The article shows how to search for the applicable law for selected legal – personal – ways of securing debts, in a situation where a cross-border element is associated with their establishment. It defines both the concept of a legal mode of security, in particular surety and guarantee and the issue of their legal qualification. It was pointed out that it is necessary to look separately for the law applicable to the secured claim, and separately the law applicable for those securing contracts – surety and guarantee. The contractual statute chosen by the parties was indicated as the applicable one, and in the absence of a choice of law – the law designated by Article 4(2) of the Rome I Regulation on the law applicable to contractual obligations, providing for the rule of jurisdiction of the law of the place of habitual residence or seat of the party obligated to provide the characteristic performance, i.e. the surety or the guarantor. Finally, the scope of cases and issues subject to a given conflict of laws solution is indicated.