Car transfer duty in Hungary 2026 – full guide
You have found the car, agreed the price, shaken hands – and then comes the question most people only get answered at the government window: what does the re-registration cost? The surprise is usually that the duty has nothing to do with the price of the car.
Updated:
- How much is car transfer duty in Hungary in 2026: Engine power in kW multiplied by the rate from NAV's table, which depends on the power band and the age of the vehicle.
- Does the transfer duty depend on the price of the car: No.
- How much is the duty on inheritance or a gift: Double the transfer (purchase) rate.
Work it out for your own situation: open the calculator – free, no registration required.
The duty does not depend on the price of the car
This is the most important thing to clear up first, because it is the source of most misunderstandings. The vehicle acquisition duty – officially the transfer duty – is not a percentage of the purchase price. Whether you buy a 20-year-old car for two million forints or a brand new one for twenty, the contract price is entirely irrelevant for duty purposes.
Two figures matter: the engine power in kilowatts, and the age of the vehicle counted from its year of manufacture. These two determine the HUF/kW rate, which is then multiplied by the power.
This has an awkward consequence: on a cheap but powerful car the duty can be disproportionately high relative to the price. An old 150 kW German saloon at 1.5 million may look like a bargain – but the duty on it is HUF 82,500, while a 60 kW city car at the same price attracts only HUF 27,000.
The 2026 NAV table
NAV indexes the rates annually. In the table applicable in 2026, the rows are power bands and the columns are the age of the vehicle:
- 0–40 kW: 0–3 yrs: HUF 550/kW · 4–8 yrs: HUF 450/kW · over 8 yrs: HUF 300/kW
- 41–80 kW: 0–3 yrs: HUF 750/kW · 4–8 yrs: HUF 550/kW · over 8 yrs: HUF 450/kW
- 81–120 kW: 0–3 yrs: HUF 850/kW · 4–8 yrs: HUF 750/kW · over 8 yrs: HUF 550/kW
- Over 120 kW: 0–3 yrs: HUF 950/kW · 4–8 yrs: HUF 850/kW · over 8 yrs: HUF 750/kW
In practice. A 5-year-old car with 90 kW falls in the 81–120 kW band and the 4–8 year column, so HUF 750/kW: 90 × 750 = HUF 67,500.
A 10-year-old car with 130 kW: the over-120 kW band, over-8-year column, i.e. HUF 750/kW: 130 × 750 = HUF 97,500.
A 2-year-old, 40 kW city car: HUF 550/kW, i.e. 40 × 550 = HUF 22,000.
Note how sharp the band boundaries are. An 80 kW car attracts HUF 550/kW (at 4–8 years); an 81 kW one already attracts 750. A single kilowatt of difference – HUF 60,750 instead of 44,000. If you are choosing between two similar cars, that figure is worth a glance at the registration document.
Our car transfer duty calculator works out the exact figure for your car in seconds.
When the plain rate does not apply
The table above covers ordinary purchases. In four situations the rule is different:
- Inheritance or gift: the duty is double the transfer rate. On the 90 kW, 5-year-old car above, inheritance means HUF 135,000 rather than 67,500.
- Operator's right or usufruct: if you acquire only the operator's right rather than ownership, the duty is 25% of the transfer rate. On the same car, HUF 16,875.
- Fully electric vehicle: exempt.
- Trailer: not based on kW but a flat rate – HUF 9,000 up to 2,500 kg gross weight, HUF 24,000 above.
Family exemption – but watch out for siblings
Vehicle acquisition between direct-line relatives (parent and child, grandparent and grandchild) and between spouses is exempt on any legal title – purchase, inheritance and gift alike. If you buy the car from your father, the duty is zero.
With siblings, however, there is a twist many people miss: the sibling exemption covers only inheritance and gifts. If you buy the car from your sibling, the duty is payable – unlike with direct-line relatives.
In practice this means a gift is often cheaper than a sale between siblings. It is worth thinking it through, though: a gift can have other consequences, and a sham contract is risky.
If you only know horsepower
Older or imported cars sometimes show only horsepower in the registration document, not kilowatts. According to NAV, you should divide the horsepower by 1.36 and round to whole kilowatts.
A 120 hp car is therefore 120 ÷ 1.36 = 88.2, rounded to 88 kW. That falls into the 81–120 kW band – just over the 80 kW line, which makes a noticeable difference to the duty.
What is the total cost of re-registration?
The duty is the largest item, but not the only one. Re-registration requires an originality check, and you must also pay for the registration certificate and the logbook. These are separate fees on top of the duty.
Do not forget compulsory motor liability insurance either: the new operator must have valid cover from the day ownership is acquired. The previous owner's policy does not transfer to you.
And an important warning for sellers: vehicle tax for the whole year is payable by whoever was the operator on 1 January. If you sell the car in February, the full year's tax stays with you. We cover this in the vehicle tax guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much is car transfer duty in Hungary in 2026?
Engine power in kW multiplied by the rate from NAV's table, which depends on the power band and the age of the vehicle. Rates range from HUF 300 to HUF 950 per kW. For a 5-year-old car with 90 kW the rate is HUF 750/kW, i.e. HUF 67,500.
Does the transfer duty depend on the price of the car?
No. The duty depends solely on engine power in kW and the age of the vehicle counted from its year of manufacture. The purchase price is irrelevant – which is why it can be disproportionately high on a cheap but powerful car.
How much is the duty on inheritance or a gift?
Double the transfer (purchase) rate. On a 5-year-old car with 90 kW that is HUF 135,000 instead of the HUF 67,500 payable on a purchase. Between direct-line relatives and spouses it is exempt, and between siblings inheritance and gifts are exempt.
Is it exempt if I buy the car from my sibling?
No. The sibling exemption covers only inheritance and gifts. On a purchase from a sibling the duty is payable – unlike with direct-line relatives and spouses, where purchases are also exempt.
Within how many days must a car be re-registered in Hungary?
Re-registration must be started at the government window within 15 days of signing the sale contract. Delay can lead to withdrawal from circulation and a fine.
Checked against the sources below in October 2026. Editor: Norbert E.
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