Polish banks authorized to close inactive accounts

Banks in Poland have the legal authority to close inactive or unused bank accounts. This process primarily targets accounts where the owner has not issued any instructions or transactions for an extended period, such as old savings accounts or those opened during specific promotions that have since been forgotten.

Under current regulations, banks must verify customer data against state registers. Changes introduced in 2025 have expanded the scope of information banks can access from the PESEL register to facilitate this process. If an account remains inactive for a specified duration after these checks, the contract may expire.

The Polish banking sector is extensive, with data from mid-2025 indicating approximately 53.4 million individual settlement accounts for a population of roughly 37.6 million. This results in a significant surplus of accounts. Major institutions include PKO BP, Bank Pekao, Santander Bank Polska, ING Bank Śląski, and Revolut.