Penalties and Consequences Hungary
Before you set off on your trip to Hungary, you should be aware that in Hungary the toll is paid either by means of a vignette or via the distance-based toll. To avoid penalties, it is therefore crucial to know who is subject to the vignette requirement and who must pay the distance-based toll.
Have you purchased a vignette and still received a fine notice and are now wondering how that’s possible? We’ll give you the answer and help you possibly avoid having to pay the fine.
Penalties for Not Having a Vignette
If you do not comply with these regulations, you may face penalties.
What should you consider before departure?
To avoid these penalties, we recommend finding out before your trip which toll regulations apply in Hungary. You can plan your route in more detail with our route planner, and our map on the homepage can help you get a better overview of the toll roads. Our article on tolls in Hungary also explains the applicable toll regulations in detail.
We also recommend that you keep all receipts for the purchase of the digital vignette with you during your trip. Proof of a vignette can be provided via the control slip. If you no longer have this control slip, you should request a copy.
What penalties can you expect?
Otherwise, the following applies: anyone driving on Hungarian motorways without a vignette, or who provides incorrect details when purchasing the vignette (incorrect license plate, wrong country code), must expect a fine of 16,200 forints (approx. €40). Thanks to video monitoring of toll roads, you can be sure that if you do not have a vignette, you will be flagged and receive a fine.
What happens if you don’t pay your penalty?
If the amount is not paid within 60 days, the already imposed fine increases to 64,850 forints (approx. €162).
Tolls in Hungary
Vignette requirement
In Hungary there is a vignette requirement for cars, vehicle combinations, and motorhomes up to 3.5 t GVW. With the so-called e-Matrica (Hungarian vignette), the toll is checked electronically using the license plate. If you drive on a toll road without one, you risk fines.
You can find more detailed information about 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 GVW. This means that motorhomes, buses, and trucks have had to pay a distance-based electronic toll since January 2024, determined via the HU-GO system (electronic toll collection). The distance-based toll therefore replaces the vignette.
Fine Despite Having a Vignette
It’s important to find out exactly which vehicle class your vehicle belongs to before purchasing a digital vignette. Otherwise, additional charges may apply even if you have purchased a vignette. You should also carry the proof (control slip) of your digital vignette purchase with you while traveling, just to be safe. There are several reasons why you might receive a fine despite having purchased a vignette:
Fee category: The purchased fee category of the digital vignette is in a lower category than the category the vehicle actually falls into. Find out here about the different fee categories and the corresponding vehicle classes.
Incorrect details: The stated license plate and/or nationality code differs from the current license plate and/or nationality code. If either of these cases occurs and you can prove that you entered the license plate and/or nationality code incorrectly on the control slip when purchasing the digital vignette, you can request 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 deviation is a maximum of three characters, and a change fee (approx. €5) is charged.
Vignette validity: The purchased digital vignette is no longer valid or is not yet valid.
The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!
The fine for driving without a valid vignette is significantly higher than the cost of buying a vignette. So if you purchase a vignette and double-check all the details you entered, you’ll be on the safe side. Even if you want to avoid vignette-required roads, construction sites or new roads can disrupt your plans. If you want a stress-free trip and don’t want to receive a fine notice, we recommend buying a vignette for Hungary. You can find more information about tolls in Hungary in our guide. Feel free to use our route planner to plan your trip optimally and have suitable toll products displayed. If you have any questions, you can reach us anytime via email.
