Buying a home in Hungary is simpler than many foreigners expect and stricter than they fear. For an EU citizen, no permit is needed. But Hungarian law builds in a lawyer, a registry and a tax, and each one has a date and a form.
This article covers buying property in Hungary, from the first visit to the annual local taxes.
Can an EU citizen buy property in Hungary?
Yes. According to EURES, citizens of the EU can buy a home in Hungary with no special authorisation. Swiss citizens are in the same position, because the housing act does not treat nationals of a state assimilated to the EU and the EEA by an international treaty as foreigners; the notary or lawyer verifies it at registration.
The main restriction is agricultural land. If you are not a registered farmer (földműves), you can own only one hectare of agricultural land in total, even as an EU citizen (Act of 2013, art. 10).
What are the steps for buying property in Hungary?
- Visit and negotiate. Find a property through agencies or listings, and agree a price.
- Check the title. Ask for the property sheet (tulajdoni lap) from the land registry. It shows the owner, mortgages and restrictions.
- Sign the sale contract. To be entered in the land registry, the contract must be a notarial deed or a private contract countersigned (ellenjegyzés) by a lawyer registered with a Hungarian bar.
- File through the lawyer. The registration application must go through a lawyer (Act C of 2021 on the land registry, arts. 35 and 42).
- Pay the transfer duty. The tax authority calculates it and sends you a payment notice.
- Declare the property to the municipality for local taxes.
Prepare your identity document, usually your registration certificate and proof of income, and your Hungarian tax number; see the Hungarian tax number guide.
Before you pay a deposit, it helps to have the questions ready for the lawyer: what the title sheet must show, what the contract must say, what the duty will be. Moovy can prepare that list for your case. The lawyer you hire does the legal work, and the signature is yours.
How much does it cost to buy property in Hungary?
- Transfer duty (2026): 4% of the market value, up to 1 billion HUF per property, then 2% above, capped at 200 million HUF per property.
- Reduction: the base is the difference between the new and the old home if you sold another home within the five years before the purchase or within the year after. Tell the tax authority if it applies.
- Land registry fees (schedule displayed by the government offices): 10,600 HUF per property for the entry, 20,000 HUF to register a mortgage, 16,000 HUF for an accelerated procedure at your request, and 10,000 HUF for a paper certified copy of the property sheet (4,800 HUF electronic).
- Lawyer and agency fees: freely set by contract. Ask for a written quote.
For price levels, EURES reports an average new flat price of 61.2 million HUF in early 2025 and an average older flat price of 28.1 million HUF in the third quarter of 2024, 46.8 million in Budapest.
Which annual taxes will you pay?
Local taxes are decided by each municipality within ceilings set by the 1990 local taxes act: building tax, land tax and a communal tax on individuals, plus a tourist tax if you let to visitors. The ceilings in the law are base values that are indexed each year, and many municipalities apply less or nothing, so ask the town hall. Do not compare with another town: two neighbours can differ a lot. If you rent your property out, the rent is income taxed under personal income tax, so ask the tax authority how to declare it.
What if you are British?
For any property other than agricultural land, you need the permission of the government office (kormányhivatal) where the property is, before entry in the registry. The fee is 65,000 HUF per property (13,000 HUF for a dwelling if you have a long-term residence right and have applied for Hungarian citizenship), and the decision takes 45 days. The office can refuse for reasons such as a threat to the public or communal interest, like a criminal record or an expulsion order. See moving to Hungary from the UK.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Signing without a lawyer's countersignature. The registry will not enter the sale.
- Forgetting to declare a previous sale that can reduce the duty.
- Ignoring the mortgage terms. Each bank sets its own conditions for foreigners; see bank account in Hungary.
- Buying farmland by accident. A plot in the countryside may be classed as agricultural.
If you are not sure you want to commit, renting in Hungary first is a sensible way to learn a place. Duties and fees change, so check the tax authority before you sign.
How do you check the title before buying property in Hungary?
The property sheet (tulajdoni lap) is the document that matters. It is issued by the land registry and lists the owner or owners, any mortgage, and any restriction attached to the property. Ask the seller for a recent copy, or have your lawyer obtain one: a certified paper copy costs 10,000 HUF and an electronic one 4,800 HUF, according to the schedule displayed by the government offices.
Look for three things. First, that the seller is the registered owner. Second, whether a mortgage is registered, and who will lift it. Third, whether the property sheet describes what you are visiting: the flat, the garage and the garden can be separate entries. A lawyer who knows the registry will notice a mismatch in minutes.
What if you sell another home or buy with a partner?
The transfer duty is reduced if you sold another dwelling within five years before the purchase, or if you sell within a year after it. In that case the base is the difference in value between the home you buy and the one you sold. Keep the sale documents and tell the tax authority.
If you buy as a couple, the contract and the registry application list each buyer and their share. Decide the shares with your lawyer before signing, because changing them afterwards is another procedure with its own fees. If you are not married, the lawyer can explain how each share is recorded. Do not rely on a verbal understanding between you.
Can you inherit or buy farmland?
Inheritance is outside the foreigner permit rule. For purchases, agricultural land is a separate regime: a person who is not a registered farmer can own only one hectare in total, even as an EU citizen. If you dream of a vineyard or an orchard in the Balaton region or elsewhere, ask your lawyer to check the land category in the registry before you pay a deposit, because land that looks like a garden can be classed as agricultural.
For the tax side of letting a property, rent counts as income under the personal income tax, so check the tax authority's guidance before you let. Whatever you buy, keep your tax number at hand; the guide to the Hungarian tax number explains how to get it.