New Polish real estate tax regulations take effect from 2025

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

New Polish real estate tax regulations take effect from 2025

Sponsored by

sponsored-firms-mddp.png
Warsaw skyscrapers

Rafał Kran and Łukasz Szatkowski of MDDP summarise a substantial revision of Poland’s real estate tax framework, with new definitions for buildings and structures, and a controversial change concerning construction equipment

One of the largest amendments to Polish real estate taxes (RET) in the past 20 years enters into force in 2025, although it does not constitute a revolution in the principles of taxation. The changes particularly concern the scope of taxable property. Among the real estate taxation rules that have been retained, land will be taxed based on the area, buildings on floor space, and structures on gross book value. The object of these changes is not the introduction of a cadastral tax, although that cannot be ruled out in the future.

The new regulations, which will determine the amount of RET liability for 2025, will mostly affect business entities. This is because this group of taxpayers is the only one obliged to pay RET on structures, the definition of which will undergo the deepest modification. A new, detailed appendix has been added to the Law on Local Taxes and Fees, containing 28 types of structures grouped according to their utility or technical features. However, the regulations still provide for open, undefined definitions, which are likely to cause disputes.

Summary of the main changes under the new regulations

The key changes include new definitions of:

  • A building;

  • structure;

  • A permanent connection to the ground; and

  • A construction object.

Despite the Ministry of Finance’s declared position on maintaining the fiscal status quo, the upcoming changes will certainly involve an increase in the fiscal burden with regard to RET for some enterprises. Those in the industrial sector should be particularly careful about their RET settlements in 2025.

The most controversial element of the new regulation is the broad tax base for technical devices and industrial installations; among others, through the category of construction equipment. It is not only the technical aspect of the asset that matters, but also the function and use. Tanks, silos, , and other facilities related to storage have become particularly sensitive types of assets. The regulation provides for real estate taxation on all components, including the technical part, as structures; i.e., 2% of their gross book value annually.

For some industries, such as the renewable energy sector (RES), the new regulations have been favourably structured. As a result of the generally positive attitude towards green energy, it was possible to guarantee favourable taxation for facilities such as wind farms, photovoltaic farms, and energy storage facilities. They are to be taxed (only) on the construction part; i.e., usually on approximately 20–35% of capital expenditure. Nevertheless, the degree of complexity of the new regulations does not completely exclude the risks of real estate taxation by tax authorities on certain technical equipment serving RES facilities, such as transformers.

Exceptionally, in 2025, taxpayers can take advantage of an extended deadline for filing RET returns, which has been increased by two months, to March 31 2025. However, it is necessary to notify the competent authority in writing and make tax instalment payments within standard statutory deadlines in the amount of the average RET instalment for 2024.

Poland’s real estate tax update: a final word for businesses

The scope of the changes regarding RET is so large that it is worth considering full verification of the property to be taxed with RET. This especially applies to businesses based on a significant amount of real estate, structures, and equipment.

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

Effective audit management requires more than documentation; it’s the way taxpayers engage that can shape audit direction, manage procedural ambiguity, and preserve options for appeal or litigation
American advisers are falling short of client expectations when it comes to providing value-added services, but remaining tight-lipped won’t make the problem go away
Awards
The Social Impact Awards unveil new categories to reflect a changing legal and social landscape
Australia's approach to tax policy has undergone significant shifts in recent years, reflecting global trends and unique domestic considerations. These developments merit close attention from tax professionals
The UK has temporarily dodged the 50% rate due to a trade deal signed with the US in May; in other news, Ryan acquired a Northern Irish tax firm
Following a $28 million funding round, Aibidia wants to ‘double down’ on the US market via partnerships with the ‘big four’, the Finnish TP tech provider’s CEO tells ITR
The Luxembourg-based TP leader tells ITR about relishing the intellectual challenge of his practice, his admiration for Stephen Hawking, and what makes tax cool
The case to determine whether the tariff regime is constitutional will eventually find its way to the US Supreme Court, ITR has also heard
In other news, the Council of the EU pledged support to a CBAM simplification and exemption initiative, and Portugal issued new VAT filing guidance
While Brazil’s sweeping tax updates are a triumph for modernisation, Giuliano Gioia of Sovos warns that MNEs with a Brazilian footprint should be prepared for a short and sharp adjustment
Gift this article