation and is recognised in the signatory countries (most European states). Cost: 22 PLN.

Special situations — death abroad, ePUAP, errors in the document

The procedure for obtaining a death certificate does not always follow the standard path. In the case of a death abroad, the need to order a copy online, or the discovery of an error in the document, separate rules apply. Below we describe the most important scenarios.

Death abroad — how to register in Poland

If a Polish citizen died abroad, the procedure is more complex but entirely manageable:

1. Registration in the country of death — the death must be registered under local law. The family or the Polish consulate obtains the foreign death certificate.
2. Legalisation of the document — the foreign death certificate must be apostilled (if the country is a party to the 1961 Hague Convention) or undergo consular legalisation.
3. Sworn translation — the document must be translated into Polish by a sworn translator registered with the Ministry of Justice.
4. Transcription into the Polish register — the family files an application for transcription (incorporation) of the foreign death certificate into the Polish civil register. The application can be submitted to any Civil Registry Office in Poland or through the consul.

Cost of transcription: 50 PLN. Processing time: usually up to 7 working days.

Consular assistance: the Polish consulate in the country of death can help obtain documents, coordinate with local authorities, and — if the family decides on repatriation of the body — assist with organising the transport.

Ordering a copy of the death certificate via ePUAP

If the death has already been registered and you need an additional copy, there is no need to visit the Civil Registry Office in person. A copy of the death certificate can be ordered electronically:

1. Log in to the ePUAP platform (epuap.gov.pl) using your Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany).
2. Search for the service "Wydanie odpisu aktu stanu cywilnego" (Issuance of a civil status record copy).
3. Select the type of copy (abbreviated, full, or multilingual).
4. Enter the deceased's details and the Civil Registry Office where the certificate is registered.
5. Choose the delivery method: by post to your home address, or to a chosen Civil Registry Office for personal collection.
6. Pay the fee (22 PLN for an abbreviated copy, 33 PLN for a full copy).

Processing time: usually 7 to 10 working days. This is a convenient option when you need additional copies some time after the initial registration.

Correcting an error in the death certificate

If the death certificate contains an error (incorrect first name, surname, date of birth or date of death), it can be corrected:

• Obvious error (typo, transposed digits) — corrected by the head of the Civil Registry Office upon the family's request. Cost: 39 PLN. Processing time: usually up to 14 days.
• Substantive error (incorrect date of death, change of surname) — requires court proceedings. An application must be filed with the district court (sąd rejonowy) having jurisdiction over the Civil Registry Office that drew up the certificate.

To avoid the need for corrections, it is worth carefully checking the karta zgonu from the physician — errors in the karta zgonu carry over into the death certificate.

Lost death certificate — how to obtain a duplicate

If a copy of the death certificate has been lost or damaged, a new copy can be requested at any time. The death certificate is stored in the civil register indefinitely. A new copy can be obtained:

• in person at any Civil Registry Office in Poland (it does not have to be the office where the certificate was drawn up),
• electronically via ePUAP (as described above),
• by post — by sending a written request to the Civil Registry Office where the certificate is registered.

Cost: 22 PLN (abbreviated copy) or 33 PLN (full copy).

The role of the funeral home in handling formalities

Many funeral homes (zakłady pogrzebowe) in Poland offer assistance with obtaining the death certificate as part of a comprehensive funeral arrangement service. A funeral home can:

• collect the karta zgonu from the physician or from the hospital,
• report the death at the Civil Registry Office on the family's behalf (on the basis of a power of attorney),
• collect copies of the death certificate,
• handle formalities at the cemetery.

This is a convenient option, especially when the family is in deep mourning and does not have the strength to visit offices on their own. A detailed guide to organising a funeral — from the first steps to the ceremony — is available in our article How to Organise a Funeral Step by Step.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a karta zgonu and an akt zgonu?

A karta zgonu (medical death certificate) is a medical document issued by the physician who confirmed the death — it certifies the fact and cause of death. An akt zgonu (civil death certificate) is an official record drawn up by the Civil Registry Office (Urząd Stanu Cywilnego) on the basis of the karta zgonu — it constitutes the formal entry in the civil register and is required for organising a funeral, inheritance proceedings and all other official matters. Without the karta zgonu you cannot obtain the akt zgonu; without the akt zgonu you cannot begin any legal formalities.

How long do you have to report a death in Poland?

A death must be reported to the Civil Registry Office within 3 days of the date the karta zgonu was issued. If the death was caused by an infectious disease, the deadline is shortened to 24 hours. Registration is still possible after the deadline, but it may require additional explanations. It is best not to delay — the death certificate is needed to organise the funeral.

How much does a death certificate cost in Poland?

The first abbreviated copy of the death certificate issued at the time of registration is free of charge. Each additional abbreviated copy costs 22 PLN, and a full (unabridged) copy costs 33 PLN. A multilingual copy (for use abroad) costs 22 PLN. It is advisable to request at least 3 copies straight away, as they will be needed for the burial allowance application at ZUS, the bank and inheritance proceedings.

Can you obtain a death certificate online in Poland?

The initial registration of a death cannot be completed fully online — it requires an in-person visit to the Civil Registry Office or a report by an authorised entity (e.g. a funeral home). However, copies of the death certificate can be ordered electronically via the ePUAP platform (using a Trusted Profile). The copy will be sent by post to your home address or made available at a chosen Civil Registry Office for personal collection. Processing time: 7 to 10 working days.

Summary

• Karta zgonu (from the physician) and akt zgonu (from the Civil Registry Office) are two different documents — the karta is the basis for issuing the akt.
• Reporting deadline: 3 days from the date the karta zgonu was issued (24 hours in the case of an infectious disease).
• Where to report: the Civil Registry Office responsible for the place of death (not place of residence).
• Required documents: karta zgonu, the deceased's identity card, the identity card of the person reporting.
• The first abbreviated copy of the death certificate is free of charge; each additional copy costs 22 PLN.
• Order at least 3 copies — they will be needed for ZUS, the bank and inheritance proceedings.
• Additional copies can be ordered online via ePUAP (Trusted Profile).
• Death abroad: register in the country of death, legalise (apostille), obtain a sworn translation, transcribe in a Polish Civil Registry Office (50 PLN).
• A funeral home can assist with formalities on the basis of a power of attorney.
• The deceased's identity card is retained and cancelled — it is worth making a photocopy beforehand.
• Information current as of March 2026.

Related articles

• Formalities After Death — Complete Document Checklist — step by step, which documents to handle after the death of a loved one
• Burial Allowance 2026 — 7,000 PLN, Z-12 Application — how to obtain the burial allowance and which documents to prepare
• How to Organise a Funeral Step by Step — a complete guide from reporting the death to the ceremony
• Funeral Costs in Poland 2026 — how much a traditional funeral and cremation cost in various cities
• Grief After Loss — Stages and Support — how to cope with grief and where to find help

While handling formalities — consider a digital memorial

Between one formality and the next, it is worth thinking about something lasting. A digital memorial on Kinmory is a simple tool that allows you to gather photos and memories in one place — accessible at any time, without time limits.

Create a memory page on Kinmory