Property
Hungary — Property: Foreign Ownership
Foreign buyers in Hungary need a permit for apartments and premises unless exempt, and are largely barred from farmland. From the ELRA contribution (undated; the page is partly inconsistent on scope, so confirm with a Hungarian lawyer).
VerifiedProfessional tax guide — not a government sourceEuropean Land Registry Association (ELRA) - Hungary contact point contribution, limitations to foreignersLast reviewed: 2026-10-26
Why this matters
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Key facts
- Apartments and non-agricultural property: a foreign person or entity needs permission from the capital or county government office where the property is located (Act LXXVIII of 1993).
- Exempt from the permit: EU, EFTA and Swiss nationals and entities, dual citizens with Hungarian or EU citizenship, inheritance, and persons with refugee or subsidiary protection status.
- Agricultural and forestry land cannot be acquired by non-EU natural persons, foreign states or legal persons except as the law provides (Act CXXII of 2013).
- Farmland buyers need a farmer qualification, are capped at 300 hectares per acquisition and 1,200 hectares in total, and must commit to personal use for five years.
- The land registry only checks that the permission exists and cites the buyer and land register reference; if missing, it issues one call to fix the deficiency, and mortgage registration does not need the permit.
Steps
- Register Property — Foreign buyers must register the property within 10 days of the sale through a notary public.