An aged company: what the KRS entry date gives you and what it does not

An aged company is a sp. z o.o. that has been entered in the KRS for some time. Its age runs from the date of entry in the register, and anyone who downloads the extract can see that date. It gives the company a history in the register, but not turnover, experience or creditworthiness, because these only come from trading.

So before buying, it is worth knowing who will look at the entry date and why. Below we describe where age really helps, where it does not matter and how to check it. Current aged ready-made companies, with their price and KRS number, are on our list.

What a company’s age is and where to check it

A company’s age is the time since it was entered in the National Court Register (KRS). You can check the date free of charge in the extract from the KRS search, and we give the KRS number for every company on the list. Buying the shares changes neither the KRS number nor this date, because the company remains the same entity. What changes are the shareholders, the board and the details you choose, such as the name, address and PKD codes.

How to read the date in the KRS extract

The extract contains two dates that are easy to confuse. Only the first of them shows the company’s age. A third date, which matters to business partners, is found outside the KRS.

• Date of registration in the National Court Register (Data rejestracji w Krajowym Rejestrze Sądowym). It is in the header of the extract and marks the company’s first entry. Age is counted from it, and this date stays after the purchase.
• Last entry (Ostatni wpis). Below it are the number and date of the latest change in the register. After the purchase the court enters the new shareholders and board, so this date changes, but the age does not.
• Date of VAT registration. You can see it in the VAT taxpayer register, not in the KRS. It is usually later than the KRS entry, because the company registers for VAT after it is entered.

The company receives its NIP and REGON numbers on registration in the KRS, so their dates are close to the entry date. The current extract shows today’s details, while the full extract also shows the history, such as previous names and boards.

When a company’s age helps

Age matters when someone outside assesses the company and one of the criteria is how long it has existed. Most often there are three such situations.

• A business partner vets you. A firm ordering goods or services for a larger amount often looks at the KRS and the VAT register. To them, a company entered earlier looks different from one registered last week.
• Leasing and financing. Leasing companies and banks apply their own criteria, and how long a business has operated is sometimes one of them. The criteria differ between firms, so ask about them before buying a company.
• A request for quotations or a programme with a time-in-existence condition. If the conditions state that a business must have existed for a set period, the KRS entry date is what counts.

What age cannot replace

The companies on our list have not traded. They have an entry date but no sales history. In practice this means three limitations.

• Turnover and results. The financial statements of a company that has not traded show no revenue. If a bank or leasing company assesses results, the entry date alone will not replace them.
• Experience and references. In public procurement, the contracting authority may set conditions concerning economic or financial standing and technical or professional ability (art. 112(2) of the Public Procurement Law, in Polish). It may therefore require, for example, a minimum annual turnover (art. 115(1)) or experience (art. 116(1)), and age alone will not meet that.
• Payment history. A company that has not traded, whatever its age, has no repaid contracts or loans behind it.

In tenders there is one more route: a contractor may rely on the capacities of other entities that make their resources available to it (art. 118(1) of the Public Procurement Law). This depends on the specific contract, however, so before buying a company for a tender, read the conditions for participation.

Will age help: condition by condition

Watch the wording of the conditions. “Has existed since” means the entry date. “Has operated since” or “has performed” may mean actual sales, which a company that has not traded cannot show. If in doubt, ask the assessor before buying.

How to count age on the day the offer is submitted

A condition usually refers to a specific day, most often the day the offer or application is submitted. You count age from the date of registration in the KRS to that day, not to the day you buy the company.

Example: a request for quotations requires the business to have existed for at least 2 years, and offers are accepted until 1 March 2027. The company must therefore have a KRS registration date no later than 1 March 2025. A company entered on 15 April 2025 will be just under 2 years old on that day and will not meet the condition, although from 15 April 2027 it will.

Leave yourself a margin in case the deadline is moved, and note the date from the extract before signing the agreement. Changes after the purchase do not affect the result, because the registration date stays.

How much does an aged company cost

At VKANCELARIA the price of a ready-made company depends on its age, not on its capital or district, and starts from PLN 2,500. The purchase is a share sale agreement, so there is a single price. Every price comes with a PLN 200 court fee for the change application, however many changes it contains. Age grows, so over time a company moves up to a higher bracket.

How to match the age to your purpose

1. Write down who will assess the company: a business partner, a leasing company, a bank or a contracting authority.
2. Check whether their conditions include how long the business has existed. If the condition concerns turnover or experience, age will not help.
3. Check the date on which the condition is assessed, for example the day the offer is submitted, and choose a company with a suitable entry date.
4. Before signing, check the company in the KRS, the VAT register and VIES. We show how in buying a ready-made company step by step.

If nobody will check the entry date, a company with a shorter history and a lower price is enough. What matters then is mainly that the company already has EU VAT and that we enter all changes in one application included in the price. We write more about VAT registration in VAT and EU VAT in a sp. z o.o.