Company registration · Hungary
Company registration in Hungary the lowest corporate tax rate in the EU
- Support
- from €1 400
- Registration time
- 9%
- Corporate income tax rate
- 9%
Nine per cent corporate income tax with full access to the European single market.
The rate is genuinely low, but local business tax and the highest VAT rate in the Union belong in the calculation.
Registration
from €1 400
Turnkey work by BRIDGES. Government fees and duties appear as a separate line in the estimate at actual rates.
See packages9%
Corporate income tax rate
5-10 days
Incorporation with the court of registration
EU
Full access to the single market
Who it suitsHungary
Who Hungary suits
Working on the company structure- 01Trading companies working across the European Union
- 02Services and consulting with EU clients
- 03Manufacturing and assembly in central Europe
- 04Logistics and distribution across the region
- 05Businesses that want an EU company at a low tax cost
Does not suit
- A fully remote company with no local accountant
- Businesses sensitive to a 27% VAT rate on domestic sales
- You are counting on anonymity: the registry is public
- There is no willingness to work with Hungarian-language filings
Company forms4
Which company to open
The limited liability company is the working form for almost every case.
- 01Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag · Kft — limited liability company
Trading, services, manufacturing, holdings.
Simple management and low state costs.
Capital must be declared and, in most cases, contributed.
- 02Reszvenytarsasag · Zrt / Nyrt — company limited by shares
Larger businesses and structures raising capital.
Flexible share classes and higher standing.
Higher capital requirement and stricter governance.
- 03Branch · branch of a foreign company
An existing group entering the EU market.
No new legal entity is required.
The parent company carries the liability.
- 04Sole proprietorship · individual entrepreneur
Small local activity.
Minimal formalities.
Personal liability; rarely used by foreign clients.
Packagesfrom €1 400
Three ways to launch
The scope is built from real scenarios. The amount depends on VAT and on the level of accounting support.
01 · 1-2 weeks
Company
from $1 700
An EU entity for contracts and invoicing
- Name check and preparation of the deed of foundation
- Filing with the court of registration
- Registered seat for the first year
- Full set of corporate documents
- Tax registration and a Hungarian accountant
02 · 3-8 weeks
Company, VAT and account
from $3 300
An operating business with EU settlements
- Everything in the Company package
- EU VAT number and set-up of returns
- Bank profile and submission to suitable banks
- Monthly accounting set-up
- Support with correspondence with the tax authority
03 · from 4 weeks
Turnkey with staff
by project
A company with employees and real operations
- Everything in the Company, VAT and account package
- Employer registration and payroll administration
- Office search and lease support
- Monthly bookkeeping and filings
- Annual report and the corporate tax return
Registration fees, local business tax and employer contributions appear as separate lines in the quote.
TaxesHungary
Taxes in Hungary
The lowest corporate rate in the Union, with two local factors to plan for.
Taxes in Hungary
Hungary
- 9%
- Corporate income tax rate
- from $1 700
- BRIDGES fee
- 5-10 days
- Incorporation with the court of registration
- EU
- Full access to the single market
- Corporate income tax
- A flat rate of 9% on taxable profit.
- Local business tax
- Charged by the municipality on adjusted revenue, up to 2%.
- VAT
- The standard rate is 27%, the highest in the European Union; reduced rates apply to some supplies.
- Dividends to companies
- Dividends paid to corporate shareholders are generally not subject to withholding tax.
- Payroll charges
- Employer contributions apply on top of gross salary.
- Obligations at home
- Owning a foreign company creates obligations in the beneficiary country of residence.
Annual upkeep
- Registered seat
- Monthly accounting
- VAT returns
- Annual report
- Corporate tax return
- Local business tax return
- Payroll filings
- Bank compliance
Registration fees, local business tax and employer contributions appear as separate lines in the quote.
Bank
The bank account after incorporation
Hungarian banks work with foreign-owned companies, but they want to meet the managing director.
- 01What the bank looks at
The activity, the customers, expected turnover, the local presence and the source of funds.
- 02Which documents are needed
The corporate set, managing director identification, contracts and a description of the business.
- 03Where the account is opened
With Hungarian banks, and with European payment institutions for cross-border flows.
- 04What we do
We prepare the file, arrange the meeting and run the submission through to the result.
Most Hungarian banks expect the managing director to appear in person at least once. We arrange the visit or find institutions that work remotely.
Stages1-2 weeks
How the work runs
Timelines are split by who is responsible.
- 01Consultation and structure
Activity, tax model, VAT, seat, banking.
One meeting - 02Quote and contract
We fix the scope of work and the amount.
1-2 days - 03Documents and translations
Collection of the set, translation and certification.
3-7 days - 04Incorporation
Filing with the court of registration and issue of the documents.
5-10 days - 05VAT number
Application and issue of the EU number.
1-4 weeks - 06Account and launch
Bank file, the meeting and account opening.
The bank sets the timing
Result: The outcome is an EU company with the lowest corporate rate in the Union: full documents, a VAT number, an account and a Hungarian accountant in place.
ComparisonHungary
Hungary or Bulgaria
| Hungary | Bulgaria | |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate tax | 9% | 10% |
| Local business tax | up to 2% of adjusted revenue | none |
| VAT | 27% | 20% |
| Incorporation time | 5-10 days | 1-2 weeks |
| Currency | forint | lev, pegged arrangement |
| Upkeep cost | low | low |
| Who it suits better | manufacturing and regional distribution | services and simple trading |
Hungary has the lower headline rate, but local business tax and a 27% VAT rate change the picture. We compare on the actual numbers.
TeamBRIDGES
Company team
Questions
Registration questions
Is the corporate tax rate really 9%?+
Yes, it is the lowest in the European Union. Local business tax of up to 2% of adjusted revenue is charged in addition.
What is the VAT rate?+
27% is the standard rate, the highest in the Union, with reduced rates for certain supplies.
How long does incorporation take?+
5-10 days with the court of registration once the translated documents are ready.
Do I need a Hungarian director?+
No, but a registered seat and a Hungarian accountant are required.
How hard is it to open a bank account?+
Realistic, though most banks expect the managing director to attend in person at least once.
Can I get an EU VAT number?+
Yes, and it is issued within one to four weeks of incorporation.
Is an audit mandatory?+
Only above the statutory size thresholds.
Are filings in Hungarian?+
Yes. Accounting and tax filings are made in Hungarian, which is why a local accountant is part of the service.
Is the registry public?+
Yes, managing directors and members are visible.
Is there a citizenship by investment programme?+
No. Hungary has no investment citizenship route; citizenship by descent follows a separate legal procedure with a language requirement.
Do I have to declare the company at home?+
As a rule yes: owning a foreign company creates obligations in your country of residence.
What does upkeep cost?+
Seat, accounting, VAT and, where relevant, payroll. It is one of the cheaper EU jurisdictions to maintain.
A company for your task
Tell us what the company will do: we will check whether the country fits and show the launch and upkeep budget before the contract.
- Other jurisdictionsA comparison of countries for company registration.
- A company in BulgariaThe alternative low-rate EU jurisdiction.
- Corporate accountsHow an account is opened and what the bank checks.
- BulgariaRegistration: 3-10 days · from €1 100
- CzechiaRegistration: 5-14 days · from €1 300
- IrelandRegistration: 3-10 days · from €1 900
Company registration
Want a company in Hungary?
Write to us, we will set it up. We will choose the form, calculate the launch and the annual upkeep, register the company and help open the account.
