Church taxation in Poland? Petition went on. That's how much they'd charge all month

In June 2025, a petition was sent to the legislature for a legislative initiative to introduce church tax. It would amount to 8% of the salary. The paper was submitted for further work, which is now entering the next stage.
Church taxation is simply a form of financing churches and spiritual unions. It is not paid by all citizens, but by those who formally declare belonging to a peculiar spiritual community. It applies in Germany, Austria, Sweden and Finland, among others. On 9 June 2025 a petition was sent to the Senate, the author of which calls for the introduction of specified a taxation in Poland, in accordance with the rules in force in European countries.

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What is simply a church tax? Poles must prepare
The church taxation is part of the income tax, which, alternatively of being put entirely into the state budget, goes straight to the Church to which individual belongs. It is usually automatically deducted from salary, specified as PIT or contributions. The money is devoted, among others, to the maintenance of parishes and buildings (churches, rectory), clergy salaries, charitable activities (e.g. aid to those in need) and education, culture and administration of the Church.


The author of the petition proposes that the taxation collection be based on wage for work: employment contract, contract of order, contract of work. As you can read on senate.gov.pl, the employer would be obliged to transfer 8% of the wage to the taxation office of the individual who would declare membership of the Church or the spiritual union. This, on the another hand, would send the taxation to the account of the declared Church or the spiritual union. In the case of a declaration of atheism, the taxation would not be collected. According to the petitioner, this is simply a fair solution, due to the fact that the financial burden rests solely on those consciously declaring their membership of the Church or the spiritual union.


What is church tax?tepic/iStock


How much would a church taxation be? There are circumstantial calculations
On July 7, 2025, the petition was addressed to the Committee on Petitions. On 20 January 2026, the committee examined the petition. The sentences were divided. Senator Piotr Masłowski, who requested the opinion of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Interior and Administration and the analysis of the constitutionality of the postulate, spoke. He was supported by Senator Monika Piątkowska due to the fact that she felt that the petition was crucial and socially sensitive. Senator Michał Seweryński, on the another hand, applied not to work on the petition, but did not receive support. In the end, the Committee on Petitions asked the MF and the Ministry of abroad Affairs for opinions.


According to the calculations of superbiz.se.pl, with a wage of PLN 5000 the church taxation will be approx. PLN 24 per month, or PLN 288 per year. On the another hand, with a wage of PLN 8000 it will be PLN 53 per period and PLN 636 per year. It is worth noting that the strategy would include a tax-free amount, i.e. PLN 30 1000 per year. This means that people with the lowest incomes would be exempt from paying tribute to the Church.