The ZUS ZUA form is one of the most important documents used to register employees with ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) for social security and health insurance. Employers must fill it in correctly to give their employees proper insurance cover. A badly completed form can lead to legal and financial complications, so it is worth knowing every detail of the process.
ZUS ZUA is used to register a person for insurance under a specific insurance title, except for people on parental leave (urlop wychowawczy) or receiving maternity benefit. The document can also be used to report changes and corrections to the data of people who are already insured, which makes it a widely used tool in everyday HR practice.
The ZUS ZUA form is completed by the contribution payer to register a person under a given insurance title for social security and health insurance. It does not apply to people on parental leave (urlop wychowawczy) or receiving maternity benefit or a benefit equal to maternity benefit
Filling in the form requires particular care and precision, because ZUS opens the insured person's individual account on the basis of it. Any mistake can cause problems with settling contributions or with benefits in the future. That is why employers should study the instructions for every field of the form carefully.
Organisational data in the ZUS ZUA form
The first part of the ZUS ZUA form contains organisational data, which is key for ZUS to process the document correctly. This block must always be completed unambiguously, which means filling in only one of the available fields, depending on the purpose of the form.
When you register an insured person under a given title for the first time, enter an X in field 01. This option applies when the employee is registered for insurance with a given employer under a specific insurance title code for the first time.
The organisational data block must always be completed unambiguously, which means filling in only one of the available fields. When an insured person is registered under a given title for the first time, enter X in field 01
When you need to report a change or correction to data given in an earlier registration of an insured person with a given insurance title code, enter the relevant code in field 02. The digit 1 means a change of the insured person's data, while the digit 2 means a correction of the insured person's data.
The difference between a change and a correction matters in practice. A change occurs when the data has actually changed compared with the data shown in the earlier registration, for example when the employee has moved house. A correction applies when you fix mistakes made in the earlier registration, such as an incorrectly entered home address.
Remember the limits on using the ZUS ZUA form. Changes to the insured person's identification data are reported on the ZUS ZIUA form, while the payer reports data on the insurance title code, the types of insurance and the dates they began by deregistering the person on the ZUS ZWUA form and then submitting a correct registration. Fields 03 and 04 in this block are left blank.
Contribution payer identification data
The second part of the ZUS ZUA form contains the contribution payer's identification data and must be completed with particular care. All information must match the data given in the payer registration ZUS ZPA, ZUS ZFA or in the CEIDG-1 application (CEIDG – Central Register and Information on Economic Activity). If the payer's identification data has changed or is being corrected, enter the data given in block III of the ZUS ZIPA document or the CEIDG-1 application.
In field 01, enter the NIP (tax identification number) without separating its parts with dashes. Entering the NIP correctly is key to identifying the payer in the ZUS system. Field 02 is for the REGON (statistical number), which must also be entered in full, without additional characters.
Part II of the ZUS ZUA registration form should be completed with particular care, entering the data given in the payer registration ZUS ZPA, ZUS ZFA or in the CEIDG-1 application. If the payer's identification data has changed or is being corrected, enter the data given in block III of the ZUS ZIPA document or the CEIDG-1 application
Field 03 is for the PESEL number (national ID number) from the population register. Fields 04 and 05 are filled in only if the payer has not been assigned a NIP, REGON or PESEL number, or one of them. In field 04, depending on the type of document, enter 1 for an identity card or 2 for a passport or another document confirming the identity of a citizen of the European Union.
In field 05, enter the series and number corresponding to the code entered in field 04 – of the identity card, passport or other document confirming the identity of a citizen of the European Union. Field 06 is for the payer's short name as given in the payer registration or in the CEIDG-1 application.
Fields 07–09 are filled in by a payer who is a natural person. In field 07, enter the payer's surname, separating the parts of a double surname with a dash. Field 08 is for the payer's first name, and in field 09 you enter the payer's date of birth in the day/month/year format.
Identification data of the person registered for insurance
The third part of the ZUS ZUA form contains the identification data of the person being registered and is key to the whole process. ZUS opens an individual account for the insured person on the basis of the ZUS ZUA registration, so this part must be completed with particular care, entering all required data correctly and legibly.
In field 01, enter the PESEL number of the person being registered, if one has been assigned. A Polish citizen is assigned a PESEL number ex officio, most often when the birth is registered, and also on registration of permanent or temporary residence (zameldowanie) or when an identity card is issued. Foreign nationals are assigned a PESEL number ex officio in connection with registering their permanent or temporary residence.
ZUS opens an individual account for the insured person on the basis of the ZUS ZUA registration, so this part must be completed with particular care. Enter the PESEL number correctly and legibly, and if no PESEL has been assigned, the series and number of the identity card or passport, together with the surname, first name and date of birth
A PESEL number is also assigned on application to people who are required to have one under separate regulations. Field 02 is not filled in under any circumstances.
Fields 03 and 04 are filled in only if the person being registered does not have a PESEL number. In field 03, depending on the type of document, enter 1 for an identity card or 2 for a passport or another document confirming the identity of a citizen of the European Union. In field 04, enter the series and number corresponding to the code entered in field 03.
Field 05 is for the surname of the person being registered, and in field 06 you enter that person's first name. In field 07, enter the date of birth of the person being registered in the day/month/year format.
Records data of the person registered for insurance
The fourth part of the ZUS ZUA form contains additional records data about the person being registered, which supplements the information in the previous section. This data is important for fully identifying the insured person in the ZUS system and for keeping their account correctly.
In field 01, enter the second first name of the person being registered. If the person does not have a second name, leave the field blank. Field 02 is for the family name (surname at birth) given in the birth certificate, which may differ from the current surname for people who changed their surname after marriage.
In field 02, enter the family name given in the birth certificate, which may differ from the current surname of the person being registered. Field 03 is for citizenship, and leaving this field blank means that the person being registered has Polish citizenship
Field 03 is used to enter the citizenship of the person being registered. Importantly, leaving this field blank automatically means that the person has Polish citizenship. For people with another citizenship, it must be stated clearly in this field.
In field 04, enter the sex of the person being registered, using K for a woman or M for a man. This information is necessary for the social security system to work correctly, especially in the context of benefits linked to retirement age.
Insurance title and why it matters
The fifth part of the ZUS ZUA form concerns the insurance title and is fundamental to settling contributions correctly. The information given in this block is used to record the insured person's insurance history on their account and directly affects the verification of the insurance scheme the person is covered by.
Based on the insurance title code given, ZUS verifies the scheme of coverage by individual types of insurance shown in blocks VI–IX and the code given in the monthly personal report submitted for the insured person. The insurance title code therefore directly affects whether contributions are settled correctly and cannot be omitted or filled in incorrectly. How to show an hourly absence in the ZUS RSA report is described in a separate article.
The information given in the insurance title block is used to record the insured person's insurance history on their account. Based on the insurance title code given, ZUS verifies the scheme of coverage by individual types of insurance and the code given in the monthly personal report submitted for the insured person
In field 01, enter the six-character insurance title code applicable in the given period. The code must be current and match the actual title under which the person is insured. An incorrect code can lead to contributions being settled incorrectly and to problems with insurance records.
Data on compulsory social security
The sixth part of the ZUS ZUA form contains information on the compulsory social security the registered person is covered by. Compulsory social security covers the people listed in Articles 6–6b, Article 11 section 1 and Article 12 section 1 of the Social Insurance System Act.
In field 01, enter the date from which the obligation of social security arose, in the day/month/year format. The date must be precise and correspond to the actual moment the insurance obligation arose, because it directly affects the calculation of contributions and insurance periods.
Fields 02–05 are used to mark with an X the type of insurance the person is compulsorily covered by under the insurance title given in block V. The following types of insurance are available:
- Pension insurance - field 02
- Disability insurance - field 03
- Sickness insurance - field 04
- Accident insurance - field 05
Compulsory social security covers the people listed in Articles 6–6b, Article 11 section 1 and Article 12 section 1 of the Social Insurance System Act. In fields 02–05, mark with an X the types of insurance the person being registered is compulsorily covered by
Marking the types of insurance correctly is key to calculating contributions and to future entitlement to benefits. Each type of insurance has its own rules and contribution rates, so marking the wrong ones can lead to incorrect settlements.
Data on compulsory health insurance
The seventh part of the ZUS ZUA form concerns compulsory health insurance. Compulsory health insurance covers the people listed in Article 66 section 1 of the Act of 27 August 2004 on publicly funded healthcare services.
In field 01, enter the date from which the obligation of health insurance arose under the insurance title code given in block V, in the day/month/year format. This date may be the same as the date the social security obligation arose, but it may also differ depending on the insured person's circumstances.
Compulsory health insurance covers the people listed in Article 66 section 1 of the Act of 27 August 2004 on publicly funded healthcare services. In field 02, enter the three-character code of the National Health Fund (NFZ) branch according to the place of residence
Field 02 is for the three-character code of the National Health Fund (NFZ) branch to which the person being registered belongs according to their place of residence. This code determines which NFZ branch will be responsible for that person's healthcare services.
Identifying the correct NFZ branch matters for access to healthcare services and their funding. An incorrect code can lead to complications in settlements with the NFZ and problems with access to healthcare.
Voluntary social security
The eighth part of the ZUS ZUA form contains information on voluntary social security. Voluntary pension and disability insurance covers the people listed in Article 7 of the Social Insurance System Act, as well as people for whom this insurance is voluntary under Article 9 of that Act. The rules for people drawing a pension are discussed separately, under ZUS contributions for a pensioner on a contract of mandate.
Voluntary sickness insurance covers the people listed in Article 11 section 2 of that Act who are compulsorily covered by pension and disability insurance. Voluntary pension, disability and sickness insurance starts on the day stated in the application for this insurance, but not earlier than the day on which the application was submitted.
Voluntary sickness insurance starts on the day stated in the application only if the registration for pension and disability insurance is made within 7 days of the date the obligation of this insurance arose. People registered for voluntary pension and disability insurance who are at the same time subject to compulsory health insurance under the same title must be registered for all insurance from the same date
Importantly, voluntary sickness insurance starts on the day stated in the application only if the registration for pension and disability insurance is made within 7 days of the date the obligation of this insurance arose. People registered for voluntary pension and disability insurance who are at the same time subject to compulsory health insurance under the same title must be registered for all insurance from the same date.
In fields 01, 03 and 05, enter an X for the relevant type of insurance, and in fields 02, 04 and 06 enter the dates from which the person being registered applies for voluntary social security, in the day/month/year format.
Voluntary health insurance
The ninth part of the ZUS ZUA form concerns voluntary health insurance. Voluntary health insurance covers the people referred to in Article 68 of the Act of 27 August 2004 on publicly funded healthcare services.
In field 01, enter the start date of the insurance in the day/month/year format. A person who takes out voluntary insurance is covered by health insurance from the day stated in the agreement concluded with the National Health Fund.
In field 02, enter the three-character code of the National Health Fund branch to which the person being registered belongs according to their place of residence. As with compulsory health insurance, stating the correct NFZ branch code matters for access to healthcare services.
Other data on the person registered for insurance
The tenth part of the ZUS ZUA form contains other data on the person being registered. Its fields 02 and 03 are filled in to report or correct data for the period before 1 January 2009. Data for later periods is reported on the ZUS ZSWA form.
Field 01 contains the occupation code, which must be completed in registrations, corrections and changes to these declarations sent after 16 May 2021. The occupation code given in ZUS ZUA documents should follow the classification of occupations set out in the Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 7 August 2014 on the classification of occupations and specialisations for the needs of the labour market and the scope of its application. What to do if an employee was registered before the contract was signed is explained in our piece on ZUS registration without a contract.
The occupation code must be completed in registrations, corrections and changes to these declarations sent after 16 May 2021. The occupation code given in ZUS ZUA documents should follow the classification of occupations set out in the Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 7 August 2014
In field 02, enter the nine-character code of work in special conditions or of a special nature, if the person being registered performed such work in that period. In field 03, enter the period of work in special conditions or of a special nature in the from–to format (day/month/year). If the end date of such work is not known, the "to" field is left blank.
Address of registered permanent residence
The eleventh part of the ZUS ZUA form contains information on the address of registered permanent residence (zameldowanie na pobyt stały) of the person being registered. Completing this block correctly matters for determining territorial jurisdiction and for communication with the insured person.
Fields 01 and 08 cannot both be filled in, because they relate to different types of address. In field 01, enter the postcode; for a foreign address this field is left blank. Field 02 is for the town or village of registered permanent residence.
In field 03, enter the name of the municipality (gmina) or district; for a foreign address this field is left blank. Field 04 is used for the street name, and if the address has no street name, the field is left blank.
Field 05 is for the house number. If the house number is a double number, enter it with the numbers separated by a slash, for example 113/115. If the number contains a letter, enter it as a capital block letter, for example 113B, without any space.
If the house number is a double number, enter it with the numbers separated by a slash, for example 113/115. If the number contains a letter, enter it as a capital block letter, for example 113B, without any space. Field 08 is filled in when the address of the person being registered is not a Polish address
In field 06, enter the flat number, and if the address has no flat number, the field is left blank. Field 07 is for the telephone number, preceded by the area code. If the person being registered does not have a telephone, the field is left blank.
Field 08 is filled in when the address of the person being registered is not a Polish address. In that case, give the full address details according to the rules applicable in the country concerned.
Residential address and correspondence address
The twelfth part of the ZUS ZUA form concerns the residential address and is filled in only if the residential address differs from the address of registered permanent residence given in block XI. The data is filled in in the same way as in part XI of the ZUS ZUA form.
The thirteenth part of the form contains the correspondence address and is filled in only if the person being registered asks for correspondence to be sent to an address other than the one given in block XI or XII of the ZUS ZUA form.
Fields 01–08 are filled in in the same way as in part XI, while field 09 is for the email address. Giving an email address can make communication between ZUS and the insured person easier, especially in urgent matters.
Declarations and signatures
The fourteenth part of the ZUS ZUA form contains the contribution payer's declaration. In field 01, enter the date the form was completed in the day/month/year format. This date should correspond to the actual day the document was filled in.
In field 02, the contribution payer or a person authorised by the payer signs to confirm that the data is reliable. Field 03 is for the payer's stamp, if the payer has one.
To confirm that the data is reliable, the form is signed by the contribution payer or a person authorised by the payer. Field 03 is for the payer's stamp, if the payer has one
The fifteenth part of the form contains the declaration of the person being registered. In field 01, the person being registered confirms with their handwritten signature that the data in the form is consistent with the facts. This requirement follows from Article 36 section 7 of the Social Insurance System Act.
How to submit the ZUS ZUA form
Submitting the ZUS ZUA form requires following specific procedures and deadlines. The employer should submit the form on time to ensure continuous insurance cover for the employee.
These are the key steps in submitting the form:
- Prepare all the necessary documents and employee data
- Carefully fill in all required fields of the ZUS ZUA form
- Check that the data entered is correct and consistent with the source documents
- Obtain the employee's signature on the declaration that the data is correct
- Have the form signed by the contribution payer or an authorised person
- Send the form to the relevant ZUS branch within the required deadline
- Monitor the processing status of the registration in the ZUS system
Carrying out each of these steps correctly matters for an effective registration and for avoiding problems in the future.
Most common mistakes when filling in the ZUS ZUA form
When filling in the ZUS ZUA form, employers often make mistakes that can lead to the registration being rejected or to problems with settling contributions. Here is a comparison of the most common mistakes and the correct solutions:
| Type of mistake | Incorrect entry | Correct entry | Consequences of the mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identification data | Missing or incorrect PESEL number | Full, correct PESEL number | Registration rejected |
| Insurance title code | Incorrect or outdated code | Current six-character code | Incorrect settlement of contributions |
| Insurance dates | Inconsistent dates for different types of insurance | Logically linked dates | Problems with calculating contributions |
| Residential address | Incomplete or incorrect address | Full, current address | Problems with correspondence |
Documents needed to fill in the form
Before you start filling in the ZUS ZUA form, prepare the relevant documents. We can also prepare employee ZUS registrations for you — it is part of our HR and payroll services. The list of necessary documents includes:
- The employee's identity card or passport
- A document confirming the PESEL number
- The employment contract or other documents defining the insurance title
- Documents confirming the residential address
- The contribution payer's identification documents
- Earlier ZUS registrations in the case of changes or corrections
Practical example: A company hiring a new employee must collect their identity card, confirmation of their residential address and the signed employment contract. On this basis, it fills in the ZUS ZUA form, entering the correct insurance title code for the type of contract and marking the right types of social security and health insurance for which the employee will be registered.
Complete documentation is key to filling in the form correctly and avoiding the need to submit corrections in the future.
