Can I check a property's land register?
Yes: land registers are public and anyone can check them. A land register (KW) is an official register setting out a property's legal status. It's public — knowing the KW number, anyone can view its contents free online in the Electronic Land Registers (EKW) system. From it you'll learn, among others, who the owner is, the encumbrances (e.g. mortgages, easements) and the property's boundaries and use. The KW's contents are protected by the public-faith warranty of land registers — a buyer in good faith, acting in reliance on the entries, is as a rule protected. So before buying a flat, plot or house, it's always worth checking its land register to avoid hidden encumbrances.
📋 The rules
- A land register = a register of a property's legal status
- Public — anyone can check online by the KW number
- Viewing in the EKW system is free
- Shows the owner, mortgages, easements, encumbrances
- Protected by the public-faith warranty
🔓 Exceptions
- An extract or printout with official force: usually for a fee
- Some properties don't yet have a land register set up
- A mismatch between facts and the entry: needs updating/rectification
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Skipping a land-register check before buying risks a nasty surprise — e.g. a later-revealed mortgage, easement or claim burdening the property. Although the public-faith warranty protects a buyer in good faith, it won't apply if you knew of the encumbrance or could easily have found out (and the entry was visible in the register). A mortgage entry is constitutive — it arises only on entry. To buy property safely: check the current KW contents online (the KW number is in the ownership deed, or get it at court/from the seller), verify the owner and encumbrances in all sections, and at the transaction ask the notary for the current register status just before signing the deed.
📎 Official sources
- Ministry of Justice · Viewing land registers (EKW) →
- ISAP · Act on land registers and mortgage →
- Gov.pl · Land registers →
❓ Frequently asked
How do I check a land register online?
You just need the KW number and the Electronic Land Registers (EKW) system run by the Ministry of Justice. Viewing the register's contents is free and available to anyone. You'll find the KW number in the notarial ownership deed, from the seller or at the relevant court.
What does a land register contain?
Information on a property's legal status: its designation and location, the owner's details, limited property rights (e.g. easements) and, above all, encumbrances such as mortgages. The register is split into sections disclosing, in turn, the property's description, ownership, rights and claims, and mortgages.
Can anyone view a land register?
Yes. Land registers are public, so anyone who knows the KW number can view their contents free online. Publicity is meant to protect transaction security — a buyer can check who the owner is and whether the property is encumbered before deciding on a transaction.
What is the public-faith warranty of land registers?
It's a principle protecting a person who in good faith acquires property, acting in reliance on the land-register entries. If the register's contents don't match reality, a buyer in good faith is as a rule protected. The protection doesn't apply, though, where they knew of the discrepancy.
Must I check the KW before buying a flat?
It's not a formal duty, but strongly advisable. Checking the land register lets you detect mortgages, easements and other encumbrances, verify the owner, and avoid costly problems. At the transaction the notary also examines the register's current status just before signing the deed.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “how to check land register online”
- “ekw viewing land registers”
- “what a land register contains”
- “kw number where to find”
- “public-faith warranty land registers”
- “check kw before buying flat”