Grant a Power of Attorney in Hungary

In Hungary, powers of attorney are used for the representation of both natural persons and companies in many areas. Considering this is a document that has legal bearing, it can be issued in specific forms only and must contain several elements that make it legitimate.

Below, our Hungarian lawyers present the main characteristics of powers of attorney, as well as the situations in which they can be used. Our law firm can help you draft such a document and use it in various situations. If you want to grant a power of attorney in Hungary, our team can help you.

The main elements of a power of attorney in Hungary

To be valid, a power of attorney must contain specific information. The mandatory details are:

• the name of the donor or principal (person or company granting authorization for representation);
• the name or details of the agent or attorney-in-fact (the party assigned to represent the donor);
• the reason for which the document was granted;
• the powers of the agent;
• the date of issuance and termination (if applicable);
• other instructions the agent must respect.

An essential aspect to consider is that when granting the power of attorney in Hungary, the principal (natural person) must meet 2 conditions:

• he/she must be at least 18 years old;
• he/she must be in full mental capacity.

These requirements are meant to protect the donor against unlawful actions carried out by third parties.

Types of Hungarian powers of attorney

There are several types of powers of attorney that can be granted in Hungary, however, they are divided into 2 large categories:

• general ones;
• specific ones.

Our law firm in Hungary can help you understand the difference between powers of attorney when drafting such a document.

General powers of attorney in Hungary

The general power of attorney is widely used as it helps a donor enable an agent to represent him/her/it in various matters. As such, with a single document, the attorney-in-fact can complete one or more actions on behalf of the principal and is characterized by the following:

• it must be put in a public deed or a private deed of full probative force, and if issued indefinitely or for more than 5 years it lapses after 5 years;
• it allows the agent to represent the donor even when the latter is incapacitated;
• it can also be used to represent the principal post-mortem (which is often the case when dealing with inheritance matters).

Should you want to grant a power of attorney in Hungary, feel free to set up an appointment with our lawyers.

The limited power of attorney in Hungary

It is also possible to issue limited powers of attorney in Hungary. They are usually used in resolving specific matters and end as soon as the agent carries the task to end. Such a document is often used for:

1. opening a company in Hungary;
2. buying a property in this country.

Apart from support in drafting such documents, our lawyers in Hungary can also offer representation through a power of attorney whenever needed.

Who can act as an agent in Hungary?

Since we mentioned our legal representation services, it is useful to know that you can appoint the following as an agent when executing a Hungarian power of attorney:

• a person close to you, such as a relative, if you are a natural person;
• a specialized agent, such as a law firm, which is also our case.

We recommend choosing the agent carefully, especially when dealing with matters that require procedures completed with various authorities.

Apostilled powers of attorney

To be valid abroad, a Hungarian power of attorney must be apostilled, in accordance with the Hague Apostille Convention. Here are some useful details about it:

• the Convention was adopted in 1961 and entered into force in 1965;
• at the moment, it has more than 125 signatory countries;
• Canada joined in 2024 (in force since 11 January 2024), and further states, such as Algeria in 2026, have joined since.

Feel free to rely on our lawyers in various international matters, among which is support in immigration to Hungary, including filing for residency and citizenship in Hungary. Some of the procedures can be completed based on a power of attorney, so contact us for assistance.