Services aimed at the operation of camp sites fall within the range of accommodation services. In the Standard Classification of Economic Activities (TEÁOR'08), accommodation services aimed at the operation of camp sites fall within Accommodation Services Sector 55; more specifically, into sub-category 55.3 (55.30) Camping services.

Accommodation services must, on an ongoing basis, satisfy the licensing and operating requirements discussed herein below; it is not sufficient to verify the fulfilment of these requirements solely during the course of the licensing procedure and the relevant authority may at any time investigate the ongoing fulfilment of these requirements.

A camp site is a type of accommodation facility solely created on the given premises for the purposes of accommodation services where separate plots (plot units) and/or bungalows are provided for guests and their vehicles for accommodation purposes (hereinafter collectively referred to as „accommodation unit”) as well as other service facilities are made available (for instance, bathroom units for the purposes of cleaning, laundry, cooking and general hygiene, reception service, etc.). A camp site must have minimum nine accommodation units.

Camping services may be provided in an area which is fenced off and is dust-free, where there is precipitation drainage, there are interior paths suitable for the purposes of vehicular traffic and there is public lighting on the entire premises.

A telephone for minimum emergency calls must be available for guests at camp sites.

The average size of one plot unit must reach 40 square metres.

At a camp site, there must be

1. separate showers and wash basins with hot and cold water (with shelf, mirror and plug point per wash basin),
2. separate flush toilets (with toilet brush and brush holder, toilet paper and toilet paper holder and hand-wash basin)

for each sex.

Cooking, laundry and washing-up blocks must be created for guests on the premises of camp sites.

Waste collection points must be available on the premises of camp sites which must be regularly emptied and looked after.

A separate bathroom unit for cleaning, laundry, cooking and general hygiene purposes must be provided for every 250 persons, in such a way that on average 2.5 persons should fall on each unit of area. If, however, accommodation services are also provided in bungalows on the premises of the camp site, the number of guests that may be put up in bungalows must be disregarded upon the calculation of compliance with the following criteria in respect of items which are available in such bungalows. In the case of operation throughout the year, these services must be provided on heated premises during the heating season. According to the calculation above, the following must be available in each bathroom unit:

1. 4 wash basins, with minimum 2 with hot water,
2. 4 shower cabins, with minimum 2 with hot water,
3. 7 toilets,
4. 1 urinal,
5. 1 sink for washing up with hot water,
6. 1 laundry sink with hot water,
7. 1 cooking point,
8. 1 chemical toilet sink.

A round-the-clock reception or entry service must be available at camp sites. The premises in common use and the public premises of the camp site must be cleaned with daily regularity. 

Procedures related to commencement of and engagement in service activities

The clerk of the local government with jurisdiction based on the location of the accommodation facility, while in Budapest, the clerk of the district local government proceeds as the authority overseeing accommodation services based on the appointment of the Government.

Accommodation services may only be provided in an accommodation facility with an accommodation licence issued by the clerk of the local government in the locality of the facility.

A request for an accommodation licence may be submitted in person verbally or in writing or in writing by mail to the clerk with jurisdiction based on the location of the facility (mayor’s office). Requests at present cannot be submitted electronically for technical reasons.

The following must be stated in the accommodation licence request:

• name, address or head office of accommodation provider,
• tax identification number and statistical number of accommodation provider,
• address, topographical lot number and block plan of accommodation facility,
• capacity of accommodation facility: number of guest rooms and, in the case of camp sites, number of units, and number of beds,
• grounds for use of accommodation facility,
• name of accommodation facility,
• the accommodation type for which accommodation provider requests operating licence,
• whether the accommodation provider wishes to produce, use or sell foodstuffs and food ingredients on the premises of the accommodation facility,
• whether the accommodation provider requests an on-site inspection.

The following must be enclosed with the accommodation licence request:

1. in the case of an accommodation facility which is not the applicant’s property, deed verifying the grounds for the use of the accommodation facility or a copy thereof, not including the title sheet,
2. in the case of an accommodation facility encumbered with usufruct, if the accommodation provider is not the owner or usufructuary beneficiary, deed verifying usufructuary beneficiary’s consent,
3. in the case of an accommodation facility in joint ownership, if not all co-owners proceed as accommodation providers, deed verifying co-owners’ consent, and duties payable for the procedure paid in the form of duty stamps.

A variety of technical authorities participate in the procedure instituted for the issuance of an accommodation licence. The service provider intending to operate the accommodation facility need not contact these authorities; the authority conducting the licensing procedure contacts them. However, in combination with the duty payable for the licensing procedure, the client must also pay the duties for the proceedings of these authorities, and payment of these duties must be verified in the course of the submission of the request. There is no scope for requesting the preliminary position of the technical authorities in the proceedings; at the same time, the processing time limit available to such technical authorities is included in the general processing time limit.

If requested by the accommodation provider in its request, the clerk provides for the organisation of an on-site inspection with the attendance of the proceeding authorities. The purpose of this inspection is to accelerate the procedure as far as possible. In the course of the procedure, the clerk obtains the details of the owners and beneficiaries of the accommodation property and the title sheet for the verification of title to the property ex officio, either by contacting the real estate authority or by accessing the computerised real estate records, which must be enclosed with the request.

The clerk is required to assess the request within the general processing time limit of 30 days; the clerk may extend this time limit on a single occasion by 30 days. The authorities have 15 days to issue their respective positions; this time limit is, however, included in the above processing time limit.

If the request and also the accommodation facility meet the statutory requirements, the clerk issues a licence for the operation of the accommodation facility. Simultaneously with granting the licence, the clerk issues a separate certificate in verification thereof for the service provider.

A general procedural duty, that is, HUF 3,000 must be paid for the clerk’s procedure. A general procedural duty of the amount of HUF 3,000 must also be paid to each of the participating authorities. The duties must be paid at the time of the submission of the request in the form of duty stamps adhered to the request.

In the course of the licensing procedure or, in the case of „silence is consent”, upon the expiry of the processing time limit, the clerk registers the accommodation facility and the service provider ex officio. The clerk posts all data featured in the records he/she keeps on the Internet.

After the issuance of the accommodation licence, the accommodation provider must forthwith report to the clerk any change in the data stated in the licence request in writing. No duty or fee is payable in conjunction with the fulfilment of this reporting obligation.

The accommodation provider must report the closure of the accommodation facility to the clerk within eight days of closure, subject to the simultaneous submission of the relevant certificate.

If the accommodation provider wishes to engage in other commercial activities tied to a licence on the premises of the same accommodation facility, simultaneously with the submission of the request for a licence for the accommodation facility, the requests with respect to any such further licences may also be submitted to the clerk. In this case, the clerk proceeds in the proceedings instituted for the issuance of such further licences for other commercial activities tied to a licence as a participating authority. The data, requests and enclosures necessary for such separate licences must also be submitted with the request and the relevant duties and administrative fees must be paid as well. However, if all the documents are fully submitted and the conditions prescribed for such separate licences are satisfied, the client need not contact other authorities.

Service provision activities in the framework of cross border service provision

With regard to the fact that the provision of accommodation services is based on the presumed existence of an accommodation facility, the cross-border provision of services is effectively out of the question in the case of these services. Accordingly, if a person residing or registered in Hungary, in another State of the European Economic Area or in a third country wishes to provide accommodation services in Hungary, he/she may do so under the same conditions, based on a licence issued by the clerk.

Cross-border service provision

If you wish to launch this service in the form of cross-border service provision, please click here to read the general conditions of cross-border service provision in Hungary.

Legislation relating to accommodation services and the relevant procedures

1. Act CLXIV of 2005 on Trade,
2. Government Decree No. 239/2009. (X. 20.) on the detailed conditions of engagement in accommodation service activities and the procedure for the issuance of accommodation licences,
3. Act LXXVI of 2009 on the General Rules of the Commencement of and Engagement in Service Activities,
4. Act CXL of 2004 on the General Rules of Public Administration Proceedings and Services.