Company Formation in Hungary

Last updated: April 2026.

Hungary has the lowest corporate income tax rate in the European Union at 9% — a flat rate applied uniformly to every Hungarian company since 2017. The dominant vehicle for foreign founders is the Kft. (korlátolt felelősségű társaság), the Hungarian private limited company, with a HUF 3,000,000 minimum share capital — roughly €7,500. Court registration at the Cégbíróság clears in 1 working day under the simplified electronic procedure. VAT runs at 27% standard, the EU's highest. Outbound dividends, interest and royalties paid to non-resident corporates suffer no withholding tax. There is no residency requirement for shareholders or directors. A Hungarian Kft. is rarely a wrong answer for a European holding or trading subsidiary.

We form Hungarian Kft. companies end to end: name reservation, articles of association, legal representation before the Cégbíróság, commercial bank account opening, NAV registration for CIT and VAT, UBO declaration, HIPA registration and a registered office in Budapest. Fixed price, dedicated manager, all government and legal fees included.

Quick facts	Value
Corporate Income Tax (CIT)	9% (flat — lowest in the EU)
Local business tax (HIPA)	0–2% set by municipality (Budapest 2%)
VAT (ÁFA)	27% standard / 18% / 5% reduced / 0% intra-EU
VAT registration threshold	HUF 20,000,000 / 12 months (residents, 2026); none for non-residents
Minimum share capital (Kft.)	HUF 3,000,000 (≈ €7,500)
Minimum share capital (Zrt.)	HUF 5,000,000 (≈ €12,500)
Minimum directors / shareholders	1 director, 1 shareholder (can be the same person, can be foreign)
Residency requirement	None
Standard formation time	5 to 10 business days (court entry in 1 working day under simplified procedure)
Government fees	Included in our packages
Language of filings	Hungarian
Currency	Hungarian forint (HUF)

Why Form a Company in Hungary

Hungary combines the EU's lowest headline corporate tax rate with full Single Market access and a mature holding-company framework. Three reasons foreign founders pick it.

9% corporate tax — and it is a real 9%. Unlike jurisdictions where the headline is low but the effective rate creeps up through surcharges and add-backs, the Hungarian 9% applies to taxable profit across all companies, of every size, in every sector. There is no tiered rate, no minimum tax, no solidarity surcharge. The only overlay is the Pillar Two Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax, which captures multinationals with consolidated revenue above €750 million and brings their effective rate to 15%. For the vast majority of cf24 clients that threshold is untouchable.

Zero withholding on outbound payments to corporates. Dividends, interest and royalties paid by a Hungarian company to a non-resident corporate recipient carry 0% Hungarian withholding tax — no treaty needed, no EU directive needed. Combined with Hungary's participation exemption on foreign-source dividends and capital gains, this makes Hungary one of the sharpest holding-company jurisdictions inside the EU for routing payments out to offshore or third-country parents. Ireland and the Netherlands charge 0% in narrow cases. Hungary charges 0% as the default.

Real operational infrastructure. Budapest hosts the largest concentration of shared service centres in Central Europe — Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, BP, GE Healthcare and IBM run regional back offices here. Manufacturing depth runs from the Audi, Mercedes and BMW plants to the Chinese EV battery investments at Debrecen. Wages sit roughly 50% below the Austrian equivalent. A Hungarian entity plugs into a real labour market.

Costs to weigh. The 27% VAT rate is the highest in the EU — relevant for domestic B2C but neutral for intra-EU trade or exports. The local business tax (HIPA) adds up to 2% of adjusted revenue (Budapest charges the full 2%). The forint can be volatile. Filings are in Hungarian. We handle all of this.

Company Types Available in Hungary

Hungarian company law — codified in Act V of 2013 on the Civil Code — recognises five main forms plus the foreign branch. For more than 80% of new foreign-controlled formations the Kft. is the right answer.

Kft. (Korlátolt felelősségű társaság)

The Hungarian equivalent of a private limited company. Limited liability up to the share capital. Minimum HUF 3,000,000 in registered capital, with each shareholder contributing at least HUF 100,000. One shareholder and one managing director (ügyvezető) are sufficient; both can be the same person, both can be non-residents, both can be foreign corporates. The share capital does not have to remain locked in a bank account — once the company is registered, the funds (cash or in-kind contributions) can be used immediately for business operations, a major cash-flow advantage versus jurisdictions like Germany or Austria. Annual filings go to the Cégbíróság (financial statements via the Online Beszámoló system) and NAV (CIT return).

Zrt. (Zártkörűen működő részvénytársaság)

The private joint-stock company. Minimum share capital is HUF 5,000,000 (roughly €12,500). Used for larger businesses, regulated entities, and structures needing transferable shares. Shares are registered but not publicly traded. Mandatory audit where statutory thresholds are met. A supervisory board is required in some cases but the default is a single-tier board of directors (igazgatóság).

Nyrt. (Nyilvánosan működő részvénytársaság)

The public joint-stock company. Minimum share capital is HUF 20,000,000 (roughly €50,000). Required vehicle for any company listing on the Budapest Stock Exchange. Mandatory audit. Two-tier or one-tier board structure permitted under the Civil Code.

Bt. (Betéti társaság)

The Hungarian limited partnership. At least two partners — one general partner with unlimited personal liability, one limited partner capped at their contribution. No statutory minimum capital. Used in family businesses and specific holding arrangements where the general partner is itself a limited company.

Kkt. (Közkereseti társaság)

The Hungarian general partnership. All partners have unlimited joint and several liability. No minimum capital. Rarely used for new commercial ventures; historical vehicle for professional partnerships.

Fióktelep (Branch)

A foreign company's Hungarian branch. Not a separate legal entity — the parent's balance sheet and liability extend to the branch. Useful when a foreign group needs Hungarian presence without a separate subsidiary. Branches register in the Commercial Register and must appoint a permanent representative in Hungary.

Form	Min capital	Liability	Tax	Common use
Kft.	HUF 3,000,000	Limited	9% CIT	Default — SMEs, holdings, foreign subs
Zrt.	HUF 5,000,000	Limited	9% CIT	Larger unlisted, regulated
Nyrt.	HUF 20,000,000	Limited	9% CIT	Listed companies (BSE)
Bt.	None	Mixed	9% CIT	Family businesses, niche holdings
Kkt.	None	Personal	9% CIT (or pass-through)	Rarely used
Fióktelep	n/a	Parent's	9% CIT on HU-source income	Foreign group presence

If timing is tight and you need an existing entity rather than a fresh incorporation, our sister brand offers ready-made Hungarian Kft. — pre-registered, dormant, transferable in days.

Step-by-Step Formation Process

A typical Kft. formation follows these steps.

1. Name reservation. We confirm the proposed name is available in the Cégbíróság database, contains the mandatory "Kft." suffix, and does not clash with protected or restricted terms. A short-list of two or three alternatives is advisable.

1. Articles of association drafted and executed. Hungarian law requires the articles (társasági szerződés, or alapító okirat for a single-member Kft.) to be countersigned by a Hungarian attorney (ügyvéd) and filed electronically. We prepare the document from a standard template for simplified filings, or as a bespoke deed if custom governance, share classes or drag-along rights are needed.

1. KYC and shareholder documentation. Each shareholder, managing director and ultimate beneficial owner provides passport, proof of address dated within three months, and specimen signature. Foreign corporate shareholders provide apostilled certificates of incorporation, current extracts from their home commercial register, and UBO declarations. Foreign documents are translated into Hungarian by a sworn translator on our certified network.

1. Registered office secured. Every Hungarian company must have a registered office (székhely) at a physical Hungarian address with a landlord consent declaration. We provide a registered office in Budapest as part of standard packages, with the required consent issued in the company's name.

1. Bank account opened and capital deposited. A Hungarian commercial bank account is legally required before the company can be registered. We coordinate opening — usually at OTP, K&H, Erste, Raiffeisen, or CIB — and deposit the HUF 3,000,000 share capital. Under current law the capital need not remain locked: once the Kft. is registered, funds are fully available for operations.

1. Cégbíróság filing. The attorney files the electronic incorporation application with the Court of Registration. Under the simplified procedure used for roughly 95% of Kft. filings, the court issues the registration decision within 1 working day of a complete submission. The standard procedure takes up to 15 working days.

1. NAV, HIPA and UBO registration. Within statutory deadlines after court entry we register the company with NAV for corporate income tax, apply for a VAT number if applicable (mandatory from HUF 0 turnover for non-residents; optional below HUF 20,000,000 for residents), register with the relevant municipality for local business tax (HIPA), and file the UBO declaration in the central register. Social security registration with NAV covers payroll taxes once the company hires.

End-to-end timeline from KYC clearance to operating company with a bank account is typically 5 to 10 business days. Simplified court registration and tax registration complete in week one; bank account opening and first utility setup complete in week two.

Required Documents

For each shareholder, managing director and beneficial owner:

• Passport or EU national ID (notarised copy for non-residents signing remotely)
• Proof of residential address dated within the last three months
• Specimen signature (aláírási címpéldány) — executed before a Hungarian notary or apostilled abroad
• Tax identification number from the home country
• UBO declaration
• Signed director consent for the appointment as ügyvezető

For corporate shareholders:

• Apostilled certificate of incorporation
• Apostilled extract from the home commercial register dated within three months
• Apostilled register of directors / certificate of incumbency
• Apostilled shareholder register showing the ultimate owners
• Sworn Hungarian translation of all foreign documents (we arrange through a certified translator — mandatory for the Cégbíróság)

You also confirm the registered office address (we provide one in Budapest if you do not have your own Hungarian address — landlord consent is issued as part of the package), the share capital allocation, and the business activity codes (TEÁOR) describing intended operations.

Costs and Timeline

Hungarian formation costs depend on whether founders sign in person or under power of attorney, whether sworn translations are needed for foreign corporate shareholders, and whether the standard or simplified court procedure is elected. We almost always advise the simplified procedure for Kft. clients.

Our packages cover the full incorporation: name reservation, articles of association drafted by a Hungarian attorney, attorney countersignature, specimen signature at a Hungarian notary or apostille coordination abroad, Hungarian commercial bank account opening with capital deposit, sworn translation of foreign documents, electronic filing with the Cégbíróság, CIT and VAT registration with NAV, HIPA registration with the municipality, UBO declaration, and a registered office in Budapest for year one. Contact us for a fixed-price quote — all attorney, bank and government premiums are baked in, with no hourly bills and no extras invoiced after the fact.

Typical timeline from KYC clearance:

Day	Milestone
0	Engagement, KYC submitted
1–2	KYC cleared, articles drafted, foreign documents translated, attorney appointment booked
3	Articles signed, specimen signatures executed
4	Hungarian bank account opened, HUF 3m capital deposited
5	Electronic incorporation application filed with the Cégbíróság
6	Cégbíróság registration decision issued (simplified procedure)
7–10	NAV registration for CIT/VAT, HIPA registration, UBO declaration filed

Tax Overview for Hungarian Companies

Hungarian corporate taxation is the sharpest pitch in the EU. One flat rate, one VAT system, and a holding-company framework that holds up in practice.

Corporate Income Tax: 9% — a flat rate on worldwide profits for Hungarian tax residents. The rate has been 9% since 1 January 2017. There is no tiered small-company rate, no graduated rate, no surtax. Investment funds qualifying under the Hungarian Investment Funds Act are exempt on capital gains and dividends. For multinational groups in scope of Pillar Two — consolidated revenue above €750 million in two of the last four years — the Qualified Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax applies and pushes the effective Hungarian rate up to 15% under Act LXXXIV of 2023. Domestic SMEs and most cf24 clients sit well below the Pillar Two threshold.

Local business tax (HIPA / iparűzési adó). Hungarian municipalities levy a local business tax of up to 2% on adjusted net revenue (revenue minus cost of goods sold and certain other deductions — not on profit). Budapest charges the full 2%. This is an economic cost separate from CIT and often a bigger annual number than the 9% CIT for trading companies on thin margins. Rate is set municipality by municipality and, under the 2026 reforms, small taxpayers on simplified HIPA bands pay once yearly without filing a declaration.

Innovation contribution: 0.3% of the HIPA base. Applies only to companies above SME size — broadly, with more than 249 employees or annual revenue over €50 million. Exempt companies include micro and small enterprises under Act XXXIV of 2004.

VAT: 27% standard, the highest in the EU. 18% reduced (dairy, bakery, hotel services). 5% super-reduced (medicines, medical devices, newspapers, new-build housing up to 150 m²). 0% for intra-EU supplies and qualifying exports. The resident VAT registration threshold (alanyi adómentesség) steps up from HUF 20,000,000 in 2026 to HUF 22,000,000 in 2027 and HUF 24,000,000 in 2028. Non-resident businesses making taxable supplies in Hungary must register before the first transaction with no minimum threshold. From 15 March 2026, Hungary mandates real-time ViDA e-invoicing and VAT reporting for domestic and cross-border B2B transactions — one of the first EU states to roll this out.

Withholding tax on outbound payments: 0% to non-resident corporate recipients on dividends, interest and royalties — no treaty needed and no EU directive required. 15% withholding applies to payments to non-resident individuals, reducible under Hungary's 85-plus double tax treaties. This is the single most attractive feature of the Hungarian regime for holding structures.

Participation exemption. Dividends received by a Hungarian company from a foreign subsidiary are exempt from CIT unless the subsidiary is resident in a controlled foreign company jurisdiction. Capital gains on the disposal of a "reported participation" — a holding of at least 10%, reported to NAV within 75 days of acquisition, held for at least one year — are exempt from CIT. The regime is materially more generous than the Dutch, Luxembourgish or German equivalents on the reporting mechanics.

KIVA (small business tax), an alternative 10% flat tax on a modified base, is available to companies with revenue under HUF 3 billion and fewer than 50 employees. For some service businesses the KIVA option is cheaper than CIT plus HIPA combined.

Banking for Hungarian Companies

A Hungarian commercial bank account is a legal prerequisite for company registration. This is not a recommendation — the application to the Cégbíróság is not accepted without one. Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) supervises the sector; the forint remains the operating currency, though most banks offer multi-currency corporate accounts.

OTP Bank is the largest bank in Hungary with a 24% market share and total assets of roughly HUF 18 trillion. It is the default mainstream choice for Hungarian corporate clients. English-language corporate desk in Budapest. Onboarding for non-resident-controlled companies is possible but typically requires the managing director to attend a branch in Budapest once and submit certified translations of corporate documents.

MBH Bank is the second-largest bank, formed by the 2022 three-way merger of Budapest Bank, MKB Bank and Takarékbank. Post-integration MBH has built out a strong corporate coverage model and is frequently competitive on fees for mid-market formations.

K&H Bank, part of Belgium's KBC Group, is the third-largest bank and the natural choice for clients with parallel operations in Slovakia, the Czech Republic or Belgium — KBC runs ČSOB in Czech and Slovak markets, enabling single-relationship cross-border banking.

Erste Bank Hungary, part of Austria's Erste Group, offers a foreign-friendly corporate desk with English-language service. Austrian compliance culture translates into methodical but ultimately accommodating onboarding for non-resident UBOs.

Raiffeisen Bank Hungary, parent RBI (Austria), is the most non-resident-friendly of the mainstream options. Cross-border CEE experience and a well-developed corporate e-banking platform.

UniCredit Bank Hungary fits clients with parallel Italian, Austrian, Czech or Slovak operations under the UniCredit regional footprint. Solid for German-speaking or Italian-speaking founders.

CIB Bank, owned by Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo, serves mid-market corporates and has been pushing a digital-first SME proposition.

Wise Business, Revolut Business and Airwallex cover the EMI lane with fully remote onboarding, multi-currency balances including HUF, SEPA and SWIFT rails. An EMI account does not satisfy the Hungarian bank-account requirement for registration — pair an EMI with one of the commercial banks above to get best-of-both.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to register a company in Hungary?

Under the simplified electronic procedure — used for roughly 95% of Kft. filings — the Cégbíróság issues the registration decision within 1 working day of a complete submission. Including KYC, attorney execution of articles, bank account opening, capital deposit, sworn translation of foreign documents and NAV registrations, the typical end-to-end timeline is 5 to 10 business days from first contact to a fully operational Kft.

What is the minimum share capital for a Hungarian Kft?

The statutory minimum is HUF 3,000,000 — roughly €7,500. Each shareholder must contribute at least HUF 100,000. Unlike some EU jurisdictions, the capital does not have to remain locked in a bank account after registration: once the Kft. is registered, the funds are fully available for business operations. The private Zrt. requires HUF 5,000,000; the public Nyrt. requires HUF 20,000,000.

Can a foreigner own a company in Hungary?

Yes. Hungarian company law imposes no residency, citizenship or work-permit requirement on shareholders or managing directors of a Kft. A non-resident foreign individual can be the sole shareholder and sole ügyvezető from day one. Corporate shareholders can be foreign companies from any jurisdiction, subject to standard UBO disclosure and KYC at the bank.

What is the corporate tax rate in Hungary?

The Hungarian CIT rate is 9% — a flat rate in force since 1 January 2017 and the lowest headline corporate tax in the European Union. There are no tiered small-company rates or surcharges. Multinational groups with consolidated revenue above €750 million face a 15% effective rate under Pillar Two. Local business tax (HIPA) of up to 2% of adjusted revenue applies separately on top of CIT.

Do I need a Hungarian address to register a Kft?

Yes — every Hungarian company must have a registered office (székhely) at a physical Hungarian address with a written consent declaration from the property owner. The address appears in the Cégbíróság register and is publicly visible. We provide a registered office in Budapest as part of standard formation packages, with the landlord consent issued in the company's name.

Do I need to visit Hungary to form a company?

Not necessarily. Founders who cannot travel to Budapest for the articles-of-association signing and specimen signature can execute a power of attorney before a notary in their home country, have it apostilled and translated, and we complete the steps on their behalf. A physical visit to the bank may be required to finalise account opening — some Hungarian banks offer remote video-KYC for non-residents, but branch visits remain the norm at the larger banks.

What is the difference between a Kft and a Zrt?

A Kft. (korlátolt felelősségű társaság) is a private limited company with HUF 3,000,000 minimum capital, suitable for SMEs and foreign subsidiaries — roughly 80% of new formations. A Zrt. (zártkörűen működő részvénytársaság) is a private joint-stock company with HUF 5,000,000 minimum capital and transferable shares, used for larger businesses, regulated entities and structures planning to admit outside investors.

Get Started — Form Your Hungarian Company

A fixed-price quote in 60 seconds. Articles of association drafted by a Hungarian attorney. Cégbíróság filing in 1 working day under the simplified procedure. HUF 3,000,000 capital deposit arranged at OTP, K&H, Erste, Raiffeisen or CIB. Sworn translation of your home-country corporate documents through our certified network. Registered office in Budapest included.

Call +48 2222 5 2222 or email [email protected] to start. Most Hungarian Kft. formations are complete and operating with a bank account within 10 business days.

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Content prepared by Julia Thompson, Corporate Client Service Specialist. Approved by Tomasz Bielski, Managing Director.