Can I change my name in Hungary?
Yes — your name isn't a life sentence, but the state ties the swap to an application and a fee. Birth-name changes are requested in person at any registrar on a form: changing your first name costs 13,000 HUF, applications touching the surname (or both) 18,000 HUF, with a 45-day processing period. You state your reasons — practice smiles on appreciable grounds (unbearable, offensive or foreign-sounding names, family ties) and frowns on pure whim; new first names must appear on (or be admitted to) the Academy of Sciences' registry of given names. A separate track is adjusting married-name use (say, reclaiming a maiden name after divorce): a simple registry declaration with a smaller fee. Changing a child's name needs both parents' consent (and the child's, when older). After the swap comes the paperwork domino: ID, address card, driving licence, passport, banks — start with a checklist.
📋 The key rules
- Birth-name changes: by application at any registrar, in person
- Fees: first name 13,000 HUF, surname(+first) 18,000; deadline 45 days
- New first names: from the Academy's given-name registry (or admitted on request)
- Married-name use: a separate, simpler declaration procedure
- Minors' names: with both parents' (and, by age, the child's) consent
🔓 Exceptions
- Repeat changes: within 5 years only on specially appreciable grounds
- Minority-language and foreign-acquired names: separate registry rules
⚠️ Penalties
No sanctions — applications can be refused (unlisted first names, frivolous grounds) with the fee lost. Skipping the document updates is the practical penalty: old-name IDs stall your affairs.
📎 Official sources
- Government Office · Name-change and registry department guide (PDF, HU) →
- Pénzcentrum · Name-change costs and process 2026 (HU) →
- Act I of 2010 on registry procedure (HU) →
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can I take any first name?
Eligible first names sit on the Academy of Sciences' registry — new names can be requested, with an expert opinion deciding registrability.
How do I reclaim my maiden name after divorce?
That's married-name adjustment: a simple declaration at the registrar — not the 18k name-change procedure; faster and cheaper.
How long does it take?
The processing deadline is 45 days; then come the document swaps (ID, address card, licence, passport) — most are free or discounted with the new birth certificate.
Can I change my child's name?
Only with both parents' consent (even when separated) and, depending on age, the child's own — disputes go to the guardianship authority deciding on the child's interest.
🔎 What people actually search
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