Insolvency & Debt Recovery · Hungary
Find the right bankruptcy lawyer in Hungary for your situation
Insolvency, enforcement and debt disputes in Hungary are handled under Hungarian law and in Hungarian courts. Tell us what has happened and we match you, without charge, with a lawyer whose practice covers these matters in Hungary.
- Lawyers admitted to a Hungarian regional bar association
- Familiar with the Hungarian courts and the current court fee scale
- First response usually within 24–48 hours
Free matching · No obligation · Confidential
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Before you choose
When a debt problem needs a Hungarian-qualified lawyer
If a business or a personal debt situation has reached the point where insolvency, enforcement or a dispute over money is on the table, the paperwork and the procedural steps can feel overwhelming. Hungary has its own rules: a codified civil law system, a four-tier court structure headed by the Curia in Budapest, and compulsory bar association membership for anyone who represents you. Working with a bankruptcy lawyer in Hungary means having someone who knows the local courts, the applicable fee scale and the deadlines that decide whether a position can still be defended. On this page you describe your situation once, in confidence, and we match you with a Hungarian-qualified lawyer whose practice covers insolvency and debt-related matters. The matching itself costs you nothing.
Hungary in focus
How insolvency and debt matters work in Hungary
Hungarian private law is codified rather than built on judicial precedent, and civil proceedings are conducted in Hungarian before a clearly tiered court system. Understanding who may represent you, which fees apply and which time limits run is essential before any step is taken.
A codified system, not case law
Hungary follows the continental civil law model. The current Civil Code (Act V of 2013) entered into force on 15 March 2014 and replaced the 1959 code, covering persons, family law, property, obligations and succession in eight Books. Judges are bound by the law and their own conviction, although uniformity decisions of the Curia bind the lower courts.
The four-tier court structure
The judiciary consists of 158 courts: district courts (járásbíróság), administrative and labour courts, regional courts (törvényszék) and regional courts of appeal, headed by the Curia in Budapest. The levels are not subordinate to one another — higher courts cannot instruct lower courts, and judges are independent. Roughly 11,000 people work in the court system, just under 3,000 of them judges.
Who is allowed to represent you
Practising as an attorney-at-law in Hungary requires membership of a regional bar association; those associations are members of the Hungarian Bar Association (MÜK), seated in Budapest. An admitted lawyer may practise throughout the whole territory of Hungary. Only attorneys-at-law, law offices and registered in-house legal counsels may act as agents in an action.
When representation is mandatory
Legal representation in civil litigation is mandatory as a general rule unless an Act provides otherwise, but it is not required in actions within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the district courts (járásbíróság), including appeals and retrial procedures. Before the regional court and the higher courts, an attorney-at-law is required.
Court fees and lawyers’ fees
Court fees (illeték) are set by Act XCIII of 1990. Since 28 January 2025 first-instance contentious claims follow a tiered scale: up to HUF 300,000 the fee is HUF 18,000, rising in bands with a percentage of the excess above each threshold. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed by mandate; there is no binding statutory tariff.
Legal aid and the neediness test
Under Act LXXX of 2003, the state covers legal services where the party’s available monthly net income does not exceed the social reference base and the party holds no assets; certain groups are treated as needy irrespective of income. The forint value of the social reference base is fixed annually in the central budget act, so the threshold shifts each year.
The country information on this page is taken from official Hungarian sources — the courts’ own portal and the national legislation database njt.jog.gov.hu — rather than from commercial directories.
- Hungarian judicial system – official courts portal
- Act LXXVIII of 2017 on the professional activities of attorneys-at-law
- Act CXXX of 2016 on civil procedure
- Act V of 2013 – Civil Code
- Act XCIII of 1990 on Duties (court fees)
- Act LXXX of 2003 on legal aid
- Act I of 2012 – Labour Code (time limits)
- Act CL of 2016 on general administrative procedure (appeal)
The problem
Why insolvency and debt matters are hard to handle alone
Hungarian procedure, language and time limits combine to make early, qualified advice valuable.
Deadlines decide everything
In Hungary the general limitation period for recovering a debt is five years, while an unlawful-dismissal claim must be brought within 30 days. Missing a window can end a case before it is genuinely considered.
The proceedings are in Hungarian
Court proceedings in Hungary are conducted in Hungarian, and the forms, fee rules and procedural steps are domestic. Without local representation, the risk of avoidable procedural mistakes grows quickly.
Choosing a lawyer is difficult
Searching for the right insolvency practice from abroad, or in a city you do not know, is not straightforward. We screen practices so that you speak to someone who genuinely handles this kind of work.
How we help
What you get from the matching service
A short, structured introduction to lawyers who are entitled to practise in Hungary and who work on debt and insolvency matters.
Hungarian-qualified lawyers only
Every lawyer we propose is a member of a regional bar association and entitled to practise throughout the whole territory of Hungary, as required by Act LXXVIII of 2017.
You keep control of the fee
Legal fees in Hungary are freely agreed between lawyer and client by mandate — there is no binding statutory tariff — so you can compare approaches and agree terms before you commit.
Clear information, no jargon
You receive an explanation of the likely next steps, the deadlines that may apply to your type of matter and the court fee rules that govern proceedings in Hungary.
One request, several options
You describe the situation once. We then propose suitable practices so you can choose the lawyer who fits your case, your language needs and your budget.
Where we operate
Cross-border matters connected to Hungary
Many insolvency and debt situations reach beyond a single border. Besides Hungary, we work with clients and lawyers in these European countries.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about insolvency and debt in Hungary
What does a bankruptcy lawyer in Hungary actually do for me?
A Hungarian-qualified lawyer assesses your position under the Civil Code and related rules, identifies the deadlines that apply, prepares and files the necessary documents in Hungarian, and represents you before the competent court. Because practice areas differ, we match you with a lawyer whose work is focused on insolvency and debt matters.
Do I need a lawyer to appear before a Hungarian court?
Not always. Legal representation is mandatory in litigation as a general rule unless an Act provides otherwise, but it is not required in actions within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the district courts (járásbíróság), including appeals and retrial procedures. Before the regional court and the higher courts, an attorney-at-law is required.
How much does it cost to bring a claim in Hungary?
Court fees (illeték) are set by Act XCIII of 1990. Since 28 January 2025 first-instance contentious proceedings follow a tiered scale starting at HUF 18,000 for claims up to HUF 300,000, with percentage bands above that. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed by mandate, as there is no binding statutory tariff.
Can I get legal aid if I cannot afford a lawyer in Hungary?
Possibly. Under Act LXXX of 2003 legal aid covers advice, document drafting and representation in civil, labour and administrative matters for those without sufficient means, where available monthly net income does not exceed the social reference base and the party holds no assets. The forint value of that base is set annually in the central budget act.
How long do I have to recover a debt in Hungary?
The general limitation period for debt recovery is five years. Other claims run on shorter clocks: labour law claims for wages and damages generally three years, claims over an unlawful dismissal 30 days, and administrative appeals 15 days. Which period applies to your case should be checked early.
Which courts deal with civil and debt disputes in Hungary?
Hungary has 158 courts in four tiers: district courts, administrative and labour courts, regional courts and regional courts of appeal, with the Curia in Budapest at the top. Civil claims normally start at first instance and can proceed upwards. The Curia issues uniformity decisions that bind the lower courts and support consistent practice.
Next step
Describe your situation and get matched
Send us a short summary of your insolvency or debt matter in Hungary. We will review it and propose lawyers who are entitled to practise there and who work on these cases, so you can decide who to instruct. The matching service is free and does not commit you to anything.