How to obtain a death certificate copy in 2026: cost, online application and waiting time

indekscen.pl editorial team · published 30 September 2026 · prices according to the 5 October 2026 index

You can obtain a death certificate copy from any registry office or online at gov.pl. The first short-form copy, issued after the death is registered, is free, and each additional copy costs PLN 22 in stamp duty. A full copy costs more: PLN 33. The fees are set by law and are the same throughout Poland, while a copy from the electronic register is usually available immediately.

A death certificate copy is one of the first documents that must be dealt with after the death of a loved one. It may be required by a bank, ZUS, a notary, a court handling an inheritance case, telephone providers and insurers. We briefly explain how to obtain one, how much it costs, how many copies are worth ordering and when a short-form copy is sufficient or a full copy is required.

How much does a death certificate copy cost?

A short-form death certificate copy costs PLN 22 in stamp duty according to all 5 sources collected by indekscen.pl, including registry office websites in Warsaw, Wrocław and Łódź. The fee is set by the Stamp Duty Act, so it is the same at every registry office in Poland. A multilingual copy, useful abroad, costs the same as a standard short-form copy.

The first short-form copy, issued automatically after the death is registered, is free. Each additional copy is subject to a fee. Details and quotations from registry offices are available at copy of a death certificate (register office).

Short-form or full death certificate copy?

A short-form death certificate copy is sufficient for most matters involving a bank, ZUS, a notary or an insurer. It contains the most important details: the deceased person’s full name, date and place of death and birth details. A full copy contains the entire certificate, including subsequent amendments and annotations. It costs more, PLN 33, and is required less often, for example for certain matters abroad or to correct details.

A comparison of fees for the documents most commonly requested after the death of a loved one:

Document	Fee	When required
First short-form death certificate copy	free	issued after the death is registered
Additional short-form copy	PLN 22	bank, ZUS, notary, insurer
Multilingual copy	PLN 22	matters abroad in EU countries
Full copy	PLN 33	complete certificate with annotations
Power of attorney at a registry office	PLN 17	when the application is submitted by a representative
Three additional short-form copies	PLN 70	a typical number for handling formalities

Median and typical range from public price lists, as at 5 October 2026. Each price includes a source and quotation on the service page.

How to obtain a death certificate copy step by step

You can obtain a death certificate copy by applying at a registry office or online. The process is as follows:

1. Register the death. Using the medical certificate of death, the registry office draws up the death certificate and issues the first short-form copy free of charge. A funeral director often handles this under a power of attorney.
2. Work out how many copies you need. Banks and insurers usually make a copy and return the original, but some institutions retain the document.
3. Apply for additional copies: at any registry office, by post or online.
4. Pay the stamp duty: PLN 22 for each short-form copy, by bank transfer to the municipality’s account or at the registry office cashier’s desk.
5. Collect the copy from the registry office or wait for it to arrive by post.

How many death certificate copies should you order?

Families usually order between two and four additional short-form death certificate copies. Three copies cost PLN 70 in total. This is usually enough when matters are being handled simultaneously with a bank, an insurer and a notary. Before ordering more, check which institutions will accept a copy certified by an employee or a scanned document and which require the original permanently. You can always purchase another copy later, including online, for the same fee.

Who can collect a death certificate copy?

A death certificate copy may be collected by the deceased person’s immediate family: spouse, children and grandchildren, parents and grandparents, or siblings. It may also be obtained by someone who demonstrates a legal interest, such as a creditor in an inheritance case, or by a family representative. The representative must provide a written power of attorney and pay stamp duty of PLN 17, unless they are the spouse, parent, child or sibling, in which case no fee applies.

Can a death certificate copy be obtained from any registry office?

Yes, a death certificate copy can be obtained from any registry office in Poland, regardless of where the death occurred, provided that the certificate is held in the electronic civil-status register. All certificates drawn up since 1 March 2015 are entered in the register immediately. Older certificates are added when first required: the registry office holding the paper register must transfer them, which increases the waiting time.

How long does it take to receive a death certificate copy?

A death certificate copy held in the electronic register is usually available within a few minutes at the registry office counter. It takes longer if the certificate is held only in a paper register and the registry office must first transfer it to the electronic register, usually several days. For an online or postal application, delivery time must also be taken into account. The fee is the same regardless of the method: PLN 22 for a short-form copy.

How do you order a death certificate copy online?

You can order a death certificate copy online using the „Uzyskaj odpis aktu stanu cywilnego” service at https://www.gov.pl/web/gov/uzyskaj-odpis-aktu-stanu-cywilnego, after signing in with a trusted profile, an e‑ID card or online banking. In the application, you select the type of copy required (short-form, full or multilingual), enter the deceased person’s details and choose the delivery method. The fee of PLN 22 can be paid online or by bank transfer. An online application does not require a visit to the registry office, which can be important for family members who live far away.

How long is a short-form death certificate copy valid?

There is no statutory expiry date for a short-form death certificate copy: once issued, the document remains valid. However, some institutions, especially those abroad, may ask for a recently issued copy, for example one issued within the past three months. Before visiting a bank, notary or foreign authority, it is worth asking whether they will accept a document issued several months earlier, so that you do not have to pay PLN 22 twice.

When is a death certificate copy free?

Apart from the first copy, a death certificate copy is free when it is required for matters exempt from stamp duty, such as pensions, disability benefits, social assistance benefits or social insurance. When applying, state what you need the document for, and the official will determine whether you qualify for the exemption. If you are unsure, ask the registry office before paying.

What is a death certificate copy required for?

A death certificate copy is required for most formalities following a death: at a bank, when closing accounts and contracts, at ZUS when applying for a funeral grant or survivor’s pension, with an insurer and in inheritance proceedings. An inheritance can be confirmed by a notary through a deed of succession certification, which has a median cost of PLN 340 in a straightforward case, or in court, where engaging a lawyer to handle the case has a median cost of PLN 2,250. You can read more about notarial costs in our article how much does a notary cost and about arranging a funeral in how much does a funeral cost.

„22 zł – opłata skarbowa za odpis skrócony”

warszawa19115.pl, source

„odpis skrócony – 22 zł”

bip.um.wroc.pl, 2025-02, source

„Wydanie aktu zgonu kosztuje: 22 zł – za odpis skrócony”

dus.net.pl, 2026-09, source

„Ceny za wydanie dodatkowego dokumentu to: 22 złote za skrócony odpis aktu zgonu oraz 33 złote za zupełny odpis aktu zgonu.”

helper-cpp.pl, source

You can find more official fees in the law and public authorities category, and funeral costs in the funerals category. Fee details are available at copy of a death certificate (register office) and copy of a birth certificate. In an unusual situation, such as a death abroad, contact the registry office or a lawyer directly.

The fees in this article come from registry office websites and articles. On the how much does a death certificate copy cost page, each fee includes its source, date and a verbatim quotation.

Frequently asked questions

How many death certificate copies are free?

Za darmo jest jeden odpis skrócony aktu zgonu, wydawany z urzędu po zarejestrowaniu zgonu. Każdy kolejny odpis skrócony kosztuje PLN 22 opłaty skarbowej.

What is required to obtain a death certificate copy?

Potrzebny jest wniosek (w urzędzie albo online), dokument tożsamości i dowód wpłaty opłaty skarbowej: PLN 22 za odpis skrócony. Pełnomocnik przynosi pełnomocnictwo i płaci dodatkowo PLN 17.

Who can obtain a death certificate copy?

Odpis aktu zgonu może dostać małżonek zmarłego, jego dzieci, wnuki, rodzice, dziadkowie i rodzeństwo, a także osoba, która wykaże interes prawny, na przykład w sprawie spadkowej. Opłata za odpis skrócony wynosi PLN 22.

Where is the certificate number on a short-form death certificate copy?

Oznaczenie aktu jest w górnej części odpisu, przy nazwie urzędu stanu cywilnego, który sporządził akt. Numer przydaje się przy kolejnym wniosku, ale nie jest obowiązkowy, wystarczą dane zmarłego i data zgonu.

How much does a birth certificate copy cost compared with a death certificate copy?

Opłaty za odpisy wszystkich aktów stanu cywilnego są takie same: skrócony PLN 22, zupełny PLN 33. Różni się tylko to, kto może o odpis wystąpić i w jakich sprawach jest zwolniony z opłaty.

Translation of the original Polish article dated 30 September 2026. Quotations from price lists are in Polish, as published by the companies. Read the original in Polish.

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