Hungarian government’s shocking new administrative fee proposal: Here is what to expect!

The Hungarian government has issued a draft regulation for public consultation, proposing significant increases in various administrative fees. The stated aim is to align public revenues with the 2025 fiscal framework while introducing greater transparency in service fees.

According to Portfolio, these changes would have far-reaching implications for sectors such as healthcare, justice, education, intellectual property, and customs. Although rising costs are cited as the reason for the proposal, the scale and impact of these administrative fee increases are expected to vary.

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The administrative fee changes

In the healthcare sector, administrative fees for certain reimbursed services will increase. A notable example is the cost of obtaining a medical opinion for public employment or work in the public interest, which would be standardised at HUF 6,000 (EUR 14). While this is not a dramatic increase compared to current rates, the fixed fee is justified by rising operating costs. This adjustment is intended to help healthcare providers cope with inflation and other economic pressures.

Fees related to intellectual property are also under review, with significant increases anticipated. For instance, the cost of patenting biological material will rise from HUF 150,000 (EUR 365) to HUF 202,500 (EUR 493), an increase of 35%. This adjustment is designed to cover administrative costs while simultaneously incentivising improvements in the quality of services.

Licences for orphan works—intellectual creations whose rights holders cannot be found—will also become more expensive. For commercial use, the fee will rise to HUF 124,800 (EUR 304), while non-profit use will cost HUF 40,500 (EUR 98). This tiered pricing system aims to ensure a fairer distribution of costs between commercial and non-commercial users.

Border crossing fees are set to increase as well. For example, the cost of a temporary border crossing permit will double from HUF 3,000 (EUR 7) to HUF 6,000 (EUR 14). Similarly, training fees for customs agents and consultants will rise from HUF 8,000 (EUR 19) to HUF 11,000 (EUR 26). These increases are expected to affect companies involved in foreign trade, as they could raise administrative costs for operators in this sector.

The education sector will not be spared: the licence fee for new vocational textbooks will increase by 20%, from HUF 6,750 (EUR 16) to HUF 8,100 (EUR 19). According to the draft’s explanatory notes, this increase reflects ongoing digitisation efforts and the expansion of curriculum content. While these changes aim to improve the quality and accessibility of educational resources, they could pose financial challenges for schools and training institutions.

Implementation timeline and public feedback

The proposed changes regarding the administrative fee would come into force 31 days after publication. The draft regulation is currently open to public consultation, with stakeholders invited to submit comments to the Department of Administration and Territorial Development by 2nd December. This consultation period provides an opportunity for individuals and organisations to raise concerns about the scale of these fee increases or suggest refinements to the draft regulation.

The overarching objective of these administrative fee increases is to boost public revenues, but their impact on different social groups and sectors remains uncertain. While the rationale—reflecting inflation and covering increased administrative costs—may be justified, the measures could impose additional financial burdens on those affected. The outcomes of the public consultation and the final regulation will determine whether these changes strike the right balance between improving public services and ensuring economic fairness.

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