- The Clean Air grant does not require Polish citizenship – only property ownership
- Currently you need to own the house for at least 3 years before applying
- From July 2026 the ownership requirement drops to just 1 year
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens can buy any property in Poland without any permit
- Non-EU citizens (Ukraine, UK, USA) need an MSWiA permit to buy a house with land
- A flat (apartment in a block) can be bought by anyone without a permit
- Maximum grant: 136,200 zł – covers insulation, windows, doors, heating and more
- If your spouse is Polish and owns the house, she can apply – your income is counted together
The Clean Air grant (Czyste Powietrze) is Poland’s largest home renovation subsidy programme — and it is open to foreigners. The programme does not check your passport or place of birth. What it checks is whether you are the owner of the property, whether the building qualifies, and whether your household income falls within the eligible thresholds. The Clean Air grant is available for insulation, new windows, doors, heating systems, heat pumps, ventilation and more — with amounts ranging from 40% to 100% of costs depending on income.
Full guide
Does nationality matter for the Clean Air grant?
No — nationality is irrelevant for the Clean Air grant. The Polish programme does not contain any citizenship requirement. What matters is that you are the registered owner or co-owner of a single-family house built before 31 December 2020. Whether you hold a Polish, Ukrainian, British, German or any other passport makes no difference to your eligibility for the Clean Air grant.
This is confirmed in the official programme rules published by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (czystepowietrze.gov.pl). The programme defines an eligible applicant as „an owner or co-owner of a single-family residential building” — with no reference to citizenship. The Clean Air grant has been successfully obtained by Ukrainian, German, British and other foreign nationals living in Poland.
Property ownership rule – 3 years now, 1 year from July 2026
The Clean Air grant currently requires that you have owned the property for at least 3 years before submitting the application. This rule was introduced in March 2025 to prevent people from buying properties specifically to claim the grant and then sell them.
Following public consultations held in February–March 2026, the Polish government announced that the 3-year ownership requirement will be reduced to 1 year from July 2026. This change is specifically designed to help recent buyers — including foreigners who purchased a house in Poland in the last 1–3 years. Once the change is enacted, anyone who has owned a qualifying property for at least 12 months will be able to apply for the Clean Air grant.
One important exception to the ownership rule already exists: inherited property. If you received the house through succession (dziedziczenie), the 3-year (and future 1-year) ownership requirement does not apply — you can apply immediately after transferring ownership.
| Situation | Ownership rule | From July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Bought the house | Min. 3 years | Min. 1 year |
| Inherited the house | No minimum | No minimum |
| Co-owner (e.g. with Polish spouse) | Applies to the applicant | Applies to the applicant |
Buying a house in Poland – EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
If you are a citizen of an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, buying a house or any property in Poland is straightforward. You need no special permit from any ministry. Your rights when purchasing real estate in Poland are identical to those of Polish citizens.
The only exception worth being aware of: the border zone (strefa nadgraniczna). This is a strip of land along Poland’s state border, and it also includes some popular coastal cities such as Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot and Świnoujście. Even EU citizens may need to verify whether a property in these locations requires a permit before purchase. If you are buying anywhere further inland, this does not apply to you.
Step-by-step: buying a house in Poland as an EU citizen
- Find the property and agree the price with the seller
- Check the land and mortgage register (księga wieczysta) online at ekw.ms.gov.pl – verify the owner, any debts or easements
- Sign a preliminary agreement (umowa przedwstępna) – usually with a 10% deposit
- Obtain a Polish tax identification number (NIP) if you do not have one – needed for the notarial act
- Sign the final sale agreement before a Polish notary (notariusz) – this transfers ownership
- Pay the civil law transaction tax (PCC) – 2% of the property value, collected by the notary
- The notary registers the ownership change in the land registry
Most popular
Buying a house in Poland – non-EU citizens (MSWiA permit)
If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland — including Ukraine, the United Kingdom (post-Brexit), the United States, Belarus or other countries — the rules for buying property in Poland are more complex. The general rule is that you need a permit from the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA) to buy a house with land. Here is how it works in practice.
✅ No permit needed – anyone
- Buying a flat / apartment in a block (samodzielny lokal mieszkalny) — no permit required regardless of nationality
- Buying a garage together with a flat — no permit
⚠️ Permit required – non-EU citizens
- Buying a house with a garden/plot of land
- Buying any plot of land (building plot, agricultural, forest)
- Any property in the border zone (even for EU citizens)
Exceptions – when a non-EU citizen does NOT need a permit
Even as a non-EU citizen, you are exempt from the MSWiA permit requirement if any of the following apply:
- You have lived in Poland for at least 5 years on a permanent residence permit (zezwolenie na pobyt stały) or an EU long-term resident permit
- You are married to a Polish citizen and have lived in Poland for at least 2 years on a permanent residence permit — and the property will be part of your joint marital estate (wspólność majątkowa)
- You are inheriting the property from a direct family member who owned it for at least 5 years
How to get the MSWiA permit – step by step
- Find the property first. The permit is issued for a specific address — you cannot apply speculatively before choosing a property. (Tip: you can apply for a promesa — a preliminary promise of a permit — for just 98 zł, valid 1 year, which gives sellers confidence you will get the full permit.)
- Prepare the application. There is no official form — you write a free-form application addressed to the Minister of Internal Affairs. It must include: your personal details, the exact address and land register number of the property, the purpose of purchase, your ties to Poland (residence, work, family), and a draft sale agreement.
- Pay the state fee: 1,570 zł (bank transfer to the City of Warsaw tax account — details on the MSWiA website at gov.pl/web/mswia).
- Submit the application to MSWiA in Warsaw — in person, by post, or through a legal representative (pełnomocnik). Attach all supporting documents and proof of payment.
- Wait for the decision — up to 2 months. The permit is granted if there is no threat to national security or public order and if you can demonstrate genuine ties to Poland.
- Sign the sale agreement before a Polish notary once you have the permit in hand. The permit is valid for 2 years — if the purchase does not happen within that time, you need to reapply.
Clean Air grant amounts and income thresholds
Once you own the property and meet the ownership period requirement, the Clean Air grant works identically for foreigners and Polish citizens. The amount you receive depends entirely on your household income — not your nationality.
| Grant level | Grant % | Income threshold (multi-person household) | Income threshold (single person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 40% | Annual income ≤ 135,000 zł | Annual income ≤ 135,000 zł |
| Enhanced | 70% | Monthly ≤ 2,250 zł/person | Monthly ≤ 3,150 zł |
| Maximum | 100% | Monthly ≤ 1,300 zł/person | Monthly ≤ 1,800 zł |
The main grant amounts at the maximum (100%) level are:
- Wall insulation: 250 zł/m²
- Ceiling/attic insulation: 200 zł/m²
- Window replacement: 1,200 zł per window
- Door replacement: 2,500 zł/m²
- Heat recovery ventilation: 16,700 zł
- Heat pump air/water A++ + installation: 55,700 zł
- Pellet boiler + heating installation: 41,000 zł
- Energy audit: 1,200 zł
All grant amounts are calculated on the net cost (excluding VAT). VAT is always the applicant’s own expense. For most renovation work VAT is 8%; for energy audits it is 23%.
How to apply for the Clean Air grant – step by step
The application process for the Clean Air grant is the same for foreigners and Polish citizens. All applications go through the GWD portal at gwd.nfosigw.gov.pl — which is currently only in Polish. If you need help navigating the system, programme operators (operatorzy) at your local gmina (municipal office) can assist free of charge.
- Get an energy audit (audyt energetyczny). Mandatory since 31 March 2025 for all applications. The audit costs 1,000–2,000 zł and tells you how much energy your house uses and what renovations are recommended. The grant refunds up to 1,200 zł of the audit cost.
- Check your income level. Determine which grant level (basic 40%, enhanced 70%, maximum 100%) applies to your household. For enhanced and maximum levels, you need a certificate from your local gmina or MOPS/GOPS social services office.
- Submit the application BEFORE starting work. This is a strict rule — work started before submitting the application is not eligible for the grant. Submit via gwd.nfosigw.gov.pl, at the gmina office, or through a programme operator.
- Wait for the agreement. The Provincial Environmental Fund (WFOŚiGW) has 60 days to process the application and sign a grant agreement with you.
- Complete the renovation within 24 months of the agreement date. Keep all invoices — they must be in your name (or your spouse’s if they are the applicant).
- Submit the final payment request with all invoices and the post-renovation energy performance certificate (świadectwo charakterystyki energetycznej).
If your spouse is Polish – the easiest path
Many foreigners in Poland are in a mixed marriage — a foreign spouse and a Polish citizen. If your Polish wife or husband owns the house (or is co-owner), they can apply for the Clean Air grant as the named applicant. Your income as a couple will be counted together for determining the grant level.
You do not need to be on the title deed yourself for this to work. Your spouse applies, the grant is paid, and the renovation benefits the house you both live in. This also means that if your Polish spouse owns a house that was built before 31.12.2020 and has owned it for at least 3 years (or 1 year from July 2026), the grant application can proceed regardless of your own legal status in Poland.
Step by step
Clean Air grant for foreigners – FAQ 2026
Yes. The Clean Air grant (Czyste Powietrze) programme does not require Polish citizenship. The only eligibility requirement is that you must be the owner or co-owner of the property where the renovation takes place. Your nationality is irrelevant. A British, Ukrainian, German or any other foreign national who legally owns a single-family house in Poland and meets the income and property criteria can apply for the Clean Air grant in exactly the same way as a Polish citizen. The application is submitted through the Polish GWD portal at gwd.nfosigw.gov.pl or at the local municipal office (gmina).
Under current rules (valid until June 2026), you must have owned the property for at least 3 years before submitting a Clean Air grant application. From July 2026, the Polish government plans to reduce this requirement to just 1 year of ownership. This change was announced following public consultations in early 2026 and will make the programme accessible to many more recent buyers — including foreigners who purchased a home in Poland recently. The 3-year rule does not apply to property inherited through succession (dziedziczenie).
Yes. Citizens of EU and EEA countries (European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) as well as Switzerland can buy any type of property in Poland — house, land, agricultural plot — without any permit from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MSWiA). They have exactly the same rights as Polish citizens when purchasing real estate. The only exception applies to properties located in the border zone (strefa nadgraniczna), which includes some coastal towns such as Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia and Świnoujście — in those locations even EU citizens may need to check whether a permit is required before purchasing.
Yes, but it requires a permit from the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA). This applies to citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland — including Ukrainians, British nationals after Brexit, Americans, and others. The permit costs 1,570 zł (state fee), takes up to 2 months to obtain, and is issued for a specific property. Important exceptions: no permit is needed to buy a flat (apartment in a block). A house with land always requires a permit unless you have lived in Poland for at least 5 years on a permanent residence permit, or you are married to a Polish citizen and have lived in Poland for at least 2 years on a permanent residence permit. You can apply via gov.pl/web/mswia.
Yes, absolutely. If your Polish spouse is the owner or co-owner of the house, she can apply for the Clean Air grant as the named applicant. Your income as a household will be counted together for the purposes of determining the grant level (basic 40%, enhanced 70%, or maximum 100%). You do not need to be on the title deed yourself. Alternatively, if you are already co-owner of the property together with your Polish spouse, you can also submit the application jointly. The household income threshold is what determines which grant level you qualify for — not individual income in isolation.
The Clean Air grant covers: insulation of external walls (up to 250 zł/m²), ceiling and attic insulation (up to 200 zł/m²), floor insulation (up to 150 zł/m²), replacement of windows (up to 1,200 zł per window at the 100% level), door replacement (up to 2,500 zł/m²), heat recovery ventilation (up to 16,700 zł), a new heat pump (up to 55,700 zł with installation) or a pellet boiler (up to 41,000 zł with installation), and an energy audit (up to 1,200 zł). The maximum combined grant for a comprehensive renovation is 136,200 zł net. All amounts are calculated on net costs — VAT (8% on renovation, 23% on the audit) is always your own expense. For full details see czystepowietrze.gov.pl.
Income thresholds for the Clean Air grant are based on the total household income — meaning all people living together in the same property. For the basic level (40% grant), your annual household income must not exceed 135,000 zł. For the enhanced level (70%), the average monthly income per person must not exceed 2,250 zł (multi-person household) or 3,150 zł (single person). For the maximum level (100%), the limits are 1,300 zł per person monthly (multi-person) or 1,800 zł (single person). Foreign-source income — for example a salary paid from abroad — is also counted. Income documentation for the basic level is a self-declaration; for enhanced and maximum levels a certificate from the municipal social services office (MOPS/GOPS) is required.
Required documents for a Clean Air grant application: a completed application form submitted via gwd.nfosigw.gov.pl, proof of property ownership (extract from the land and mortgage register — księga wieczysta), an energy audit of the building (mandatory from 31 March 2025), income documentation (self-declaration for basic level; certificate from gmina/MOPS for enhanced and maximum levels), and — for non-EU nationals — a valid residence card (karta pobytu) or other proof of legal residence in Poland. The application can be submitted online, at the local gmina office, or through a programme operator if you apply for pre-financing.
After submitting the application, the Provincial Environmental Fund (WFOŚiGW) has up to 60 days to process it and sign a grant agreement. Once signed, you have 24 months to complete the renovation and submit the final payment request with invoices. At the basic level (40%), you pay all costs upfront and receive reimbursement after completion. At the enhanced (70%) and maximum (100%) levels, pre-financing is available — the fund pays the contractor directly before work begins, and you only cover your own share. This significantly reduces the cash needed upfront, which is useful for recent buyers still settling in Poland.
If you pay income tax in Poland (PIT), you can combine the Clean Air grant with the thermal modernisation tax relief (ulga termomodernizacyjna). The tax relief allows you to deduct up to 53,000 zł per taxpayer from your taxable income — but only for the portion of costs not covered by the grant. For example, if insulation costs 80,000 zł and the grant covered 60,000 zł, you can claim the remaining 20,000 zł as a tax deduction. Foreigners who are tax residents in Poland (paying PIT in Poland) are fully eligible for this combined benefit. For details see our guide on the PIT tax relief (PL).
