General information, current at the date shown. It is not tax or legal advice: rules change and depend on your situation. Have your case checked by a Hungarian lawyer or accountant.
Key facts
- Property transfer duty (vagyonszerzési illeték) is 4% of the home's market value [5].
- Since 1 January 2026 the replacement purchase relief can rely on a sale in the previous 5 years, up from 3 [6].
- The foglaló (earnest money) is often about 10% of the price; a seller at fault repays it double [4].
- An energy certificate issued since 1 November 2023 is valid for 5 years [14].
- Condominiums with more than six flats must register their common representative in the land register by 31 October 2026 [10].
How to use this glossary
The documents in a Hungarian property sale – contract, land register extract, condominium rules, tax notices – are in Hungarian, and legal terms do not always have an exact equivalent. For each term, this glossary gives the Hungarian word as it appears in documents, its meaning in English and a practical note.
The definitions describe common usage and general rules as of 26 October 2026. They do not replace reading the legislation or advice from a lawyer. Amounts and rates refer to the sources listed at the bottom of the page.
The table is ordered by theme: land register and contract, rights and encumbrances, condominium, tax and administration, renting and heating, then listing and building vocabulary.
| Hungarian term | Meaning in English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tulajdoni lap | title deed extract (land register sheet) | Three parts: I the property, II the owners, III encumbrances and rights [1]. |
| helyrajzi szám (hrsz) | land registry lot number | Identifies the property in the register; in a condominium each flat has a sub-number (e.g. 12345/A/7). |
| földhivatal | land registry office | Department of the government office (kormányhivatal) that keeps the property register. |
| ingatlan-nyilvántartás | property register | Public register of rights and facts relating to land and buildings [2]. |
| széljegy | note of a pending application | Application filed but not yet decided; it fixes the order of ranking [3]. |
| szemle / teljes másolat | current-entries copy / full copy | The full copy also shows deleted entries [1]. |
| törzslap / különlap | main sheet / separate sheet | In a condominium: one sheet for the building and one per flat [2]. |
| adásvételi szerződés | sale and purchase contract | In writing; for registration, a notarial deed or a private deed countersigned by a lawyer. |
| ellenjegyzés | countersignature (by a lawyer) | The lawyer countersigns the contract, which can then be used for registration. |
| ügyvédi letét | lawyer's escrow | The price is held by the lawyer until the agreed conditions are met. |
| foglaló | earnest money deposit | Often about 10%; lost if the buyer is at fault, repaid double if the seller is; must be named as such [4]. |
| előleg | advance payment | Refunded if the sale fails; any payment not named foglaló counts as előleg [4]. |
| tulajdonjog-fenntartás | retention of title | The seller remains owner until full payment; only this fact is noted in the register. |
| birtokbaadás | handover of possession | With a handover protocol and meter readings. |
| tehermentes | free of encumbrances | Part III is empty or holds only harmless rights such as a utility line right [3]. |
| jelzálogjog | mortgage | Registered in Part III at the original amount of the claim, not the current debt [3]. |
| elidegenítési és terhelési tilalom | ban on sale and encumbrance | Usually in favour of the lending bank; a sale needs its consent [3]. |
| végrehajtási jog | enforcement right | Registered for a creditor in enforcement proceedings [1]. |
| haszonélvezet | usufruct | Survives a sale; ends on the holder's death or by consent; deletion must be requested [8]. |
| elővásárlási jog | pre-emption right | Statutory (co-owners; the state for dwellings over 200 m² in World Heritage areas) or contractual [12]. |
| szolgalmi jog | easement | For example a right of way; registered in Part III [3]. |
| vezetékjog | utility line right | Right of a network operator; usually no burden for the owner [3]. |
| társasház | condominium (building with separately owned flats) | Governed by Act CXXXIII of 2003, the alapító okirat and the SZMSZ [11]. |
| alapító okirat | founding deed of the condominium | Defines the flats, the common parts and the shares; filed with the land registry. |
| SZMSZ | organisational and operating rules | Szervezeti és működési szabályzat; condominiums with more than six flats operate under one [10]. |
| tulajdoni hányad | ownership share (of the common property) | Basis for splitting common charges unless the rules provide otherwise. |
| közös képviselő | common representative (building manager) | Elected by the general meeting; in buildings with more than six flats, registration due by 31 October 2026 [9][10]. |
| intézőbizottság | management committee | Alternative to a common representative; its chair is then registered [9]. |
| közgyűlés | general meeting of owners | Decides on the budget, charges and works; ask for its minutes before buying. |
| közös költség | common charge (service charge) | Monthly contribution to shared costs; arrears can be secured by a mortgage on the flat. |
| felújítási alap | renovation (reserve) fund | The condominium's savings for works on the building. |
| lichthof | light well | Small enclosed inner shaft; part of the common property. |
| gang | open access balcony | Typical of old Budapest courtyard buildings; gives access to the flats. |
| vagyonszerzési illeték | property transfer duty | 4% of market value, assessed by NAV; declared on form B400 [5]. |
| cserepótló vétel | replacement purchase relief | Duty only on the price difference; since 1 January 2026 a sale within the previous 5 years counts [6]. |
| adóazonosító jel | tax identification number (individuals) | Issued by NAV; a foreign individual without one can request it [13]. |
| lakcímkártya | address card | Official card certifying a registered address; requested at a kormányablak (government service point). |
| energetikai tanúsítvány | energy performance certificate | Valid 5 years if issued since 1 November 2023; 12 classes from A+++ to I; required for sale or rental [7][14]. |
| albérlet | rental (rented flat) | Everyday word for any rental; the legal term is lakásbérlet. |
| kaució | security deposit | Secures the landlord's claims; amount set in the lease. |
| rezsi | utilities and running costs | Electricity, gas, water, heating; sometimes the common charge as well. |
| gázkonvektor | gas convector heater | Individual room heater with a flue through the outside wall. |
| cirkó | wall-mounted gas boiler | Heats the radiators and often the water; needs a compliant flue. |
| távfűtés | district heating | Common in prefabricated panel blocks; billed by the heat network. |
| felújítandó | in need of renovation | Listing label for a property needing works; check the real extent on site. |
| újépítésű | new-build | Newly built home; check the occupancy permit (használatbavételi engedély). |
| téglalakás | flat in a brick building | Most of the older building stock in central Budapest. |
| panellakás | flat in a prefabricated panel block | Housing estates built mainly from the 1960s to the 1980s. |
| belmagasság | ceiling height | High in old buildings; sometimes allows a mezzanine. |
| galéria | mezzanine (gallery level) | Intermediate level built in a high-ceilinged flat; check that it is lawful and whether it counts in the floor area. |
| udvari / utcai | courtyard-facing / street-facing | Courtyard side often quieter, street side often brighter. |
| erkély | balcony | francia erkély = Juliet balcony (railing in front of a French window). |
| hasznos alapterület | usable floor area | Usable interior area excluding walls; the usual basis for price per m². |
| statikai szakvélemény | structural engineer's report | Required for works affecting load-bearing structures. |
| műemlék | listed monument | Works, including interior ones, need a heritage permit. |
Land register and contract
The tulajdoni lap is the central document. Its Part I describes the property, Part II the owners and Part III encumbrances and third-party rights [1]. A condominium has a main sheet (törzslap) for the building and a separate sheet (különlap) for each flat [2]. A note at the top (széljegy) signals a pending application that is not yet registered [3].
Two terms are often confused: foglaló and előleg. The foglaló follows special rules if the sale fails: a buyer at fault loses it, a seller at fault repays it double. Any payment the contract does not expressly call foglaló is an előleg and is refundable [4].
Condominium
Most Budapest flats are units in a társasház. Owners' obligations derive from the Condominium Act, the alapító okirat and the SZMSZ [11]. Load-bearing walls, columns and beams are common property even when they are inside a flat [11].
The közös képviselő manages the building, collects the közös költség and carries out the decisions of the general meeting (közgyűlés). Since an amendment in force from 1 October 2024, the representative must be registered on the condominium's törzslap [9]; for buildings with more than six flats the deadline is 31 October 2026 [10].
Tax, administration and renting
The buyer pays vagyonszerzési illeték, 4% of the market value set by NAV (the National Tax and Customs Administration); the contract is filed with form B400 and NAV later notifies the amount [5]. The replacement purchase rule (cserepótló vétel) was relaxed on 1 January 2026: the earlier sale may be up to 5 years old instead of 3 [6]. For these procedures an individual needs an adóazonosító jel issued by NAV [13].
In renting, albérlet is the everyday word for any rented flat. The lease sets the kaució (security deposit) and how the rezsi (energy, water, heating) is shared. The heating type – gázkonvektor, cirkó or távfűtés – weighs on these costs. An energy certificate is also required for renting [7].
Frequently asked questions
Does albérlet mean sublet?
Originally yes; in everyday use the word now covers any rental. The legal term for a residential lease is lakásbérlet.
What does tehermentes mean in a listing?
That Part III of the tulajdoni lap holds no burdensome entry. Check it on a recent extract: some entries, such as a utility line right, have no practical effect [3].
Is a foglaló mandatory?
No. It is a contractual option. If it is not expressly agreed, sums paid before completion are advances (előleg), refundable if the sale fails [4].
Sources
- Bank360 – Tulajdoni lap lekérése: típusok, díjak, a lap szerkezete — seen on 26 October 2026
- Money.hu Tudástár – Tulajdoni lap (fogalom): törzslap és különlap — seen on 26 October 2026
- Bankmonitor – A tulajdoni lap rejtelmei — seen on 26 October 2026
- Bankmonitor – Minden, amit a lakásvásárlás foglalójáról tudni érdemes — seen on 26 October 2026
- Bank360 – Vagyonszerzési illeték (frissítve 2026.01.05.) — seen on 26 October 2026
- Biztosdöntés – Nagyobb mozgástér a lakásvásárlóknak: így módosult az illetéktörvény (2026) — seen on 26 October 2026
- Bank360 – Energetikai tanúsítvány lekérdezése (frissítve 2025.11.04.) — seen on 26 October 2026
- Privátbankár – Mit jelent és hogy működik a haszonélvezeti jog? — seen on 26 October 2026
- Economx – Kötelező földhivatali nyilvántartásba vétel a közös képviselőknek (2025.03.06.) — seen on 26 October 2026
- Pénzcentrum – Társasházak: a közös képviselő bejegyzésének határideje 2026. október 31. (2026.04.23.) — seen on 26 October 2026
- Privátbankár – Vaskos bírság a lakásfelújítás miatt: társasházi szabályok — seen on 26 October 2026
- Telex – Az állam elővásárlási jogot szerzett a világörökségi területek 200 m² feletti lakásaira (2021.10.05.) — seen on 26 October 2026
- NAV – Adóazonosító jel és adókártya igénylése — seen on 26 October 2026
- Bankmonitor – Novembertől életbe lépnek az új energiatanúsítvány-szabályok (Oct 2023) — seen on 26 October 2026