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Buyer's due diligence checklist for Hungary

Buyer's due diligence checklistEllenőrzések ingatlanvásárlás előtt

The documents and checks a buyer of an existing home in Hungary should get before paying a deposit: the property sheet, owners and encumbrances, pre-emption rights, building permits, the energy certificate, condominium documents, occupants, the transfer duty and, for some foreigners, a permit.

Use it from the first viewing until you sign a preliminary contract or the sale contract and pay the deposit (foglaló). Most checks cost little and take days. The property sheet changes, so get a fresh copy just before you pay, and ask your lawyer to check again on the day of signature.

Reviewed October 28, 2026. Not legal advice. Have a notary or lawyer check your case before you sign.

Key facts

Applies to
Whole country. Agricultural and forest land outside built-up areas follows Act CXXII of 2013 and is out of scope.
Energy certificate
Required for a sale. Valid 5 years. Shown by signature, handed over by possession (176/2008. Korm. rendelet 3. § (3), 8. § (1)).
Transfer duty
4% of market value up to HUF 1 billion per property, 2% above, at most HUF 200 million (Itv. 19. § (1)).
Duty declaration
The land registry application reports the purchase. Duty declarations are due within 30 days of the duty arising (Itv. 91. § (1)).
Sell and buy relief
From 1 January 2026, duty only on the value difference if the buyer sells another home 5 years before or 1 year after (Itv. 21. §).
Young first-time buyer
Up to 50% duty relief under age 35, if the whole home is worth at most HUF 15 million (Itv. 26. § (6)).
Foreign buyer permit
Needed for buyers from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. Fee HUF 65,000 per property (Ltv. 1/A. §, 1/B. § (1)).
Permit decision
Within 45 days (government office guidance).
Co-owner pre-emption
Other co-owners can buy a share first on the same terms (Ptk. 5:81. § (1)).

The checklist

Title and seller

Encumbrances and third-party rights

Building and planning

  • Occupancy permit or acknowledgement of occupancy for the building and later extensionsHasználatbavételi engedély, használatbavétel tudomásulvétele

    It shows the building may lawfully be used. Compare the floor area on the property sheet with the real one.

  • Planning rules and building restrictions for the parcelHelyi építési szabályzat

    Ask the municipality's chief architect what you may build, extend or change, before you rely on it in the price.

  • Heritage protectionMűemlék, helyi védettség

    Works on a protected building need a heritage permit, and the State may have a pre-emption right.

  • Independent technical surveyMűszaki állapotfelmérés

    The energy certificate does not report on the building's condition. A surveyor checks damp, roof, wiring, gas and structure.

Energy certificate

Condominium (flats)

  • Deed of foundation and house rulesAlapító okirat, szervezeti-működési szabályzat (SZMSZ)

    They define your flat, its share of the common parts, and rules on use, pets, short lets and works.

  • Manager's statement that no common charges are unpaidKözös költség nullás igazolás

    If the arrears reach 3 months of charges, the condominium can have a mortgage registered on the flat (Tht. 30. §).

  • Minutes of recent general meetings, the budget and the renovation fundKözgyűlési jegyzőkönyvek, költségvetés, felújítási alap

    They show the monthly charge, planned works such as a roof or facade, and any special levy you would share.

Occupants and utilities

Taxes, costs and buyer status

Formalities

A due diligence list is a checklist by nature. The countersigning lawyer checks the land register and identifies the parties. The buyer must check the building, condominium, occupants and costs.

  1. You do not sign this checklist.
  2. Get an authenticated property sheet copy (hiteles tulajdoni lap) online from the electronic land registry or through your lawyer.
  3. The lawyer checks the land registry data before countersigning the sale contract.
  4. Ask the seller for documents in writing, and attach the key ones to the contract.
  5. The seller must show the energy certificate before signature and hand it over by the day of possession.

Common mistakes

  • Relying on a property sheet copy that is weeks old. Pending applications appear as annotations (széljegy) and can change the picture within days.
  • Paying the deposit to someone who is not the registered owner, or to an agent without a written escrow arrangement.
  • Ignoring an enforcement right (végrehajtási jog) in part III. The sale may be impossible without the creditor's consent.
  • Ignoring a ban on sale and encumbrance (elidegenítési és terhelési tilalom) in part III. The sale may be impossible without the creditor's consent.
  • Buying a flat without the manager's statement on common charges. Unpaid charges can be secured by a mortgage on the flat.
  • Buying a house with an extension, attic flat or garage that the building authority never approved. Legalising it later can cost more than the discount you got.
  • Assuming an EU buyer can buy farmland like a house. Agricultural land follows separate rules with strict limits and a long pre-emption chain.

Legal basis

Sources

Describe the home you want