An online register of all Hungarian land registries has been recently introduced in Hungary. This means that all public and official data for each piece of real property in Hungary is available through a single URL address (www.takarnet.hu). The information available is identical to the information received when obtaining a hard copy of a property sheet from the Land Registry. It includes the exact location of the property (address and topographical lot number, its area, its registered owner, all encumbrances over the property as well as all pending registrations, referred to as "marginal notes").
The detailed regulations in respect of the online register are set out in Decree 41/2002 (V.12) of the Ministry of Agriculture and County Development ("Ministry"). The online land register is maintained and operated by the Land Surveyor and Telecommunication Institute ("Institute") which is a public body of the Ministry. In order to establish a direct connection to the online land register, an application must be filed to the land and map department of the Ministry, addressed to the attention of Mrs. Piroska Zalaba. If the application is approved by the Ministry, a service agreement is concluded with the Institute and HUF 62,500 (approx. EUR 250) must be paid as a lump sum access fee. Once the access fee is credited to the bank account of the Institute, the Institute will issue a CD, which contains an individualized digital access code, an internet browser software, a software to read and print the online property sheets in the applicable format, general terms and conditions and a user manual.
The access code enables the client to enter into the website database and search for the particulars of the target property either on the basis of the address or the topographical lot number of the property. A map of a property may be also downloaded from the website. It is important to note that all property sheets and maps which have been printed from the website are unofficial (not "authentic" documents). Also, the user must pay a separate internet service charge for the online communication connection and an applicable fee for each download. The Institute issues its invoice on a monthly basis in accordance with the costs of the generated property sheets and maps in the given month.
Ormai és Társai CMS Cameron McKenna was one of the first law firms to apply for and has received full rights to on-line access.
For further information please contact Dr. Gábor Czike at gabor.czike@cms-cmck.com or on +36 1 4834800.
