President signs law for national pet register

3 June 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

President signed law creating mandatory pet registration Poland under KROPiK; owners face registration, fees and fines, and integration with mObywatel and PESEL.

The President signed a new law that creates mandatory pet registration Poland under the KROPiK system. Consequently, millions of dog and cat owners will face new duties. Moreover, the rules aim to stop lost animals from becoming untraceable.

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What KROPiK does and why it matters

The law establishes a single national database for dogs and cats. ARiMR, the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture, will run it. In addition, the system will link to mObywatel and the PESEL registry. PESEL is the national ID number used for state records. Therefore, owners will not need to update address details twice. However, authorities must first migrate many scattered local databases into one system.

How pet registration Poland will work

All dogs must be microchipped and registered, regardless of age. Cats with owners or in shelters must also join the register. However, the law gives municipalities a choice on stray rural cats. Specifically, farm colonies can remain exempt because they serve pest control roles. Moreover, shelters and rescue groups gain clear legal status. Consequently, adopters will not be penalised for a shelter’s past omission to chip an animal.

Costs, penalties and timeline

The law sets maximum fees for marking and registering. For unmarked animals the cap is 100 PLN. For already marked animals the cap is 50 PLN. Yet vets and clinics may offer lower prices in practice. The penalties are steeper. Authorities may fine owners from 20 PLN up to 5,000 PLN for missing chips or failing to register. The President criticised the top fine as excessive. He called for lawmakers to revisit penalties during the vacatio legis. The law becomes effective in two years. During that time ARiMR must build the IT system and move data.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you live here as an expat, check your animal’s microchip now and confirm the chip is registered. mObywatel is the Polish government app for personal documents. PESEL is your national ID number if you have one. A “mandat” means a fine from a city or police official. ZUS is social security and NFZ runs public health insurance, but they do not manage pet records. Therefore, plan to register when ARiMR opens the system to avoid a possible fine.

For big cities like Warsaw the law matters especially. The capital hosts roughly 300,000 dogs and many more cats. Consequently, shelters like Paluch will see faster reunifications and lower long-term costs. In addition, local chip campaigns will need to sync with the new national database. For rural areas the exemption for farm cats acknowledges practical realities. Yet owners in villages should still follow municipal rules.

Finally, the law should reduce stray numbers over time. It will also help animal control and police identify owners. Therefore, expect clearer procedures at vet clinics and shelters. In addition, watch for ARiMR guidance before the registration window opens. Check your microchip details early. Otherwise you may face administrative hassle or a fine.

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