Penalties and Consequences Hungary

You have purchased a vignette and still received a request to pay an additional fee, and are now wondering how this is possible? We'll give you the answer and help you possibly avoid paying the additional fee.

Penalties for not having a vignette

Failure to comply with these regulations can result in penalties.

What can you consider before departure?

To avoid these penalties, we recommend that you find out what toll regulations apply in Hungary before your trip. You can plan your journey in more detail with our route planner, and with the help of our map on the homepage, you can get a better overview of the toll roads. In addition, our article on tolls in Hungary provides detailed information on the applicable toll regulations.

There is no obligation to carry proof of the digital vignette, as checks are carried out electronically via the license plate. However, keep the purchase confirmation or the control slip for up to three years after expiry, as you will need it for later corrections. Proof of a vignette can be provided by the control slip. If you no longer have this control slip, you should request a copy.

What penalties can you expect?

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Otherwise, the following applies: anyone travelling in Hungary on a toll road without a valid vignette, or who provides incorrect information when purchasing the vignette (incorrect license plate, incorrect country code), must, from 1 January 2026, pay an additional fee of 27,790 forints (around €76) if they settle it within 60 days. Due to the video surveillance of toll roads, you can be certain that you will be detected if you do not have a vignette and will have to pay an additional fee.

What happens if you don't pay your fine?

If the amount is not paid within 60 days, the additional fee increases to 95,730 forints (around €262). The deadline runs from receipt of the payment request, or from the day of inspection in the case of an on-site inspection.

Tolls in Hungary

Vignette requirement

In Hungary, a vignette is mandatory for cars (including those with trailers), motorcycles, vans and other vehicles up to 3.5 t gross vehicle weight, as well as, from 1 January 2026, for all motorhomes, even those over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight. With the so-called e-Matrica (Hungarian vignette), the toll is checked electronically using the license plate. If a vignette is not present while driving on a toll road, an additional fee will be charged.

You can find more detailed information on the various vehicle classes and the toll regulations in Hungary in our guide.

Distance-based toll

You must pay the distance-based toll if your vehicle weighs more than 3.5 t gross vehicle weight. This means that trucks and buses over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight pay a distance-based electronic toll instead of a vignette, which is determined via the HU-GO system (electronic toll collection). Motorhomes are exempt from this: from 1 January 2026, they will need a vignette regardless of weight (category D2 for those over 3.5 t gross vehicle weight).

Fine despite having a vignette

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It is important that you find out exactly which vehicle class your vehicle belongs to before purchasing a digital vignette. Otherwise, additional fees may apply even though you have purchased a vignette. You should also keep the proof (control slip) of purchase of a digital vignette for safekeeping. There are various reasons for an additional fee despite having purchased a vignette:

• Fee category: The fee category of the purchased digital vignette is lower than the fee category that actually applies to the vehicle. Find out more about the various fee categories and the corresponding vehicle classes here.

• Incorrect information: The license plate or country code provided differs from the current license plate or country code. If either of these cases occurs and you have demonstrably entered the license plate and/or country code incorrectly on the control slip when purchasing the digital vignette, you can make a correction. This correction must be made within 60 days of receiving the written request to pay the additional fee. In addition, a correction is only possible if the discrepancy involves a maximum of three characters; it costs 1,470 forints (around €4), but is free of charge in the case of confused characters such as 0 and O or 1 and I.

• Validity of the vignette: The purchased digital vignette is no longer valid or is not yet valid.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant trip!

The additional fee for driving without a valid vignette is significantly higher than the cost of purchasing a vignette. So, if you buy a vignette and have checked all the information you provided, you're on the safe side. Even if you want to avoid toll roads, construction sites or new roads could throw a spanner in the works. If you want a stress-free trip and don't want to receive a payment request for an additional fee, we advise you to buy a vignette for Hungary. You can find more information on tolls in Hungary in our guide. Feel free to also use our route planner to plan your trip optimally and see suitable toll products. If you have any questions, we are always available by email.