# Commercial Bank licence (bank krajowy w formie spółki akcyjnej) (Poland)

Source page: https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/bank/poland/

The Commercial Bank licence (bank krajowy w formie spółki akcyjnej) is issued by Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) under Banking Law of 29 August 1997. It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The official register lists 20 current holders. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.

## At a glance

| Official name | Commercial Bank licence (bank krajowy w formie spółki akcyjnej) [1] |
| --- | --- |
| Issued by | [Polish Financial Supervision Authority](https://protegra.io/licensing/regulators/knf-poland/) |
| Jurisdiction | [Poland](https://protegra.io/licensing/jurisdictions/poland/) |
| Licence family | [Bank / credit institution](https://protegra.io/licensing/licences/bank/) |
| Legal basis | Banking Law of 29 August 1997 [2] |
| Passporting | EU/EEA passport available |
| Public register | [official register](https://www.knf.gov.pl/podmioty/Podmioty_sektora_bankowego/Banki_w_formie_spolek_akcyjnych) [1] |
| Current holders | 20 [1] |

## What it lets you do

- [Taking deposits from the public](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/deposit-taking/)
- [Lending](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/credit-granting/)
- [Execution of payment transactions](https://protegra.io/licensing/activities/payment-execution/)

- **Taking deposits from the public.** Accepting deposits or other repayable funds from the public, the activity reserved to credit institutions.
- **Lending.** Granting loans, including consumer credit, mortgage credit, factoring and financing of commercial transactions.
- **Execution of payment transactions.** Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account.

## Where it is valid

_Issued in Poland (gold); can be passported to the other EU/EEA states (blue) by notification._

## Buying a company that already holds it

**Prior notification with an objection period.** Acquiring or increasing a qualifying holding needs prior notification to the KNF, which can object within 60 working days (extendable by up to 20 working days while it waits for information). For national payment institutions the thresholds are 20%, 30% and 50% (Payment Services Act, Art. 72a); for banks they are 10%, 20%, one third and 50% (Banking Law, Art. 25). Shares acquired in breach carry no voting rights. [3]

## Sources

1. [knf.gov.pl: Banki w formie spolek akcyjnych](https://www.knf.gov.pl/podmioty/Podmioty_sektora_bankowego/Banki_w_formie_spolek_akcyjnych): retrieved 2026-09-24
2. [dziennikustaw.gov.pl: 2488](https://dziennikustaw.gov.pl/DU/2023/2488): retrieved 2026-09-24
3. [knf.gov.pl: zezwolenie rozpatrywanie wniosku](https://www.knf.gov.pl/dla_rynku/procesy_licencyjne/platniczy/krajowe_instytucje_platnicze/zezwolenie_rozpatrywanie_wniosku): retrieved 2026-09-24

Last verified 2026-09-24 · Author: Danil Marmysh · Reviewed by Anastasia Sidorenkova · © Protegra. Data: CC BY 4.0, cite "Protegra Licensing Atlas". Not legal advice.