In Hungary, online services are available through the website magyarorszag.hu, including guidelines for each service. In order to access the electronic services, users must authenticate their identity via the Central Client Authentication Agent (Központi Azonosítási Ügynök; KAÜ). There are four ways to do this:
- Logging in through the portal “Ügyfélkapu” (‘client gateway’ in English). Both citizens of Hungary and EEA countries and citizens outside the EEA can create an account.
- via an e-identity card
- identification by Telephone with a Partial Code
- identification by facial recognition
It is also possible to create an Ügyfélkapu account electronically via an e-identity card issued after 2016. In the absence of an e-identity card, the account can only be created in person.
Following authentication and choosing the appropriate service, the user is redirected to the service on https://www.nyilvantarto.hu/ (which is part of magyarorszag.hu).
Although requests can be made online, any documentation is sent out by post or can be received in person in a government office.
It is not possible to lodge an application for legal aid via electronic forms.
There are no dedicated portals, tools or websites to lodge online claims for damages.
Purpose and scope: As of 1 January 2018, certain civil cases can only be initiated online. Through the “e-Per” service of the Hungarian court (birosag.hu) it is possible to start court cases. Via the General form filling software (Általános nyomtatványkitöltő program (ÁNYK)) and logging in through the Central Client Authentication Agent it is possible to send the relevant form and any relevant documentation to the Court. The specific forms can be found on this website. Payment is possible on the specific website for payments.
Act CCXXII of 2015 on the general rules applicable to electronic administration and trust services (‘Act CCXXII of 2015’), those legally required to use electronic communication (e.g. legal representatives and companies) must submit all applications to the court by electronic means only, in the manner provided for in Act CCXXII of 2015 and its implementing decrees. The court also serves them documents by electronic means.
Competent authority: Courts of Hungary
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: In order to submit the forms online, it is necessary to be able to log in through the Central Client Authentication Agent.
- Identification and authentication requirements: Via the ‘client gateway’ (Ügyfélkapu).
- Documents to be provided: Depending on the type of case to be initiated, the specific form details the documents to be attached.
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes.
Cost: Depends on the case.
Link: https://birosag.hu/ugyfeleknek/elektronikus-ugyintezes/elektronikus-kapcsolattartas
More information how to initiate a civil case online in Hungary is available here.
Purpose and scope: Under Act CXXX of 2016 on the Code of Civil Procedure, documents can be served electronically in case of mandatory or optional electronic communication. Under Act CCXXII of 2015 on the general rules applicable to electronic administration and trust services (‘Act CCXXII of 2015’), those who are legally required to use electronic communication (e.g. legal representatives and companies) must submit all applications to the court by electronic means only, in the manner provided for in Act CCXXII of 2015 and its implementing decrees. The court also serves judicial documents by electronic means.
Documents can be viewed on the E-Akta website.
Competent authority: Courts of Hungary
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: The documents can be viewed by:
in a civil case: the plaintiff, the defendant, the intervener, interested parties and their legal representatives (with a valid power of attorney);
in a criminal case: the prosecutor, the defendant, the defender, their legal representative.
- Identification and authentication requirements: Via the ‘client gateway’ (Ügyfélkapu).
- Documents to be provided: N/A
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes.
Cost: N/A
Link: https://eakta.birosag.hu/
More information how to obtain judicial documents in Hungary can be found here.
Purpose and scope: In Hungary, participation in judicial auctions can be done online on https://arveres.mbvk.hu/.
Competent authority: Hungarian Association of Judicial Officers
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: Anyone can register upon accepting the terms and conditions and paying the registration fees.
- Identification and authentication requirements: Identity documents, address card, tax card.
- Documents to be provided: Identity documents, address card, tax card.
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes.
Cost: Registration: 6 000 HUF (about EUR 16)
Link: https://arveres.mbvk.hu/
More information how to take part in judicial auctions in Hungary can be found here.
Purpose and scope: Individuals with an ongoing civil case can ask for mediation. It is possible to access information on experts and mediators through the website of the Ministry of Justice. The website provides users with general information and it is possible to search the register of mediators by name, area of expertise, language skills and county in which their office is located. For legal entities, searches are based on name, county and abbreviated name. Act LV of 2002 on mediation covers civil litigation, but excludes mediation in, actions related to custodianship, actions for the establishment of parentage, in certain actions related to parental custody, in actions for the termination of adoption, in certain actions brought for the enforcement of certain personality rights, in actions brought for changing the decision of a local
government clerk adopted on a possessory matter and in enforcement proceedings.
Judicial mediation can be initiated via filing a form that can be downloaded from the website of the Hungarian Courts, after which the court will reach out to the parties to agree to the first meeting, where a statement needs to be signed in person.
Competent authority: Ministry of Justice
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: Individuals must have an ongoing civil case.
- Identification and authentication requirements: Personal details (e.g., name, address, phone number, etc) must be provided on the form that initiates the mediation. Documents to be provided: N/A
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes.
Cost: Payment is subject to agreement between the mediator and the parties. If the parties participate in mediation after the first hearing and the agreement reached is ratified by the presiding judge only half of the applicable duties are payable. Even the fee payable to the mediator + VAT (HÉA) (but not more than HUF 50 000) may be deducted from this already reduced amount. The only restriction is that the final amount of duty may not be less than 30% of the original amount. The reduction does not apply if in a certain case mediation is not permitted by the law. If the parties participate in mediation before civil proceedings, then the amount of court duty payable is reduced by the mediator’s fee + VAT, but by no more than HUF 50 000, provided that the court duty paid is not less than 50% of the original amount. The reduction does not apply if mediation is not permitted by law in the particular case or if the parties go to court in spite of the settlement reached through mediation (except to give effect to the settlement in the absence of voluntary compliance).
Link: https://inyr.im.gov.hu/
More information how to access mediation in Hungary is available here and here.
Purpose and scope: In order to register/modify a company, the relevant documents must be sent by legal representative to the email address of the local county’s registry court.
An informative site of the Hungarian business register can be found here. The company information found on the site is for informational purposes only and cannot be used as official information. The official site of the Hungarian business register (‘Service for Company Information and Electronic Company Procedures’) can be found here, which gives full access to all company data, however a contract with the Service for Company Information and Electronic Company Procedures is required for using it. To this end, information can be accessed through distributors who have a contract with the Service for Company Information and Electronic Company Procedures. Moreover, it is also possible to request specific information via e-mail for a fee.
Competent authority: Ministry of Justice
Conditions of access:
- Eligibility requirements: A contract is needed for using the official site.
- Identification and authentication requirements: In case of the informative site no identification and authentication are needed, while in case of the official site username and password must be used in order to access the database.
- Documents to be provided: The company registration process is entirely electronic. The application form and all the necessary company documents (memorandum of association, specimen signature, etc.) must be attached. The documents must be sent by the legal representative of the company by email to the local registry court. The legal representative must use a qualified electronic signature and time stamp. After registering the company, a form must be submitted to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) through their own website (https://elektra.ksh.hu/ ). The form can be downloaded from the CSO website. Other information on the electronic company registration process can be found here.
Legal effects of electronic document: N/A
Possibility to complete the procedure fully online: Yes.
Cost: The use of the informative site of the Hungarian business registry is free of charge, while the official site is a paid service where the fee differs based on the type of request. More information can be found here. In case of direct access to the company register (based on contract) the fees can be found here.
Registering a company comes with a fee that depends on the procedure used (simplified or traditional) and the type of company to be registered.
Under the simplified procedure, it costs:
- HUF 50 000 in case of a private limited company,
- UF 0 in case of limited liability company
Under the traditional procedure, it costs:
- HUF 100 000 in case of a private limited company,
- HUF 0 in case of limited liability company
- Plus a publication fee of HUF 5 000.
Link: https://ceginformaciosszolgalat.kormany.hu/
More information how to register a company in Hungary can be found here and here.
Marriage, birth and death certificates are available in Hungarian, English and French. These certificates can be requested in a maximum of 5 languages, however, these copies only serve as the basis for an official translation; in themselves, they are not legal certificates.
By signing the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Hungary became obliged to allow with regard to Croatian, German, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Romani and Boyash:
- the party appearing before the court in person to use his or her regional or minority language without having to pay extra costs to do so,
- documents and evidence to be submitted in a regional or minority language, with the help of interpreters and translators, if necessary.