Notaries First, Courts Second
Hungary assigns the summary money claim procedure to civil law notaries, coordinated through the national chamber's electronic system. Notaries are public officers with adjudicative functions in this context, and the order they issue carries the same enforceable force as a court decision.
Contested matters transfer to the ordinary courts. Enforcement is carried out by independent bailiffs operating under court supervision.
A Compulsory First Step
For money claims below a statutory value, the fizetési meghagyás is mandatory - a creditor cannot bypass it by issuing proceedings. Applications are filed electronically and processed quickly, and the fee is a fraction of court costs.
The debtor has a set period to file opposition, which requires no reasons. Opposition converts the matter into ordinary litigation before the competent court, with the notarial file forming the basis of the claim. Where no opposition arrives, the order becomes enforceable and can be passed directly to a bailiff.
Because the route is compulsory and inexpensive, the practical question on a Hungarian file is not whether to use it but how likely opposition is - which determines whether to prepare for litigation in parallel.
Five Years
The general limitation period under the Civil Code is five years, running from when the claim became due. Filing the notarial payment order interrupts it, as does a written acknowledgement by the debtor. Because the notarial route is fast and cheap, using it early is often the most efficient way to protect a limitation position while negotiation continues.
Statutory Interest for Commercial Transactions
Hungary implements the EU Late Payment Directive with a statutory rate for business-to-business transactions above the ordinary civil rate, running from the due date, together with a fixed sum in compensation for recovery costs. The amounts should be stated in the payment order application rather than left to be argued later.
How Long Does a Hungarian Claim Take?
| Stage | Typical Duration | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-legal demand Fizetési felszólítás, negotiation | 2–5 weeks | Low |
| Notarial payment order Electronic filing, unopposed | 4–10 weeks | Low |
| Court proceedings Where opposition is filed | 10–24 months | High |
| Enforcement Bailiff - accounts, receivables, assets | 2–5 months | Medium |
How Does SXB Global Handle a Hungarian Case?
Because the first stage is compulsory and inexpensive, we generally move to it early rather than negotiating at length beforehand - it protects the limitation position and costs little. The judgement to make is how likely opposition is, which determines whether we prepare for litigation alongside it. Where legal proceedings become appropriate, SXB Global coordinates the instruction of appropriately authorised local counsel. Legal services are provided by the relevant independent legal professionals.