Electronic signature and financial statements - latest regulations and responsibilities

How to sign financial statements? Guide and best solutions with electronic signatures

Signing financial statements electronically is mandatory today to ensure full regulatory compliance. 

Every company and organization with full accounting is required to prepare and submit annual financial statements annually. This is not just a formality, but a key document that reflects the financial situation of the company.

However, as of 2018, the rules for signing it have changed - the The report must be in electronic form and bear an electronic signature.

The latest legal and technical requirements for e-reporting are in effect in 2025: we explain below who must sign the report, With what kind of electronic signature it should be done and How to submit the signed report to the competent authorities (KRS or KAS), to avoid legal and organizational problems.

Who must sign the financial statements?

According to the Accounting Law, the annual financial statements must be signed by two key individuals:

• Unit manager - i.e., the person or persons managing the entity (e.g., the chairman of the board of directors, all members of the board of directors in a corporation, the partner managing the affairs of a partnership, etc.).
• The person responsible for keeping the accounts - usually chief accountant or any other person entrusted with keeping the books.

If the unit is headed by multi-member body (e.g., a multi-member board), in principle all the members of this body should sign the report.

However, as of January 1, 2022, an important simplification has been introduced: all that is required is the following. signature will be affixed by at least one member of the body, a the other members of the board of directors will submit separate statements confirming that the report meets the requirements of the law. Such a procedure is fully compliant with the law and allows for smooth fulfillment of the obligation even with large boards or difficulties in collecting all signatures.

If any of the authorized board members will refuse to sign report (or refuses to make the said statement), has the obligation to Prepare a written justification for the refusal and attach it to the financial report. In practice, this means that any person who does not initial the report must explain in writing the reasons - this ensures transparency and compliance with Article 52. Accounting Law.

Remember: The signing of the financial statements or the management report should take place no later than March 31 the following year for the fiscal year (if the fiscal year coincides with the calendar year). The reports should then be approved by the shareholders or the board of directors and shareholders) until the end of June, and after approval filed with the competent registry at the latest until July 15.

In what form should the financial statements be signed?

Currently financial statements shall be prepared only in electronic form (.xml file) and can no longer be signed by hand on paper. As of October 1, 2018, the legislator requires that such an e-report be stamped with a electronic signature.

The choices are three accepted forms of electronic signature:

• Qualified electronic signature – the most versatile and reliable, legally recognized throughout the European Union (compliant with eIDAS). This is a paid, certified digital signature issued by authorized certification authorities. Its advantage is full legal force equivalent to a handwritten signature and Recognition in all EU countries.
• Trusted profile (trusted signature ePUAP) - Free electronic signature available to those who have a PESEL number and a trusted profile on the ePUAP platform (e.g., through electronic banking). Financial statements can also be signed with such a signature. Its limitation is that it is only useful when dealing with Polish offices - it has the status of a signature advanced (not qualified), but for the purposes of reporting in KRS or dispatching to KAS is fully sufficient.
• Personal Signature (e-Gov.) - That is, the digital signature embedded in the electronic ID card. If you have a new ID card with an electronic layer (the so-called e-card) and have activated a personal signature certificate on it, you can use it to sign the report. The personal signature is also recognized by offices (it is empowered by Polish law as equivalent to a handwritten signature when dealing with the administration). You need an NFC reader or an appropriate app to make such a signature on the document.

In practice most convenient solution is to take advantage of qualified electronic signature. It provides the greatest legal certainty and versatility - is honored not only in Poland, but in all EU countries. What's more, modern, user-friendly technologies have emerged in recent years, making it easier than ever to use a qualified signature. For example, solutions mobile signature in the cloud allow you to sign documents from your smartphone, without the need for a card or reader.

W podpisano.pl we offer two qualified signature solutions

• SimplySign –  mobile qualified signature, which no physical card or reader required. The entire process is done via an app on your smartphone or tablet - this means you can sign the document from anywhere, anytime. SimplySign provides full mobility while maintaining the legal force of a handwritten signature. In practical terms, your phone becomes a tool for submitting a secure e-signature whenever you need it.
• Certum Mini - in turn simple and convenient set For making qualified electronic signatures on a computer. It consists of a USB reader and a cryptographic card with a qualified certificate. The solution is traditional and much appreciated by companies - provides high level of control and security, although it requires the use of a physical device. The Certum Mini works well, for example, when you work mainly stationary at your computer and depend on a tangible signature carrier. Thanks to its small size, the kit is easy to use and carry, making it easy to keep working with e-documents.

Both of the above options meet the standards eIDAS, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

Current requirements of KRS and the Ministry of Finance (KAS)

Just signing the report is not enough - they still need to be properly transmitted to the competent authority. In 2025, there are already well-established rules according to which the routes for submitting financial statements depend on the type of entity:

• Companies and other entities registered in KRS (subject to registration in the business register) - submit electronic financial statements to KRS. This takes place online only through the portal eKRS (Portal for Access to Judicial Electronic Records). The report file must have the appropriate format (logical structure defined by the Ministry of Finance) - currently it is a structure XML compliant with published XSD schemas. The electronic report must include all required elements such as balance sheet, income statement, notes (introduction and notes). The eKRS system allows free submission of documents to the Repository of Financial Documents, where they go into the company's registration file. An electronic signature will also be needed for the report itself - On the eKRS portal, the application is signed (qualified, trusted or personal signature) by at least one person authorized to represent, whose PESEL is disclosed in the register. Thus, in practice it is enough that one authorized person (e.g., a board member) logs in and sends a document bearing an e-signature, to fulfill the obligation. It should be borne in mind that the mere signing of documents in e-KRS is not the same as submitting them, it is still necessary to send them to the repository, which entrepreneurs forget about, leading to deficiencies in the submitted documents.

Deadline: it should be done within 15 days of approval reports - for most companies, which approve reports by June 30, this means a deadline of July 15 the following year. Note: if the report will not be approved by the end of June, and so need to be submitted to KRS in July as a unapproved, and after its subsequent approval, send the relevant documents (e.g., resolution on approval and distribution of profit/loss) to KRS within the next 15-day period.

• Entities not enrolled in KRS (e.g., sole proprietorships, partnerships, ordinary associations not subject to registration in KRS and other entities that settle PIT)  – do not report to KRS, but are required to hand them over to the Head of the National Tax Administration (KAS), that is, de facto to tax office. This takes place also electronically. The Ministry of Finance provides a special e-Financial Reporting application (available through the portal podatki.gov.pl), through which it is possible to create and send the signed report directly to the KAS system. Alternatively, it is permissible to send a JPK_SF file (i.e. a report file in XML format) via trusted profile ePUAP To the relevant tax office. Regardless of the method, such a document must be electronically signed (with a qualified signature, trusted profile or e-card - the same forms as described above) by authorized persons.

Deadline: PIT taxpayers have shorter time to complete paperwork -. financial statements for the previous year must be submitted to KAS by April 30 (fourth month) of the following year. For example, for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, the deadline for shipment to KAS is April 30, 2025. Importantly, the regulations do not require that the KAS already receive the approved report - we simply send an electronically signed file of the report (although in practice the MF system requires the date of approval, if it occurred). If a sole proprietor approves the report himself (because he is the sole owner), often the signing and approval occur simultaneously. On the other hand, when the report is subject to audit by a certified public accountant, the approval may come only after the audit, which should also be kept in mind.

To summarize, Financial statements of all entities in Poland in 2025 shall be submitted electronically – or To the Repository KRS (if the entity is subject to registration in the Business Register KRS), or to the KAS financial system (if the entity is not subject to KRS). In all cases, the correct the format of the document (the structure of the e-report can be generated, for example, in a financial-accounting program or in an MF application) and important e-signature eligible persons.

Consequences of not signing or failing to do so

Failure to sign the financial statements (or submit them by the required deadline) may result in the following serious legal and financial consequences. First of all, such a document will not be accepted by the competent authority - the KRS system or KAS will reject a report that has not been affixed with the required electronic signatures of all obligated persons. Failure to properly submit the report is a violation of the law, for which there are penalties.

Disregarding the obligation to sign and submit financial statements carries risks far more serious than a minor inconvenience. That's why it's so important to make sure deadlines and formalities.

Electronic signature means convenience and full regulatory compliance

With these implications in mind, it is worth betting on convenient, fast and in 100% legal solution, which is a qualified electronic signature. With it, you will sign your financial statements (and other company documents) literally in a matter of moments - without printing, hand-signing each printout and scanning it.

Qualified electronic signature is equivalent to a handwritten signature and meets all the requirements of KRS and the Ministry of Finance. If you are still in doubt about which signature to choose - please visit podpisano.pl  - We will help you choose the qualified signature that best suits the specifics of your work. SimplySign - if you are often on the go or work remotely - a mobile smartphone signature will be ideal.  Certum Mini - If you prefer traditional hardware solutions, a kit with a reader will work just as well.

In conclusion, in order to properly sign the financial statements And sleep soundly:

1. Prepare the report electronically (e.g., generate an XML file from your financial system according to the MF structure).
2. Ensure electronic signatures of all required persons - The head of the entity (or member of the board of directors + statements of others) and the person who keeps the books. Choose the form of signature: preferably qualified, or alternatively a trusted profile or e-ID.
3. Submit the signed e-report in the appropriate system: eKRS (for companies and entities on the register) or eReports/KAS (for others). Meet statutory deadlines - usually 15 days after approval for KRS or by April 30 for KAS.
4. Archive proof of submission (official receipt or confirmation from the system). In the case of KRS, this is not necessary - the submitted report is almost immediately visible on the copy of the KRS

By using modern electronic signatures the whole process is fast and efficient, and above all - in accordance with current regulations.

In 2025, electronic reporting is the standard to help businesses save time and minimize the risk of errors. Take advantage of solutions available e-signature, and signing financial statements will become a routine activity, requiring no unnecessary effort. Whether you choose SimplySign or Certum Mini, you will gain assurance, that your document meets all the formal requirements - and without leaving the office.

Take care of the correct electronic signature now, and your company's annual financial report will be filed on time, hassle-free and stress-free.

Qualified signatures SimplySign and Certum Mini

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