The purpose of this study was to analyse the distinction between inactivity and delay in administrative proceedings in Poland, with reference to national legislation and judicial practices. Case law analysis was employed to identify problems in countering administrative inactivity, while the formal-legal method guided proposals for legislative improvement, including amendments to the Code of Administrative Procedure and Law No. 153 “On Proceedings before Administrative Courts”. The findings justify the need to refine procedural regulation by increasing normative precision of deadlines, narrowing discretionary grounds for extensions, and reinforcing supervisory functions to ensure timely resolution of cases.