How long do I have to re-register a car in Hungary?
You have 15 days — and the rule binds both sides: the seller reports, the buyer re-registers. After a sale, the ownership change must be settled within 15 days: the buyer takes the two-witness (full probative) sale contract to the government window and re-registers the vehicle — new registration papers, title, transfer duty (per the age/power table) — while the seller reports the sale (nowadays online, minutes via the client gate). The seller's report isn't courtesy but self-defence: without it you remain the registered keeper, and the buyer's speeding fines, parking surcharges and insurance demands all drip onto you. Buyer delay is an offence: the document office alerts the police, a fine can follow, and an unregistered car guarantees chaos around mandatory insurance. The kit: contract, registration papers, title, insurance taken out (by the buyer, from the purchase day), valid MOT.
📋 The key rules
- 15 days: buyer re-registers, seller reports — both are duties
- Buyer: government window + transfer duty (age/kW table) + new documents
- Seller: online report via the client gate — immediately, in your own defence
- Mandatory insurance: the buyer needs it from the purchase day
- A two-witness (full probative) sale contract is the foundation
🔓 Exceptions
- Inheritance and gifts: also re-registration-bound — with duty discounts among relatives
- Dealer stock purchases: dealers report under separate rules
⚠️ Penalties
Past the 15 days, the document office alerts the police ex officio — misdemeanour fines (up to 30,000 HUF) can follow; sellers who skip reporting collect the buyer's fines and insurance demands. 'Refreshing' the contract date risks document forgery.
📎 Official sources
- Biztoshely · Selling a car: process and reporting 2026/27 (HU) →
- Auto-Műszakivizsga · Document-office administration (HU) →
- Insura · Sales and re-registration FAQs (HU) →
❓ Frequently asked questions
As seller, what should I do right after the sale?
Report the ownership change via the client gate (minutes) — the registry then stops treating you as keeper, and the buyer's fines don't reach you.
What does re-registration cost the buyer?
The transfer duty runs on the vehicle's age/power table, plus document fees — paid on the spot at the government window.
What if the buyer never re-registers?
If you reported the sale, you're shielded — the registry burdens the buyer; without your report the fines, surcharges and insurance demands find you, and proving otherwise later is hard.
Is an MOT needed for re-registration?
A valid MOT is needed for the new registration papers — with an expired one, re-registration stalls: inspect first (moving an expired-MOT car is its own question).
🔎 What people actually search
Real search phrases for this topic.
- “car re-registration 15 days hungary”
- “report car sale online hungary”
- “vehicle transfer duty hungary”
- “buyer never re-registered car”
- “government window car transfer”