The question sounds like a choice, but in 99% of cases there is none. Permanent registration is available only to people holding an indefinite residence status. Everyone else registers temporarily, and that is fine: legally the two deliver almost the same thing.
The real confusion sits elsewhere. People conflate the meldunek with a correspondence address, with the address given to the tax office, and with a company's registered address. Those are four separate things, demanded by four different authorities.
The four addresses that concern you
| Address | Where it lives | Who asks for it | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary registration | municipal office, PESEL register | wojewoda, school, vehicle department, bank | PLN 0 |
| Permanent registration | municipal office, PESEL register | as above, plus voting, indefinite | PLN 0 |
| Correspondence address | tax office, CEIDG, KRS | tax office, ZUS, counterparties | PLN 0 |
| Company registered address | KRS or CEIDG | registrar, bank, counterparties | per contract |
The critical distinction: only the meldunek enters the PESEL register. Everything else lives in other registers and does not substitute for registration where the authority checks PESEL.
Who qualifies for permanent registration
Permanent registration is open to:
- Polish citizens;
- holders of a Karta Stałego Pobytu (permanent residence card);
- holders of EU long-term resident status;
- EU nationals with a permanent right of residence.
Everyone else registers temporarily: holders of a temporary residence card, a national D visa, visa-free entrants, people with UKR status, and students.
The practical consequence: if permanent registration matters to you - usually for the sake of not re-filing - the route runs through an indefinite residence status, either a permanent residence card based on ties to Poland or EU long-term resident status based on residence history.
How they differ in practice
| Temporary | Permanent | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | as declared, never beyond your residence document | indefinite |
| Renewal | after every new residence card | not required |
| Certificate | PLN 17 | PLN 0 |
| Local voting rights | none for third-country nationals | none for third-country nationals |
| School, bank, car registration | works | works |
| Residence application to the wojewoda | works | works |
The difference in rights is minimal. The real difference is administrative: temporary registration has to be renewed each time you collect a new residence card.
One detail that adds up over a year: a certificate of permanent registration is free, while the temporary equivalent costs PLN 17. If you need certificates regularly - bank, school, KRS, insurer - the sum grows.
The correspondence address: when it is enough
A correspondence address is not registration. It tells authorities where to send letters. You give it:
- in CEIDG when registering a sole trader business;
- in KRS for company board members;
- at the tax office through form ZAP-3 or in your return;
- to ZUS for correspondence.
It is enough for tax filings, business correspondence, and for people who move often.
It is not enough wherever an authority checks the PESEL register: catchment-area school admission, vehicle registration, assignment to a primary care clinic, and parts of bank AML procedures.
A word on eDoręczenia. Since 2026 it is the mandatory channel for correspondence with the wojewoda in residence cases, and it attaches to your electronic account rather than to an address. Holding an eDoręczenia address neither replaces nor removes the need for a meldunek.
When you move
After moving, you file a fresh notification at the new address. The previous entry lapses automatically - separate deregistration is unnecessary as long as you register somewhere else in Poland.
Standalone deregistration applies in two cases: leaving Poland for good, or an owner removing a tenant who has already moved out. Covered separately.
A practical point worth the effort: notify the tax office and ZUS separately. Registers do not always sync immediately, and a letter sent to your old address counts as delivered.
What we do
- Establishing which address you actually need for the task at hand - sometimes a correspondence address is enough and no meldunek is required.
- Registering you, temporarily or permanently, within one to two days, including dealing with the property owner.
- Renewing the registration after each new residence card - it does not happen automatically.
- Obtaining certificates for the bank, school, KRS, ZUS and the wojewoda.
- Aligning addresses across CEIDG, KRS, the tax office and ZUS so correspondence does not vanish.
Scope and pricing sit on the service page. Deadlines and obligations are in our general guide to meldunek.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hold temporary and permanent registration at the same time? Yes. Permanent at one address and temporary at another is a lawful arrangement, common when working in another city.
Does registration expire with my residence card? The temporary kind does - it cannot outlast your residence document. File again once you collect the new card.
Does permanent registration grant permanent residence? No, the dependency runs the other way: the permanent residence card comes first, and the right to permanent registration follows. Registration does not affect immigration status.
Can I register temporarily for three years at once? Yes, if your residence document runs that long. Three years is the maximum for temporary registration.
What should go in CEIDG - my registered address or another one? The service address may differ from where you live. Many clients use their accountant's or a virtual office address, which is lawful and convenient.
Does the type of registration affect my taxes? Not directly. Tax residency turns on 183 days and your centre of vital interests, not a register entry - we cover it here.
For most foreigners the "temporary or permanent" question is settled by residence status. What matters more is not confusing registration with a correspondence address, and remembering to renew it after each new card.
Tell us what the address is for - we will pick the minimum set of steps.
This material is informational. Municipal requirements vary - consult a lawyer about your situation.