In Hungary, proving your address is routine. You will present it more often than you expect.

If you recently arrived as a third-country national, you likely hold an accommodation slip – the szálláshelybejelentő lap. The immigration authority issues it. The document carries a QR code, and officials scan that code to confirm where you live. It proves your address. However, it does not place you in the same administrative category as someone holding a lakcímkártya.

The lakcímkártya is the laminated address card most Hungarian citizens carry. The Kormányablak issues it. It displays your registered Hungarian address, your personal identification number, and a barcode for verification.

Your legal status determines which document you receive.

Hungarian citizens receive a lakcímkártya automatically. EEA nationals receive one after they obtain a registration certificate. Third-country family members of EEA citizens receive one once the authorities grant their residence card. Third-country nationals with permanent residence qualify as well. Recognised refugees and those granted subsidiary protection qualify too.

By contrast, if you hold only a temporary residence permit, you generally remain on the accommodation slip system.

That distinction influences everything else — from banking access to long-term administrative rights.

Registration Certificate, Residence Card, Address Card

A registration certificate (regisztrációs igazolás) confirms your right of residence as an EEA national.
Similarly, a residence card (tartózkodási kártya) confirms the right of residence for a third-country family member of an EEA citizen.

However, neither document proves your address.

Instead, Act LXVI of 1992 links those residence documents to the lakcímkártya. Once the authority issues your registration certificate or residence card, the law grants you the right to a Hungarian address card. You do not submit a separate application. Rather, the system connects the steps automatically.

That changed in practice in February 2025.

Previously, officials processed the physical card as a routine outcome. Now, the administration supports digital address verification through the DÁP app. As a result, the physical card no longer appears as the automatic default. It remains available; however, the system now assumes digital sufficiency unless you confirm otherwise.

At the same time, when you initiate the immigration procedure, you must pay the issuance and mailing fee for the lakcímkártya. In 2026, that total remains 5,700 HUF. Meanwhile, the immigration procedure fees – 1,000 HUF for a registration certificate or 15,000 HUF for a residence card – remain separate and go directly to the National Directorate General for Immigration.

So although the law grants the right to the address card, the physical version now requires both confirmation and payment.

Official reference remains here:
https://oif.gov.hu

Permanent, Temporary – and Where You “Exist”

Hungary recognises a permanent address (lakóhely) and, if needed, a temporary address (tartózkodási hely).

Your permanent address is where authorities reasonably expect to find you. If you move, you must update it within three working days. Not three weeks. Not “when things settle”.

A temporary address can be registered if you plan to stay somewhere for more than three months without giving up your permanent address. Hungarians do this routinely when students move for university but keep their parents’ home as their official base.

If you only have a permanent address, your lakcímkártya does not expire. If you also have a temporary address, that element must be renewed every five years, and the expiry date appears on the card.

Again, small details. Significant consequences.

Registering the Address Itself

You cannot register an address without the property owner’s consent.

If you own the property, proof of ownership is enough. If you rent, the landlord must either sign the registration form or your rental agreement must be properly witnessed or notarised. Where there are multiple owners, all must consent, or one must be formally authorised to act for the others.

In theory, this is straightforward. In practice, administrators sometimes interpret documentation differently. Having the lease properly attested saves time.

Registration can be handled in person at a Kormányablak or online (you’ll need an Ügyfélkapu+ or DÁP login). If handled online, the card is mailed. Even in person, it is often posted rather than handed over immediately.

Digital Proof vs Physical Reality

Hungary’s Digital Citizenship Programme allows digital identity verification. The address can technically be proven through the app.

But as of February 2026, the legal framework for identity verification still expects the combination of an identity document and the address card.

Banks, in particular, default to caution. Opening an account, applying for a loan, localising a driver’s licence, or subscribing to certain post-paid services is materially easier with the physical lakcímkártya in hand.

Digital proof is accepted in low-risk contexts. The physical card still anchors high-stakes ones.

Why This Connects to TAJ

Your registered address feeds into healthcare databases. If your address is inconsistent across systems, TAJ administration becomes slower, occasionally messy.

I covered that intersection in detail here:
Hungarian TAJ Card: The 2025 Guide

In Hungary, administrative systems cross-check relentlessly. Alignment is not cosmetic.

FAQ: Address Card in Hungary (lakcímkártya)

What is the difference between an accommodation slip and a lakcímkártya?
An accommodation slip (szálláshelybejelentő lap) is typically issued to temporary third-country nationals and contains a QR code for digital verification. A lakcímkártya is a laminated address card issued to Hungarian citizens, EEA nationals with registration certificates, permanent residents, and certain protected statuses. The two documents are not interchangeable.

Do I need to apply separately for the lakcímkártya after receiving a registration certificate or residence card?
No. Under Act LXVI of 1992, you are entitled to the address card automatically once you receive a registration certificate or residence card. However, the issuance and mailing fee must be paid during the immigration procedure.

How much does the Address Card in Hungary cost in 2026?
The issuance fee is 3,700 HUF and the mailing fee is 2,000 HUF, totalling 5,700 HUF in most cases. Children under 14 do not pay the issuance fee but still pay for mailing.

Can I rely only on the DÁP app instead of getting the physical card?
As of February 2026, digital verification through DÁP is not universally accepted. Many banks and regulated institutions still require the physical lakcímkártya for account opening, lending and identity verification.

What happens if I don’t update my address within three working days?
Hungarian law requires address changes to be reported within three working days. Failing to update your address can create administrative complications, particularly with immigration records, banking compliance and healthcare registration.

Beauty doesn’t require registration. Life in Hungary does.