Company formation for non-residents
We register a Kft - a private limited liability company with full foreign ownership, access to the EU single market and the lowest corporate tax rate in the European Union. We prepare the incorporation documents, arrange your registered office, handle tax registration through a local representative and support the opening of your corporate account. The entire process is handled remotely, by power of attorney, with no need to visit the country.
A quick overview of the corporate, tax and annual requirements in Hungary for non-residents.
A private limited liability company, the Hungarian equivalent of an LLC. The most common structure for international business. A single-member version is known as egyszemelyes Kft.
No restrictions on nationality or residency. A single member can also act as director. The tax number and VAT number are issued automatically upon registration.
The director may be a non-resident. Every non-resident needs a local agent to receive official correspondence. A registered office in the country is required.
A flat corporate tax rate of 9%, the lowest in the European Union. There is also a local business tax of up to 2% on turnover, set by the municipality.
A minimum of HUF 3 million, around EUR 7,500, with each member holding at least HUF 100,000. It does not need to be paid before registration and can be used for operations straight away.
A licensed accountant is mandatory, with annual financial statements filed electronically and a tax return due by 31 May. An audit is only required if the statutory thresholds are exceeded.
The final cost depends on the chosen package, industry, company structure and any additional tasks involved in the project.
Information current as of July 2026.
From basic registration to a full launch with corporate support and the opening of a bank account.
Company registration and address
Full registration support
With banking support
For launching a company with a prepared banking route and support all the way through to the completion of the account opening process.
Important: banking support does not guarantee that an account will be opened. The final decision rests with the bank or EMI after reviewing the profile of the company and its beneficial owners.
Hungary suits projects that need an EU company with the lowest corporate tax and a convenient holding regime. The whole registration is remote, by power of attorney.
Holding group shares and assets. Dividends from subsidiaries and gains on the sale of shares are tax-exempt where the conditions are met.
Software and SaaS. The low tax rate and the KIVA regime ease the burden for teams with high payroll costs. Full foreign ownership.
A legal entity for consulting and professional services. Work with clients worldwide, with fast remote registration.
Import, export and deals across the EU. A VAT number is issued immediately, with trade inside the single market and no customs borders.
Corporate tax of nine per cent, the lowest rate in the European Union. Service teams can also use the alternative KIVA regime.
Over 80 double tax treaties. No withholding tax on dividends, interest or royalties paid to companies.
Dividends and gains on the sale of shares are exempt where the conditions are met. A convenient base for a group of companies or a regional headquarters.
A member of the EU and the Schengen area. Access to the single market, free movement of goods and the parent-subsidiary directives.
We register a Kft remotely, by power of attorney. From your side we need a basic set of documents, and we prepare and file the rest through a local attorney. Below is what to gather on your end and what conditions the jurisdiction sets.
The set of documents depends on the ownership structure. Foreign documents are accepted with an apostille and a certified translation into Hungarian. No personal visit to the country is required.
No restrictions on nationality or residency. A single member can also act as director. No local partner is required, and shares are registered.
The company is assigned a tax number (Adoszam) by NAV. Every non-resident without an address in Hungary needs a local agent to receive correspondence, and this service is included in our packages.
A minimum of HUF 3 million, around EUR 7,500, with each member holding at least HUF 100,000. It does not need to be paid before registration and can be used for operations straight away.
The company needs a registered address in Hungary for official correspondence. The address appears in the register, so a service provider address is commonly used. Providing an address is included in our packages.
A licensed accountant is mandatory, along with annual financial statements and a corporate tax return due by 31 May. An audit is only needed if the turnover and headcount thresholds are exceeded.
Hungary has a single corporate tax rate, the lowest in the EU. Below are the rates, the annual reporting and how withholding tax works for non-residents.
9%
A single rate on profit, the lowest in the European Union. Plus a local business tax of up to two per cent on turnover.
KIVA
A single tax at ten per cent instead of corporate tax and part of the social contributions. Best for teams with high payroll costs.
by 31 May
The annual return is filed electronically by 31 May. Advance payments are made quarterly or monthly depending on the tax amount.
0% to companies
No withholding tax on dividends, interest or royalties paid to companies. For individuals it is fifteen per cent, which may be reduced by a tax treaty.
A single rate of nine per cent on profit, regardless of region. One of the lowest rates in the world.
Up to two per cent on turnover, set by the municipality. Interest and dividends are excluded from the base.
A standard rate of 27 per cent, with reduced rates of 18 and 5. The VAT number is issued immediately upon registration.
Dividends from subsidiaries are exempt. Gains on the sale of shares are exempt where the ownership conditions are met.
Keep accounts and prepare annual financial statements
File the corporate tax return by 31 May
Submit annual financial statements electronically
Make advance tax payments during the year
File VAT returns and report invoices in real time
Undergo an audit if the turnover and headcount thresholds are exceeded
Pay the annual Chamber of Commerce contribution
An audit is only mandatory if the statutory turnover and headcount thresholds are exceeded. No withholding tax is deducted on dividends, interest or royalties paid to companies, subject to EU directives and tax treaties.
Information current as of July 2026.
The banking route depends on the company's activity, the geography of payments and the profile of the beneficial owners. Non-residents can use Hungarian banks and European EMI providers with IBAN details and SEPA access, as well as payment-acceptance solutions.
For day-to-day operations and settlements in forints and euros. We select a bank or EMI provider to fit the company profile, from options such as OTP Bank, K&H Bank and Erste Bank, as well as Wise, Revolut Business and Payoneer.
For retail sales and working with platforms. Card payments or payment links, and for integration into a website or app, payment gateways such as Stripe and PayPal.
We prepare the company profile before submission, so the bank's requirements are addressed in advance and the client passes the KYC and AML checks.
We assess the activity, the geography of payments and the banks' requirements before submission.
We support the project from the initial review through to receiving the corporate documents and completing any agreed additional tasks. We act as your corporate agent under Hungarian requirements.
We review the ownership structure, the members, the planned activity and the source documents, and check the requirements for beneficial owners and apostille before we start.
We check and approve the name, prepare the articles of association and support the filing with the Company Register by power of attorney, through to the certificate of registration and company number.
A resident director is not required by law. We arrange the registered office in Hungary, appoint a local agent to receive correspondence and file the beneficial owner details in line with the chosen package.
We register the company for tax and obtain the tax number (Adoszam) from NAV, appoint a licensed accountant and, if needed, help with VAT registration and support with account opening.
The process covers the initial review, name approval, document preparation, filing with the Company Register by power of attorney and tax registration. Most of the steps are handled remotely.
Hungary does not solve every task. For some projects another European jurisdiction or a classic offshore works better, and we will help you find the right one.
In Hungary a licensed accountant, monthly reporting and real-time invoice reporting to the tax authority are mandatory. If you need the simplest possible launch with minimal administration, it is worth comparing other EU jurisdictions.
Worth considering: Lithuania, Cyprus, Ireland
Hungary's national currency is the forint, and a forint account is usually needed for taxes and salaries. If your entire turnover is in euros and avoiding currency conversions matters, it is worth comparing eurozone jurisdictions.
Worth considering: Cyprus, Malta, Lithuania
Hungary is a solid EU jurisdiction, but for some tasks a top-tier common-law environment matters more. If global reputation and common law are the priority, it is worth comparing other options.
Worth considering: United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta
Hungary offers participation exemption for holding, but sometimes a jurisdiction with simpler administration or a different tax profile is more convenient. If an EU holding structure is the priority, it is worth comparing the alternatives.
Worth considering: Cyprus, Malta, Estonia
Not sure whether Hungary fits your project? In a consultation we will honestly assess your task and suggest the best jurisdiction.
If Hungary is not a full fit on structure, tax burden or running costs, compare the alternatives on the key parameters.
| Jurisdiction | Best for | Taxes | Administration | Banks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ireland | Best for IT, SaaS, pharma, European headquarters. | Taxes A 12.5% rate on trading income, one of the lowest in the EU. | Administration Moderate, audit only if thresholds are exceeded. | Banks EU banks and fintechs, strict compliance. |
 Portugal | Best for An EU company, single-market access, the Madeira regime. | Taxes A 19% rate, reduced to 15 on the first 50,000 euros for small companies. | Administration Moderate, audit only if thresholds are exceeded. | Banks EU banks and fintechs, SEPA access. |
 Cyprus | Best for Holdings, IP structures, international trade in the EU. | Taxes A 15% rate from 2026, zero withholding tax on dividends. | Administration Above average, mandatory audit for all companies. | Banks EU banks and fintechs, SEPA access. |
 Lithuania | Best for IT, fintech, trade and e-commerce with SEPA access. | Taxes A 17% rate, reduced 7% and 0 for the first year for small companies. | Administration Moderate, audit only if thresholds are exceeded. | Banks EU banks and fintechs, strong EMI infrastructure. |
We will help you compare jurisdictions on taxes, banking, annual costs and structural requirements to suit your task.
Every project is unique. We tailor the solution to the specific task, jurisdiction and business model of the client.
Hungary The client imported electronics from China and Turkey and sold wholesale to Poland and Germany. He was operating as a sole trader, but large European retailers refused to sign contracts with an individual, and payments to Asian suppliers kept getting stuck at the bank. He needed an EU company with a working account and SEPA access.
Solution: We registered a Kft, arranged the registered office and tax number, and registered it for VAT for operations within the EU. We appointed a licensed accountant. The account was opened with OTP Bank, and a second one with Wise for settlements with Asian suppliers. We helped put together the dossier for a foreign-trade profile.
My biggest worry was getting stuck on the account opening. I'd heard plenty of stories about banks bouncing payments from Asia. In the end, with the dossier ready, it went through fine; there were a couple of questions, but nothing serious. The Germans now sign contracts without any fuss.
Hungary The client sold homeware through marketplaces and her own website, kept her stock in Poland, and had buyers across Europe. Sales were growing, and working through an intermediary no longer suited her, she wanted her own EU entity, card payments direct, and the option to add Amazon without the usual hassle.
Solution: We registered a Kft and set up VAT and OSS for cross-border sales within the EU. Because of the large payroll for the support team, we suggested the KIVA regime, which worked out cheaper than standard tax. The account was opened with K&H Bank, we connected Stripe for payments and got her selling on Amazon in the EU.
I'm not a finance person for me the main thing was that money from buyers came in without delays and without tax surprises. With OSS I stopped working out VAT for each country separately, which was a lifesaver. I had my doubts about KIVA at first, but the numbers really did come out cheaper.
Hungary The founder was building a SaaS product for logistics and planning to move to Europe with his family. He needed more than just a company, a package deal: an EU entity for the product and investors, plus a basis for a residence permit. His only concerns were the high VAT and keeping operating costs under control.
Solution: We registered a Kft, registered it for tax and brought in an accountant. The 9% profit tax turned out to be noticeably lower than he had expected in the EU. The account was opened with OTP Bank. We helped prepare the company documents as a basis for a later residence permit application on the entrepreneur route, and explained what the immigration office would ask for.
I wanted the company and the move to go together, not as two separate stories. My biggest worry was tax. I assumed everything in Europe was complicated and expensive. In practice the rate was low, and with the residence permit the process was slow but transparent.
If you didn't find the answer to your question, leave a request and we'll look at your situation personally.
Get a consultationThere's no catch. The corporate tax rate in Hungary is 9 per cent, the lowest rate in the European Union and set in law. There is also a local business tax of up to 2 per cent on turnover, the amount of which depends on the municipality. For companies with a large payroll there is an alternative regime, KIVA, at 10 per cent, which replaces corporate tax and part of the social contributions. Which option works out better depends on your cost structure and type of activity - we work this out for the specific project.
The main structure is the Kft, a private limited liability company, the equivalent of an LLC. It suits trade, IT, consulting and holding companies. A single member is allowed, who can also be the director. For larger projects there are the joint-stock forms Zrt and Nyrt, but for most purposes a Kft is enough.
The minimum share capital for a Kft is HUF 3 million, around EUR 7,500, with each member holding at least HUF 100,000. You do not have to pay the full amount before registration, and the funds can go straight into the company's operations. The state fee for simplified electronic registration is minimal.
Yes, registration is handled entirely remotely by power of attorney, with no need to visit Hungary. By law the documents are filed by a Hungarian attorney, who also certifies the incorporation documents. Foreign documents are accepted with an apostille and a certified translation into Hungarian. A visit may only be needed later if the bank requires you to be present in person to open the account.
A resident director is not required by law, and a non-resident can own and run the company. However, every member and director without an address in Hungary must appoint a local agent to receive official correspondence. A registered office in the country is also required. Both services are included in our packages.
The company must keep accounts with a licensed accountant and file annual financial statements electronically. The corporate tax return is due by 31 May of the following year, and advance payments are made quarterly or monthly depending on the tax amount. An audit is only needed if the turnover and headcount thresholds are exceeded.
The standard VAT rate is 27 per cent, the highest in the EU, with reduced rates of 18 and 5 per cent for certain categories. The VAT number is issued automatically on registration, with no separate registration required. For cross-border sales within the EU it's convenient to use the OSS system, so you don't report VAT in each country separately.
No, there is no strict requirement to keep the account only with a Hungarian bank. For taxes and salaries it's usually convenient to have a forint account with a local bank, such as OTP or K&H. Alongside this you can use European EMI providers such as Wise or Revolut Business, with IBAN details and SEPA access. We tailor the route to your activity and the geography of payments.
Yes, Hungary is convenient for holding structures. Dividends from subsidiaries are tax-exempt, and gains on the sale of shares are exempt where the holding-period conditions are met. No withholding tax is deducted on dividends, interest or royalties paid to companies. This makes Hungary a solid base for a group of companies or a regional headquarters.
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