Do you dream of living in a charming village in Poland? If you are a foreigner and have spotted your dream piece of land in Polish countryside, here you will find out what you need to know first before the decision on buying it.

There are specific are building conditions that you must adhere to. In this article, you will learn what to expect and the steps to obtain the necessary permits from the municipality.

1. MPZP – is my plot covered by the Local Spatial Development Plan (pol. Miejscowy Plan Zagospodarowania Przestrzennego)

Each gmina (municipality office) has their own MPZP, that is the plan in which they decide that particulat parts of the village or town can be used is certain way. This is aimed to plan the local space reasonably and for example not to allow high impact industry next to the housing estates. In the coutryside some municipals have the plans well developed for bigger villages, but for smaller there is hardly any space planned and majority of the village is to be used acticulturarly.

You may check the current state of the local plan for particular piece of land online through Geoportal.pl where you insert the number of the plot, village/town and can see if the land planned for housing, farming or industry. You also will see there what is planned for the nearest neighbourhood. The page is available in English.

If your chosen plot is not covered by the plans – it is not marked in any color and letters like R, M, MR etc. or it is marked with R only, then it means that you need to request from gmina the building/constructions conditions upon which one will be able to build anything in the future.

You may want to read the article about types of real estate in Poland here: 5 Main Real-Estate Types In PL Countryside

2. Request for Building Conditions from municipality

The first step is to gather information from the municipality (gmina, urząd gminy) in which the plot is located. Contact the Municipality Office and inquire about the Building Conditions for agricultural areas. An office employee should provide you with all the necessary information and indicate which documents will be required.

It is important to understand that there are certain limitations on the type of buildings that can be erected on agricultural land. The main objective of these limitations is to protect the landscape, natural environment, and comply with the local spatial development plan. Therefore, keep in mind that not every type of building will be allowed on your plot.

3. Main Types of Building Conditions You Need To Know of

After contacting the Municipality Office and familiarizing yourself with the general Building Conditions and also with the process to obtain them, proceed to gather the necessary documents.

You also shall be informed of different types of Building Conditions Requests for which you may apply.

1. Housing Conditions (pol. zabudowa mieszkaniowa) – after obtaining this type of conditions your plot will be a standard housing plot like in the city or town, and no additional special conditions shall be required for anyone to put there a house. This is the most desirable type, as it does not force the owner to be a farmer, anyone can buy/sell the plot without additional permits, the price of such plot is the biggest, but it is usually hard to obtain such Building conditions in the coutnryside.

2. Homestead Building Conditions (pol. Zabudowa zagrodowa, old name: działka siedliskowa) – also sometimes called housing-agriculture plot. It is the type most often used in the countryside. It means that after the process, the plot will still be a farm land but with allowance to put there buildings according to the conditions. There is a requirement to have an outbuilding, apart fromt he house. There are some limitations which may come up in this type before one can start the actual contructions work. Usually, the biggest one will be the requirement that one of the owners must be offcially a farmer otherwise the plot needs to go through the process of „un-farming” (pol. Odrolnienie). This process generates extra time and costs and depends on the quality/class of the grounds of the plot (pol. Klasa gruntu, klasa ziemi). The better is the ground (so class I-IIIa) – the longer and more expensive is the process. Sometimes it is easier to become a farmer and definitely it is cheaper. Therefore do check what are the rules in this matter in your municipal, cos it sometimes happens that the un-farming is not a must.

4. Documents Neccessary To Apply For Building Conditions (Warunki Zabudowy)

Ask your Municipal Office employee what you need to deliver with the request. A department related to urbanization (Wydział Urbanizacji) or spatial planning (Wydział/Dział Planowania Przestrzennego) will be the one responsible for this area.

Generally, you will need to provide a map of the plot with its boundaries marked and an initial idea of your future house which should contain a plan for the plot’s development, the type and location of the building, and other relevant details (like: how you will deliver the house in water, electricity, how you will manage the rain waters, sewege and garbage, how far is the house from the road, where is the main entrance to the plot etc). You may ask the office employee for a sample of request, so that it is easier for you to fill in the form properly. They also should have their own template which you fill in. The map in proper scale (ask in the municipal what they require) you take from the Office of Cartography and Geodesy in your county office (Starostwo Powiatowe). It shall be reachable within one-two days but it is a paid (about 150 PLN).

Hint: do not put on the request more than it’s neccessary. I made this mistake and put there my future tourist cottages, which later on were stopping me from progress in my investment. So put there only the buildings that are required by the municipal – like house and homestead building, if required. If you put a garage then you must build a house with the garage, which maybe you will not want later on due to cost scrubbing 🙂

5. Request submitted – how long does it take?

Once you have collected all the documents, submit your application to the Municipality Office. Be prepared for a waiting period for a response. Sometimes, this process can take several months, so patience is crucial. Officially it should be handled within 3 months, but it may take longer. In this time gmina checks the details of your request with other offices, like National Waters Office, Agriculture Ministry etc. Each of these bodies has their time to give the feedback, hence it is quite long process.

6. Green or Red Light from Municipality Office – what next?

If your application is approved, you will receive the appropriate permit and will be able to start preparation to the construction works on your plot (process of projecting the house and obtaining the contructions permit).

Otherwise, if your application is rejected, do not be discouraged. Consult with the Municipality Office employees to find out what changes or additions your project may require. Although it may be disappointing, it is important to remember to comply with regulations and maintain harmony in the surrounding environment.

I submitted three requests for my plot at the same time and got two rejections and only one approval. So you may apply for the housing and homstead conditions at the same round to not to waste the time.

What If This Is Too Hard For Me?

Living in a village in Poland on your own agricultural and construction plot is a dream for many foreigners. However, to make it a reality, you must properly adjust to the Building Conditions in effect in the municipality. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with these requirements, consult with the Municipality Office, and follow the law. With the necessary permits, you can enjoy life in the Polish countryside, find joy in the peace and beauty of nature surrounding you.

If this still seems too risky, you may try to buy a ready house or a farm. You may want to consider other housing options too – please have a look on my article on this: 5 Housing Options Available in the Polish Countryside. Buying a bare farm land and building a house/farm on is the most difficult approach, but it is doable! I made it as a single woman within 2 years from the ground purchase. So keep the positive attitude if you decide to go the ambitious way. Although Poland is known from difficult processes around constructions, I do know foreigners who went through it without knowing Polish and are living happily in their lovelly farms. If you still feel lost, please check my offer – perhaps a meeting with someone who was there will dispell your doubts!