Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Hungary

Lawyers who help foreigners with a home, land or savings in Hungary make a valid will, at a notary or as a private written will, and consider which country's law should govern their estate.
lawyers in Hungary
2
cases in this service
11
clients' rating in Hungary
4.96 ★

About Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Hungary

Making a will in Hungary means writing a last will and testament, in Hungarian végrendelet, that Hungarian notaries and courts will accept. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Make a last Will & Testament”. A Hungarian will can be made before a notary (közjegyző) as a public will (közvégrendelet), or as a private written will, either holográf (entirely handwritten) or allográf (written by someone else or typed, signed in front of witnesses). This page is for foreigners and expats who own property or keep money in Hungary, and for Hungarians abroad. English-speaking lawyers registered in Hungary can draft the will and explain the choices.

Who usually needs it

  • Owners of a flat or a country house in Hungary who live, or will retire, elsewhere.
  • Mixed couples who want the surviving partner protected.
  • Parents with children from different relationships.
  • People who already have a will at home and want to know whether it works for their Hungarian assets.

How it works in Hungary

A public will is drawn up and kept by the notary, who checks identity and capacity; it is recorded in the national register of wills (Végrendeletek Országos Nyilvántartása). A private will is valid only when its strict form is kept; it can be deposited with a notary or a lawyer so that it is found after a death. The notary works in Hungarian, so an interpreter or a bilingual text is common for a foreign testator.

Points to watch

Under the EU Succession Regulation, the estate is normally governed by the law of the country where the person last lived; a will can instead choose the law of the person's nationality. Close relatives may still have a forced share (kötelesrész) under Hungarian law, which a will cannot simply remove. Two wills in two countries can work together, or cancel each other by accident.

What a lawyer does

A lawyer explains the forms, drafts the text, arranges the witnesses or the notary, deposits and registers the will, and checks how it fits a will made in another country. What happens to the estate later is described under inheritance; a will that relatives dispute is covered under contesting a will. Buyers often think of a will when they buy property in Hungary. Related services are listed under probate law.

Questions and answers

Is a will made in my home country valid in Hungary?

Often it is, if it meets the formal rules of the place where it was made or of the testator's nationality. A lawyer checks the specific document.

Does a will in Hungary have to be made at a notary?

No. A private written will is valid when its form is kept; a notary's will is harder to dispute and is registered automatically.

Can I write my will myself?

Yes, a will written entirely in one's own hand and signed is a recognised form. A typed will needs witnesses.

Where is a will kept?

With the testator, or deposited with a notary or a lawyer and recorded in the register, so the notary in charge of the probate can find it.

2 lawyers who provide Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Hungary

Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.

  • Peter, lawyer in Budapest

    Peter

    Lawyer · Budapest, Hungary

    • 199 cases handled · 10 in this service
    • 10+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, German, Hungarian
    • Law, University of Pécs
    • 4.94(17 reviews)
    Contact Peter
  • Gábor István, lawyer in Budapest

    Gábor István

    Lawyer · Budapest, Hungary

    • 20 cases handled · 1 in this service
    • 12+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, German, Hungarian
    • Degree in law, University of Pécs
    • 5.00(1 review)
    Contact Gábor István
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Other probate law services in Hungary

All probate law services in Hungary

What our clients say about our service in Hungary

  • The lawyer handled my request very well, and his English was perfect. I am completely satisfied.
    — Carl
    18 Feb 2025
  • In 2021 my wife and I moved from America to Spain, where we found out that Spanish law required each of us to have a will if one of us died, so the survivor could reach the cash in our Spanish bank accounts. In 2025 we contacted the lawyer to get this done. She speaks good English and carried out the task expertly and efficiently, even joining us at the notary's office to finalize the paperwork. We were so pleased that we also hired her for our Spanish taxes for 2025. They were done perfectly too, and we even received a refund. I would definitely recommend her for any need under Spanish law. The fees were very reasonable and well earned.
    — Lucky
    17 Aug 2026
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • She was always very helpful, and I would recommend her.
    — Jeffrey
    07 Jul 2026
  • Professional advice sorted out all my requests; I am very satisfied.
    — Michael
    03 Jul 2026
  • The lawyer was exemplary. A matter concerning a will needed immediate attention during my stay in the country, and he handled the legal review, the notarial consultation and the procurement of witnesses fast, reliably and efficiently, with professional expertise. When you need legal advice in Portugal, he is the person to go to.
    — Steve
    11 Jun 2026
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • The lawyer in Oviedo gave us great service, with a professional and friendly manner. His English is excellent, and he planned everything well, including the help with the notary. Thank you!
    — Goe
    30 Jan 2026
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • The lawyer has helped my family for many years, always fantastic and consistent, with good communication throughout. She is very professional and knowledgeable, and always on hand to answer questions and offer good advice. I would recommend her; she is first class.
    — Kate
    10 Dec 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • What a service! The lawyer is by far the most professional, thorough and helpful lawyer or solicitor I have dealt with, and my international affairs mean I have worked with plenty. When we wanted our wills drawn up, we did not want them under Spanish law. He saw to it that they were prepared and secured under the laws of our home countries and yet fully valid here in Gran Canaria under Spanish law. My wife is 78 and needed to sell her apartment while keeping the right to live in it for the rest of her life (at least 30 years), at an agreed lower rent and with usufruct rights, so that she would get cash from the sale without losing her home. He sorted that out too. He arranged everything, the notary included, and provided us with English translations of the Spanish contract. I cannot stress enough that he was available at any time by phone, email or WhatsApp. He even went through everything with us at the notary's office, and whenever something was unclear or not in our favour, he had it redrafted again and again. His integrity, professionalism and commitment to his clients are the best I have ever met. If you need a lawyer in Gran Canaria who speaks excellent English and keeps cool under the heaviest pressure, he is the one to have beside you. Simply the best is what you get, as the song says. If you fear he will be expensive, there is no need: I paid more in the UK and Germany, among other countries where I needed legal representation. Both my British wife and I have hired him several times by now, and we will always keep returning to him, whatever else comes up. This review is long, I know, but I could say much more about his superb work. If you are not yet convinced, there is nothing more I can say. Until next time, to a legal-knowledge computer on two legs, and a wonderful one!
    — Michael
    27 Jun 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • She was very professional and knowledgeable about the law, and also kind and empathetic when we discussed my options on a very personal point. The assistance was excellent and I would recommend her without hesitation.
    — Jennifer
    29 May 2025
  • The lawyer was personal and professional while writing and filing my Will. She is friendly, and she could advise me on the complexities of a Will in Portugal and on the legal requirements, which differ from those of Australia, where I am a national.
    — Michael
    24 Mar 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • Friendly, patient and easy to understand.
    — Darren
    26 Feb 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • I needed a Will covering my Spanish assets and so returned to the lawyer who had already done an excellent job when we bought our property. She was just as professional this time: she listened to what I needed and then drafted a Will that fitted it. Within days it was all finished, an amazing job. I would gladly use these services again, and without any hesitation.
    — Robert
    27 Jan 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)