The new water permit fee rates are effective as of January 2024.

As of January 1, new fee rates for water-law permits are in effect. They were introduced by the Minister of Infrastructure with a notice dated June 29, 2023, on the rates of fees for granting water law permits effective from January 1, 2024 (M.P. 2023 item. 693). The new regulations respond to the need to update and adapt the fee system to the current economic and environmental realities, and are relevant not only to water management institutions, but also to a wide range of business entities and individual water users who are faced with the need to obtain water-law approvals.

Water permits

Water permits play a key role in Poland’s water resources management system, serving as the primary mechanism for ensuring sustainable and lawful use of resources. They are essential for a wide range of activities, from agriculture and industry to conservation and recreation, enabling control over the impact of these activities on aquatic ecosystems.

The process of obtaining a water permit begins with the submission of documents to the relevant authority. The application includes a detailed description of the planned project and its potential impact on the aquatic environment. The permit is issued by the regulatory authorities designated to do so, and may include specific conditions that must be met to ensure the protection of water resources and minimize negative environmental impacts.

Water permit fees are regularly updated to reflect changing economic, social and environmental conditions. They are an important economic tool that helps implement the country’s water policy, encouraging more efficient and responsible use of resources.

Fees in 2023.

In 2023, the fee rates for granting water law approvals in Poland were set at the following level: the fee for accepting a water law application was PLN 100.23, for issuing a water law permit – PLN 250, and for issuing a water law assessment – PLN 1,000.04. The maximum fee for including in one decision multiple water permits that are not identical in kind could not exceed PLN 5000.15.

By how much have fees increased this year?

The fee for the acceptance of a water law application, which in 2023. amounted to PLN 100.23, increased to PLN 114.66. This change of PLN 14.43 is significant because it touches on the basic step in the process of obtaining water rights approval, i.e. the notification itself. This is the first step for many businesses and individual water users, with implications for further administrative procedures.

Another change concerns the fee for issuing a water permit. Last year, it was PLN 250, while starting in January 2024. rose to PLN 286. A more significant jump can be observed in the case of the maximum fee for issuing multiple water permits that are not identical in type in a single decision. In 2023. It was PLN 5,000.15, and now – PLN 5,720.17, an increase of as much as PLN 720.02. This change is particularly important for larger projects and developments that require several permits in a single decision. Finally, there have been changes in the cost of issuing a water rights assessment, which in 2023 amounted to PLN 1,000.04 and has now increased by PLN 144.01, to PLN 1144.05.

The changes made to the fees reflect not only the dynamic economic and environmental conditions in Poland, but also emphasize the importance of responsible water use. We wrote in detail about all the Water Law fees in the June 15, 2023 issue of Water Matters, in an article titled “Fee in the Water Law – what we should pay for and when“.

All the changes related to fee increases provide an additional impetus for businesses and individual users to rethink and responsibly plan their activities in the context of sustainable use of water resources. Through these regulations, the authorities aim to ensure the protection of water resources and emphasize that they are protected and used in a way that serves both present and future generations.