Serving documents

Article 2(1) – Transmitting agencies

In Hungary the transmitting agency

• in the case of judicial documents, is the court under whose procedure the document to be served was generated,
• in the case of documents generated in a notarial procedure, is the notary under whose procedure the document was generated, and
• in the case of other extrajudicial documents, is the minister in charge of the judicial system.

Article 2(2) – Receiving agencies

In Hungary the receiving agency

• is the district court with jurisdiction according to the addressee’s residential address as indicated in the request for legal assistance (lakcím szerint illetékes járásbíróság), in Budapest, the Central District Court of Pest (Pesti Központi Kerületi Bíróság) and
• the Hungarian Association of Court Bailiffs.

Article 2(4)(c) – Means of receipt of documents

The receiving agency accepts documents by post, fax or electronically.

Article 2(4)(d) – Languages that may be used for the completion of the standard form set out in Annex I

Hungarian, German, English, French.

Article 3 – Central body

In Hungary, the tasks of the central body are performed by the minister in charge of the judicial system.

Ministry of Justice (Igazságügyi Minisztérium)

Department of Private International Law (Nemzetközi Magánjogi Főosztály)

Address: Kossuth Lajos tér 2-4., H-1055 Budapest

Address: Pf. 2., 1357 Budapest

Tel.: +36 1 795 5397, 1 795 3188

Fax: +36 1 795 0463

Email: nmfo@im.gov.hu

Languages: Hungarian, German, English and French.

Article 4 – Transmission of documents

In addition to Hungarian, German, English and French are also accepted.

Articles 8(3) and 9(2) – Particular periods set by national law for serving documents

Not applicable in Hungary.

Article 10 – Certificate of service and copy of the document served

In addition to Hungarian, German, English and French are also accepted.

Article 11 – Costs of service

The service of documents by the court is free of charge.

The fee for service by a court bailiff is HUF 7 500. This must be paid in advance by bank transfer to the account below, and the confirmation of the transfer must be attached to the application.

• Account holder: Hungarian Association of Court Bailiffs
• Bank: Budapest Bank Nyrt.
• SWIFT (BIC) kód: BUDAHUHB
• IBAN: HU46 10103173-09701100-02004000
• Please write in message field: KU2-reference number of request, name of addressee.

Article 13 – Service by diplomatic or consular agents

Service under Article 13 in only applicable in Hungary if the addressee is a citizen of the transmitting Member State.

Article 15 – Direct service

Service under Article 15 of the Regulation is performed in Hungary in accordance with legislation governing service by court bailiffs.

Article 19 – Defendant not entering an appearance

In some such cases the Hungarian courts may issue a judgment, provided all the conditions of Article 19(2) are met.

In Hungary, the time limit for filing an application under Article 19(4) is one year.