Hungary
Hungary is a member of the European Union (since 2004) and the OECD, and a party to the Paris Convention, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT, since 1980), the European Patent Convention (since 2003), the Madrid Agreement and Madrid Protocol for trademarks, and the Hague Agreement for industrial designs. Trademarks are protected for 10 years (renewable), patents for 20 years, and industrial designs for up to 25 years. The .hu country code domain is open to applicants from any country, with no local presence required. This page covers the filing requirements, legal basis, and key deadlines for protecting intellectual property in Hungary.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Area: 93,036 sq. km.
Population: 9,855,745 (2024).
Capital: Budapest.
Language: Hungarian.
Currency: Forint.
GENERAL REMARKS
Hungary is an OECD country and a member of the European Union as of May 1, 2004.
PATENTS OF INVENTION
LEGAL BASIS
- Patent Law No. XXXIII of 1995, in force since January 1, 1996.
- Decree No. 20/2002 (XII.12) (IM) on Rules of formal requirements of patent applications, in force since January 1, 2003.
- Decree No. 19/2005 (IV. 12.) (GKM) on Fees of the Proceedings before the Intellectual Property Organization (HIPO), in force since June 11, 2009.
- Law No. L of 2002 on Enactment of the Convention on the Grant of European Patents.
- Regulation (EC) No. 469/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 6, 2009 concerning the supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products.
MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- Paris Convention, Stockholm Act.
- Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), since June 27, 1980.
- European Patent Convention, since January 1, 2003
FILING REQUIREMENTS
- Power of Attorney, simply signed by the applicant, no legalization required (can be filed later);
- Assignment (if the applicant is other than the inventor(s)), no legalization required (can be filed later);
- Application documents can be filed in any language (exceptions: the indication that a patent is sought and the identification of the applicant should be given in Hungarian) comprising specification and abstract; Hungarian translation thereof can be filed within four months, but this term is twelve months if the specification and abstract were filed in English;
- Formal drawings, if any;
- Priority document(s), if any, generally without translation, but the HIPO has the right to request a translation. The priority document should be filed within four months from the filing date; no extension of term is possible).
REMARKS
National Phase of PCT: under Chapter I: 31 months; under Chapter II: 31 months.
Validity: 20 years from the filing date.
Annuities: are accumulated and due on the day of publication.
Opposition: not provided for.
TRADE AND SERVICE MARKS
LEGAL BASIS
- Act No. 11 of 1997 on the Protection of Trade Marks and Geographical Indications, in force as of July 1, 1997; last comprehensive revision by Act XLI of 2023, in force since January 1, 2024.
MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- Paris Convention, Stockholm Act.
- Madrid Agreement, Stockholm Act.
- Madrid Protocol, since October 3, 1997.
FILING REQUIREMENTS
- Name and address of applicant;
- Specification of goods and/or services (International Classification);
- Power of Attorney, signed by the applicant (no legalization, late filing possible);
- A representation of the mark;
- If priority is claimed, priority document must be filed within two months after filing date.
REMARKS
Kinds of protection: trademarks comprising a word or device or a combination of both, two- and three-dimensional designations. Service marks are registrable.
Classification: International.
Obligation to use the registered mark: compulsory. Non-use during any five-year period of effective registration allows any interested party to require cancellation of the registration. Cancellation ex officio on the basis of non-use is excluded.
Duration – renewals: 10-year period from the filing date, renewable for further periods of 10 years.
Opposition: possible within three months from the publication date but on relative grounds only and by persons concerned by the cited prior right.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS
LEGAL BASIS
- Law No. XLVIII of 2001 on Protection of Industrial Designs.
- Decree No. 19/2001 (XI.29), (IM) of the Minister of Justice on Rules of Formal Requirements in Industrial Design cases.
MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
- Paris Convention, Stockholm Act.
- Hague Agreement, since April 7, 1984, Geneva Act, since May 1, 2004
FILING REQUIREMENTS
- Defining the name of the design and preferably the class according to the Locarno Agreement;
- Power of Attorney, simply signed by applicant, no legalization;
- Assignment of priority right;
- 1 copy of drawings or photographs in the size between 3 x 4 cm and 9 x 12 cm, showing the design in the required number of views for identification (in case of electronic filing: up to 100 views in JPG format each having a max. size of 250 kbyte may be uploaded); if colors are significant, then the drawings (photographs) must be colored. Description or written specification is not allowed;
- Priority document (see patents).
REMARKS
Duration – renewals: 5 years. Can be extended for four additional 5-year periods.
Opposition: not provided for.
DOMAIN NAMES
LEGAL BASIS
- Domain Registration Policy, in force as of March 20, 2025.
FILING
- ccTLD: .hu
- Applicant: citizens or legal entities of any country. An applicant who is not: (a) a legal person or a national of a Member State of the EU, the EEA or EFTA, or of a country bordering Hungary; or (b) a natural person with a residence permit in Hungary, is eligible to apply if it carries out an economic or other activity that justifies the use of a .hu domain name. Note: for registration under .tm.hu domain, only domain names that are trademarks of the applicant may be registered.
- Local presence: not required.
REMARKS
Duration – renewals: depends on appointed Registrar; usually one year, renewable.
Uniform dispute resolution procedure: none, but an Alternative Dispute Resolution procedure (ADR) is available.
Frequently Asked Questions — IP Protection in Hungary
What documents are required to register a trademark in Hungary?
To register a trademark in Hungary, the following are required: the name and address of the applicant, a specification of goods and/or services according to the International Classification, a Power of Attorney (signed by the applicant, without legalization; late filing is possible), a representation of the mark, and, if priority is claimed, a priority document filed within two months after the filing date. Trademark registration is governed by Act No. 11 of 1997 on the Protection of Trade Marks and Geographical Indications, in force as of July 1, 1997, with the last comprehensive revision by Act XLI of 2023, in force since January 1, 2024.
Can I register a trademark in Hungary through the international Madrid System?
Hungary is a member of the Madrid Agreement (Stockholm Act) and the Madrid Protocol (since 1997), so international registration through WIPO is also possible.
What kinds of trademarks may be registered in Hungary?
In Hungary, a mark may comprise a word or a device or a combination of both, as well as two- and three-dimensional designations. Service marks are registrable. The International Classification applies.
How long is the trademark opposition period in Hungary?
Opposition to a trademark application in Hungary is possible within three months from the publication date, on relative grounds only and by persons concerned by the cited prior right.
How long does trademark protection last in Hungary?
Trademark protection in Hungary lasts 10 years from the filing date and is renewable for further periods of 10 years.
Must a trademark be used in Hungary?
Yes. Use of the registered mark is compulsory. Non-use during any five-year period of effective registration allows any interested party to request cancellation of the registration. Cancellation ex officio on the basis of non-use is excluded.
What are the routes for filing a patent in Hungary?
Hungary is a member of the Paris Convention (Stockholm Act), the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT, since 1980), and the European Patent Convention (EPC, since 2003). Filing requirements include: a Power of Attorney, simply signed by the applicant, with no legalization required (can be filed later); an assignment if the applicant is other than the inventor(s), with no legalization required (can be filed later); the application documents, comprising the specification and abstract, which can be filed in any language, except that the indication that a patent is sought and the identification of the applicant must be given in Hungarian (a Hungarian translation can be filed within four months, or within twelve months if the specification and abstract were filed in English); formal drawings, if any; and priority document(s), if any, to be filed within four months from the filing date with no extension possible (generally without translation, although HIPO may request one). For PCT national phase entry, the deadline is 31 months under both Chapter I and Chapter II. Patents are valid for 20 years from the filing date. Patent protection is governed by Patent Law No. XXXIII of 1995, in force since January 1, 1996.
How long is the patent opposition period in Hungary?
A patent opposition procedure is not provided for in Hungary.
When are patent annuities due in Hungary?
In Hungary, patent annuities are accumulated and due on the day of publication. Timely payment is essential to keep the patent in force throughout its 20-year validity period. For current deadlines and practitioner guidance, consult Katzarov’s Manual on Industrial Property.
How do I register an industrial design in Hungary?
Industrial designs in Hungary are protected under Law No. XLVIII of 2001 on Protection of Industrial Designs. Filing requires: the name of the design (preferably with its class under the Locarno Agreement), a Power of Attorney simply signed by the applicant (no legalization), an assignment of priority right, drawings or photographs showing the design in the required number of views for identification (colored if colors are significant; electronic filing allows up to 100 views in JPG format), and a priority document if priority is claimed. A description or written specification is not allowed. Hungary is a member of the Paris Convention (Stockholm Act) and the Hague Agreement (since 1984; Geneva Act since 2004). Protection lasts 5 years and can be extended for four additional 5-year periods, for a maximum of 25 years. Opposition is not provided for.
How do I register a .hu domain name?
The .hu domain is Hungary’s country code top-level domain (ccTLD). Citizens and legal entities of any country may apply. An applicant that is not a legal person or national of an EU, EEA or EFTA Member State or of a country bordering Hungary, and not a natural person with a Hungarian residence permit, is eligible if it carries out an economic or other activity that justifies the use of a .hu domain name. Under .tm.hu, only domain names that are trademarks of the applicant may be registered. Local presence is not required. The registration term depends on the appointed registrar, usually one year, renewable. There is no uniform dispute resolution procedure, but an Alternative Dispute Resolution procedure (ADR) is available. Registration is governed by the Domain Registration Policy, in force as of March 20, 2025.
Does the power of attorney need notarization or legalization in Hungary?
In Hungary, the Power of Attorney for trademark, patent, and design filings does not require legalization. A simply signed POA is sufficient, and for patents and trademarks it can be filed after the application. For patents, an assignment (if the applicant is other than the inventor) also requires no legalization and can be filed later.
Where can I search the Hungarian trademark database?
The Hungarian trademark register is maintained by the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO) in Budapest. Searching requires knowledge of the Nice Classification, Hungarian-language considerations, and interpretation of legal status codes. For comprehensive trademark searches and clearance opinions, contact Katzarov’s team.
Where can I search for patents in Hungary?
Patent records in Hungary are maintained by the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO). For professional patent searches, contact Katzarov’s team.
What is the contact information for the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO)?
The Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (Szellemi Tulajdon Nemzeti Hivatala, SZTNH) is located at II. János Pál pápa tér 7, 1081 Budapest, Hungary (postal address: 1438 Budapest, Pf. 415). Phone: +36 (1) 312 4400. Email: sztnh@hipo.gov.hu. Website: sztnh.gov.hu.
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