Debt Collection Agency in Hungary - No Win, No Fee
Recover unpaid invoices in Hungary through Lajos Law Firm, our licensed Budapest-based legal partner. Submit your claim online and pay only when the money is recovered.
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Why Choose Debitura for Debt Collection in Hungary?
Fast, simple debt collection in Hungary
Debitura's platform connects your claim to Lajos Law Firm, our licensed Budapest-based legal partner, matched to your case by size and complexity. The process starts amicably and only escalates to the fizetési meghagyás (order for payment) procedure or litigation with your approval.
- Risk-free: Debitura's fee is No Cure No Pay - you pay only when money is recovered.
- Quick setup: submit your claim and supporting documents online in a few minutes.
- Tracked online: monitor case status and communication in one dashboard.
- Local expertise: Lajos Law Firm, a Budapest Bar Association member since 1997, handles the regulated steps.
Start collecting in Hungary in three easy steps
- Upload your claim: enter debtor details and attach your invoice through the dashboard. Takes under 2 minutes.
- Lajos Law Firm takes over: your case is assigned to Lajos Law Firm, our licensed Budapest-based legal partner, who contacts your debtor and starts the amicable process.
- Track and receive funds: monitor real-time updates. Once recovered, funds are transferred directly to you.
Already using SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, or another ERP? Connect via API or Zapier for automated claim submission.
Transparent, success-based pricing
With Debitura you only pay when we succeed. Pre-legal collection is No Cure, No Pay: a success fee deducted from recovered amounts, invoiced locally by your partner. Fees depend on the debtor's country, not yours.
- Debtors in Europe (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the UK and Switzerland): success fees from 6% depending on claim size.
- Debtors in the rest of the world: success fees from 7.5% depending on claim size.
- Older claims: a surcharge applies for claims 12–24 months overdue and for claims older than 24 months.
- Legal action is optional: you approve fixed-price quotes before any legal spend.
See the pricing page for the full fee schedule, or get an instant estimate when you upload a claim.
How does debt collection work in Hungary?
Debt collection in Hungary starts with an amicable phase carried out by Lajos Law Firm, our licensed Budapest-based legal partner: reminders and a formal payment demand, aimed at full payment or a written instalment agreement, for unpaid invoices, loans or any other undisputed commercial debt. Most straightforward claims resolve here. If the debtor still does not pay, escalation to the fizetési meghagyás procedure or litigation is never automatic - your case is assessed and you approve a quote before any next step.
The four steps from unpaid invoice to recovered cash
- Step 1 - Amicable collection: reminders, a formal payment demand and negotiation, carried out by Lajos Law Firm, our licensed Budapest-based legal partner. Most undisputed claims are resolved in this phase, without going to court.
- Step 2 - Enforceable title: if the debtor still does not pay, the case is assessed for the fizetési meghagyás (order for payment) procedure or litigation, and you approve a fixed-price quote before anything proceeds.
- Step 3 - Enforcement: with an enforceable title, an independent court bailiff can garnish wages, attach bank accounts and seize other assets until the claim is recovered.
- Step 4 - Insolvency: if the debtor turns out to be insolvent, your claim is filed in the collective procedure and any distributions are monitored on your behalf.
Every step is tracked in your dashboard, and nothing escalates without your approval. The full legal detail for Hungary - timelines, costs, courts and enforcement - follows in the guide below.
Debt collection in Hungary - the complete 2026 guide
This guide covers the notarial fizetési meghagyás (order for payment, FMH) system, court litigation, bailiff enforcement and insolvency procedures for recovering debts owed by Hungarian debtors, with the applicable statutes, deadlines and costs.
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Why you can trust this guide
At Debitura, we uphold the highest standards of impartiality and precision to bring you comprehensive guides on international debt collection. Our editorial team boasts over a decade of specialized experience in this domain.
Questions or feedback? Email us at contact@debitura.com , we update this guide based on your input.
Debitura By the Numbers:
- 10+ years focused on international debt collection
- 100+ local attorneys in our partner network
- $100M+ recovered for clients in the last 18 months
- 4.9/5 average rating from 621 reviews
Expert-led, locally validated
Written by Lars Holdgaard, Founder of Debitura (+10 years in global B2B debt recovery). Every page is reviewed by top local attorneys to ensure legal accuracy and practical steps you can use.
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Debt collection in Hungary - quick answers
How much does debt collection cost in Hungary?
Filing an order-for-payment application (fizetési meghagyás, FMH) through the notarial system costs 3% of the claim value, with a floor of HUF 12,000 and a ceiling of HUF 300,000. Requesting enforcement of an unopposed FMH order costs a further 1%, floor HUF 12,000, ceiling HUF 150,000. Ordinary first-instance litigation before a district court (járásbíróság) carries a 6% court fee (illeték), floor HUF 15,000, ceiling HUF 1,500,000; an appeal costs 8%, floor HUF 15,000, ceiling HUF 2,500,000. Enforcement is carried out by an independent court bailiff (önálló bírósági végrehajtó) for a commission of approximately 3–8% of the amount recovered, generally borne by the debtor. Debitura's own fee is No Cure No Pay - see the fees section below for the full breakdown.
How long does debt collection take in Hungary?
A debtor served with an FMH order has 15 calendar days to lodge a statement of opposition (ellentmondás). If no opposition is filed, the order becomes enforceable with the same effect as a final court judgment, typically within about 1 to 1.5 months of filing. An opposed order converts automatically into ordinary litigation (perré alakul), which runs on the timelines of the Code of Civil Procedure and can take considerably longer.
What is the limitation period for debts in Hungary?
The general civil limitation period is 5 years (Ptk. 6:22). It is interrupted by an acknowledgment of the debt, by filing suit or an FMH application, or by an enforcement request, after which it starts running afresh.
How is statutory interest calculated in Hungary?
For consumer debts, default interest runs at the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (the central bank) base rate (Ptk. 6:48). For business-to-business debts, default interest runs at the base rate plus 8 percentage points (Ptk. 6:155). A fixed recovery-cost compensation, commonly cited at EUR 40, may also apply on late B2B payments under the same provision, transposing the EU Late Payment Directive (2011/7/EU).
What documents do I need to start debt collection in Hungary?
An FMH application must state the legal relationship the claim is based on, the amount of principal and any related charges, the date the underlying relationship began, and the claim's due date. No supporting evidence is reviewed by the notary at filing; the application must use the standardised form issued by MOKK, and no lawyer is required to file it. An application cannot be completed without a known Hungarian address for service for the debtor.
Can I collect a debt in Hungary without going to court?
Yes. Most straightforward, uncontested claims are resolved through amicable collection or the notarial fizetési meghagyás (FMH) procedure, which is run by civil law notaries rather than judges. Only claims that are contested, or that exceed HUF 30,000,000, need to go before a court.
Is there a small claims court in Hungary?
Hungary has no separate domestic small-claims court. For domestic claims, the FMH threshold acts as the de facto small-claims mechanism, keeping claims up to HUF 3,000,000 out of the ordinary court system. For genuine cross-border claims, the European Small Claims Procedure is available up to EUR 5,000 (see the cross-border section below).
Which legal route should I use to collect a debt in Hungary?
The order-for-payment procedure (fizetési meghagyásos eljárás, FMH), run by civil law notaries through the Magyar Országos Közjegyzői Kamara (MOKK, the Hungarian Chamber of Civil Law Notaries) rather than the courts, is mandatory for domestic claims up to HUF 3,000,000. Between HUF 3,000,000 and HUF 30,000,000, FMH is optional and the creditor may choose FMH or ordinary litigation. Above HUF 30,000,000, the claim must go to ordinary litigation. Domestic FMH requires a known Hungarian service address for the debtor.
| Claim value | Route |
|---|---|
| Up to HUF 3,000,000 | FMH mandatory |
| HUF 3,000,000–30,000,000 | FMH or ordinary litigation, creditor's choice |
| Above HUF 30,000,000 | Ordinary litigation only |
Who does what in Hungary debt collection?
Hungarian debt recovery involves several distinct actors, each with a defined role. There is no single national licensing regime specific to private debt-collection agencies in Hungary; the regulated stages - the FMH filing, court litigation and enforcement - are handled by notaries, courts and bailiffs respectively. Debitura's platform coordinates the case; the regulated pre-legal steps are carried out by Lajos Law Firm, our licensed Budapest-based legal partner.
Civil law notaries and the FMH system
Uncontested claims up to HUF 30,000,000 typically start with a civil law notary (közjegyző) through the order-for-payment (fizetési meghagyás, FMH) system run nationally by MOKK. Notaries process the paperwork and issue the order; they do not investigate the merits of the claim and do not enforce it themselves.
Courts (bíróságok)
Where a claim exceeds HUF 30,000,000, is contested, or an FMH order is opposed, the case proceeds through the ordinary court system: district courts (járásbíróság) at first instance, regional courts (törvényszék) and regional courts of appeal (ítélőtábla), with the Kúria (Supreme Court) as the final instance.
Independent court bailiffs (önálló bírósági végrehajtó)
Once a judgment or an unopposed FMH order becomes enforceable, only an independent court bailiff may enforce it under Act LIII of 1994 (Vht.): garnishing wages, attaching bank accounts, seizing movable assets and, as a last resort, auctioning real estate.
Lawyers
Local lawyers draft and file litigation documents, represent creditors before courts above the FMH thresholds, and advise on contested cases. Debitura's network provides access to licensed Hungarian legal professionals for the cases that need them, without requiring a client to instruct one before it is necessary.
Conduct rules for financial-sector collection
Where the underlying debt is a financial-sector claim, MNB Recommendation 5/2022 (IV.22.), issued by the Magyar Nemzeti Bank, sets conduct expectations for debt and default management, including communication with debtors and the structuring of repayment plans.
Which laws and courts apply to debt collection in Hungary?
The Hungarian court system
Civil claims are heard by a four-tier court system: the járásbíróság (district court) at first instance, the törvényszék (regional court) for larger claims and appeals, one of five regional ítélőtábla (courts of appeal), and the Kúria (Supreme Court) as the final instance. Uncontested payment claims, however, are typically not heard by a court at all: they run through the notarial fizetési meghagyás (order for payment, FMH) system instead, so that only claims that are contested, exceed the FMH threshold, or arise from an opposed FMH application reach a courtroom.
Court fees at each level
Court fees (illeték) are proportional to the claim: 6% at first instance before a district court, floor HUF 15,000 and ceiling HUF 1,500,000, and 8% on appeal, floor HUF 15,000 and ceiling HUF 2,500,000. These are separate from the 3% FMH filing fee charged by the notarial system.
Key legislation
- Polgári Törvénykönyv (the Civil Code, Ptk.), Act V of 2013 - contracts, obligations, the 5-year general limitation period (Section 6:22) and statutory default interest (Sections 6:48 and 6:155).
- Polgári perrendtartás (the Code of Civil Procedure, Pp.), Act CXXX of 2016 - ordinary litigation, evidence and appeals, including the rules that apply once an opposed FMH order converts to ordinary proceedings.
- Act L of 2009 - the notarial order-for-payment (FMH) procedure, run by civil law notaries via MOKK rather than by the courts.
- Act LIII of 1994 (Vht.) - judicial enforcement, carried out exclusively by independent court bailiffs (önálló bírósági végrehajtó).
- Act XLIX of 1991 - corporate liquidation (felszámolás) and bankruptcy-reorganization (csődeljárás), heard by the törvényszék (regional court) of the debtor's seat.
- Act CV of 2015 - personal insolvency (magáncsőd), administered through the Családi Csődvédelmi Szolgálat (Family Insolvency Service).
Consumer protection
MNB Recommendation 5/2022 (IV.22.), issued by the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (the central bank), sets conduct rules for debt and default management in the financial sector, including how collectors communicate with debtors and structure repayment arrangements. Personal data handled during collection is subject to the GDPR.
Step 1 - How does amicable (pre-legal) debt collection work in Hungary?
Amicable collection in Hungary starts with a payment reminder and a formal written demand, giving the debtor an opportunity to pay or agree an instalment plan before any legal step is taken. This works for unpaid invoices, unpaid loans, returned cheques or any other undisputed commercial debt. Most undisputed commercial claims are resolved at this stage.
A typical timeline
| Day | Action |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Claim submitted; first reminder sent to the debtor. |
| Day 7–14 | Formal written payment demand issued, referencing the underlying contract and any statutory interest due. |
| Day 14–30 | Direct negotiation; instalment or settlement terms offered where appropriate. |
| Day 30–90 | If the debtor remains unresponsive or disputes the claim without basis, the case is assessed for escalation to an FMH application or litigation. |
Conduct rules
Financial-sector debt management is subject to MNB Recommendation 5/2022 (IV.22.), which sets conduct expectations for communication with debtors and for structuring repayment arrangements; the same fair-practice principles guide amicable collection generally.
When to escalate
Escalation to an FMH application or litigation is not automatic. It becomes the reasonable next step when the debtor stops responding, disputes the claim without a credible basis, or repeatedly breaks agreed repayment terms.
Keeping the claim alive
The general 5-year limitation period (Ptk. 6:22) is interrupted by a written acknowledgment of the debt, or by filing an FMH application or suit, after which it starts running afresh. Keeping a record of reminders, demands and any partial payment or acknowledgment protects the claim if it needs to escalate later.
Step 2 - How do you obtain an enforceable title in Hungary?
Most creditors obtain an enforceable title through the fizetési meghagyás (order for payment, FMH) system rather than a court. FMH is mandatory for domestic claims up to HUF 3,000,000, optional between HUF 3,000,000 and HUF 30,000,000, and unavailable above HUF 30,000,000, where ordinary litigation is the only route.
| Claim value | Route | Filing fee |
|---|---|---|
| Up to HUF 3,000,000 | FMH mandatory | 3% of claim, floor HUF 12,000, ceiling HUF 300,000 |
| HUF 3,000,000–30,000,000 | FMH or litigation, creditor's choice | FMH as above; litigation 6% court fee, floor HUF 15,000, ceiling HUF 1,500,000 |
| Above HUF 30,000,000 | Ordinary litigation only | 6% court fee, same floor/ceiling |
The FMH process
The FMH application is filed electronically through MOKK's national e-FMH system (fmh.mokk.hu); there is no local jurisdiction split and no email or postal filing route. A civil law notary (közjegyző) issues the order without examining supporting evidence. The debtor then has 15 calendar days from service to lodge a statement of opposition (ellentmondás). If none is filed, the order becomes enforceable with the same force as a final court judgment, typically within about 1 to 1.5 months of filing, once the further 1% enforcement-request fee (floor HUF 12,000, ceiling HUF 150,000) is paid.
If the debtor opposes
A timely opposition converts the disputed part of the case automatically into ordinary civil proceedings (perré alakul) under the Polgári perrendtartás (the Code of Civil Procedure, Pp.), Act CXXX of 2016. Ordinary litigation involves a full evidentiary hearing and can run considerably longer than an uncontested FMH claim; an appeal against a first-instance judgment costs 8% of the disputed value (floor HUF 15,000, ceiling HUF 2,500,000). Because FMH does not require a court hearing, it is markedly faster than ordinary litigation for uncontested claims; litigation timelines depend on court caseload and are not fixed by statute.
A domestic-address requirement
A domestic FMH application requires a known Hungarian address for service for the debtor. Where the debtor has no such address, the claim must be pursued another way, such as through the courts or, for genuine cross-border cases, the European procedures covered below.
Step 3 - How does debt enforcement work in Hungary?
Once a judgment or an unopposed FMH order becomes enforceable, only an independent court bailiff (önálló bírósági végrehajtó) may carry out enforcement in Hungary, under Act LIII of 1994 (Vht.). Courts and notaries do not enforce claims themselves.
How a bailiff is assigned
The creditor submits the enforceable title (the judgment or the unopposed FMH order) to a bailiff with jurisdiction over the debtor's address or seat, together with the enforcement-request fee where applicable. The bailiff then opens an enforcement file and notifies the debtor, who typically gets an opportunity to pay before assets are actually seized or auctioned.
The enforcement order of measures
Bailiffs generally proceed through a set order of measures, moving to the next only if the previous one does not fully satisfy the claim:
- Wage garnishment - a portion of the debtor's salary is withheld and paid to the creditor.
- Bank-account attachment - funds held in the debtor's accounts are frozen and transferred.
- Movable-asset seizure - vehicles, equipment and other movable property are seized and sold.
- Real-estate auction - as a last resort, registered real property is auctioned to satisfy the remaining claim.
Cost of enforcement
The bailiff's commission is approximately 3–8% of the amount actually recovered, generally borne by the debtor, with part of the fee typically payable in advance by the creditor initiating the file (see the fees section above). The exact percentage depends on the size of the claim and the measures required.
Duration
Enforcement duration depends on the debtor's cooperation and the assets available: wage garnishment and bank-account attachment can proceed relatively quickly once assets are identified, while a real-estate auction takes materially longer and is used only once other measures have proved insufficient.
Step 4 - How do insolvency procedures affect debt recovery in Hungary?
If a Hungarian debtor becomes insolvent, recovery shifts from individual enforcement to a collective procedure in which creditors file claims and receive distributions in an order set by law. Corporate and personal insolvency run under different statutes.
Corporate reorganization: csődeljárás
Csődeljárás (bankruptcy-reorganization) under Act XLIX of 1991 lets an insolvent company negotiate a composition with creditors, under an automatic moratorium, before the törvényszék (regional court) of its seat. The moratorium runs for up to 120 days at a time, to a maximum of 365 days in total. If no composition is reached, the case converts to liquidation.
Corporate liquidation: felszámolás
Felszámolás (liquidation) under the same Act XLIX of 1991 winds up an insolvent company and distributes its assets to creditors. Creditors must file their claims within 40 days of publication of the liquidation order; claims filed later are still admitted in some circumstances but rank behind timely claims. A liquidator administers the process, verifies filed claims, and distributes recovered assets among creditors after the costs of the proceeding are paid. Both proceedings are heard by the general court (törvényszék) with jurisdiction over the debtor's registered seat.
Personal insolvency: magáncsőd
Individual debtors can apply for personal insolvency (magáncsőd) under Act CV of 2015, administered through the Családi Csődvédelmi Szolgálat (the Family Insolvency Service); the regime became fully available to eligible debtors from 1 October 2016. The process results in a structured repayment plan agreed with creditors, during which individual enforcement action and wage garnishment against the debtor are suspended. Current monetary eligibility thresholds are set out in implementing regulation and are outside the scope of this guide.
What this means for creditors
Once a company enters csődeljárás or felszámolás, or an individual enters magáncsőd, creditors generally cannot pursue separate enforcement outside the collective procedure. Filing a claim within the applicable deadline, and monitoring the case for distributions or a repayment plan, becomes the primary way to recover what is owed.
Fees, interest and who pays what in Hungary
Debitura's own fee is No Cure No Pay: you pay nothing to start, and nothing at all unless a claim is recovered (see pricing). Hungarian state fees and bailiff commission below apply only if a case escalates beyond the initial amicable stage.
Statutory fees if a case escalates
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| FMH filing (fizetési meghagyás) | 3% of claim value, floor HUF 12,000, ceiling HUF 300,000 |
| FMH enforcement request | 1% of claim value, floor HUF 12,000, ceiling HUF 150,000 |
| Ordinary litigation, first instance | 6% of claim value, floor HUF 15,000, ceiling HUF 1,500,000 |
| Appeal | 8% of disputed value, floor HUF 15,000, ceiling HUF 2,500,000 |
| Bailiff commission on recovery | Approximately 3–8% of the amount recovered, generally debtor-borne |
Interest and recovery-cost compensation the debtor owes
Consumer debts accrue default interest at the Magyar Nemzeti Bank base rate (Ptk. 6:48); B2B debts accrue default interest at the base rate plus 8 percentage points (Ptk. 6:155). A fixed recovery-cost compensation, commonly cited at EUR 40, may also apply to late B2B payments under the same provision. These statutory amounts are added to what the debtor owes, not deducted from what you recover.
Cross-border debt collection in Hungary
For genuine cross-border claims against a Hungarian debtor, EU regulations offer routes alongside the domestic FMH and litigation options above.
European Order for Payment (EPO)
The European Order for Payment procedure (Regulation (EC) 1896/2006) is channelled through MOKK's EUFMH system, the Hungarian gateway for EPO applications, giving creditors in other Member States a route to an enforceable title against a Hungarian debtor without engaging a local lawyer for an uncontested claim.
European Small Claims Procedure (ESCP)
For cross-border claims up to EUR 5,000, the European Small Claims Procedure (Regulation (EC) 861/2007, as amended) offers a simplified, largely written procedure available in both the creditor's and the debtor's Member State courts.
Recognition and enforcement across the EU
Under the Brussels I recast Regulation (EU) 1215/2012, a judgment obtained in one EU Member State is automatically recognised and enforceable in Hungary without a separate exequatur procedure, and vice versa for a Hungarian judgment enforced elsewhere in the EU.
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Ban, S. Szabo, Rausch & Partners is a premier law firm in Budapest offering effective Debt Collection services in Hungary, established in 1997 and recognized for its expertise in business law, with numerous accolades and memberships enhancing its reputation for excellence.
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Rácz Law Firm is a premier law firm in Budapest offering effective Debt Collection services in Hungary, positioning itself as the go-to partner for debt recovery since 2008, with a reputation bolstered by awards and industry memberships.
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LFB Legal is a premier law firm in Budapest offering effective Debt Collection services in Hungary, positioning itself as the go-to partner for debt recovery, founded in 2018 with an international practice and esteemed memberships.
Lajos Law Firm is a premier law firm in Hungary offering effective risk-free debt collection services, positioning itself as the go-to partner for debt recovery since 1997, with memberships in AmCham and Berkeley Global Society, and exclusive Debitura partnership providing No Cure No Pay collection under Debitura's risk-free standard terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore our most common FAQs below, or reach out directly at contact@debitura.com if you need help with a specific case.
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