Such an activity may be pursued by a private individual or by a commercial undertaking, but a company form may only be applied if the company has got a partner or an employee who satisfies the qualification requirements defined by the law. Basic legal provisions concerning licensing and registration procedures equally apply to both private individuals and business companies.

Private veterinarian activities shall mean the examination and treatment of animals when requested by the animal holder or any other person; taking measures in order to prevent and treat animal diseases; providing professional advice related to the keeping of animals, their treatment or any other veterinary activities; administering vaccines and other injections to animals; taking samples from blood, milk or other tissues of the animal concerned; post mortem examination of animals; prescribing veterinary medicinal products for the treatment of animals; examination of animals for slaughter and their meat where animals are killed outside a slaughterhouse and are not destined for public consumption, and in connection with this the issuance of the veterinarian’s professional opinion.

A veterinary surgery is a location held by a veterinarian or a company with or without legal personality employing a veterinarian, or another organisation, designed for the examination and treatment of animals.

Any service provider coming from another EEA country may be established in Hungary and start to pursue service provision activities under the same conditions and subject to the same requirements as service providers domiciled in Hungary.

1. In Hungary, private veterinarian activities may only be pursued by a veterinarian who
2. is a member of the professional Chamber,
3. has got Hungarian language skills sufficient to practice as a veterinarian,
4. has got the necessary equipment for the registered professional activity required by the Chamber, as well as a suitable location satisfying the conditions stipulated by separate provisions of law,
5. has got a private veterinarian liability insurance and
6. a registered office listed in the register.

 If the conditions are met, the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber shall issue an operation licence. Private veterinarian activities may be pursued by a veterinarian who is a member of the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber.

Any person may become a member of the Chamber who

1. resides in Hungary,
2. has graduated as a veterinarian from a Hungarian university, or whose veterinary diploma obtained from a foreign university has been naturalised and whose professional qualifications have been recognised,
3. has engaged or intends to engage in activities tied to holding a veterinary diploma in the territory of Hungary,
4. undertakes the obligation to pay a membership fee to the Chamber as stipulated in its by-laws, furthermore
5. pledges to observe the provisions set forth in the by-laws.

Manner of administration: In person or by proxy. Acting by proxy requires authorisation. Such authorisation may take the form of proxy made before a lawyer or a notary public, but it is also deemed sufficient to conclude an agreement before two witnesses. The proxy shall contain the personal data of both the grantor and the proxy (name, mother’s maiden name, place of residence, personal ID number) and own handwritten signature, the purpose of authorisation, the signature of two witnesses, their place of residence and the date of conclusion.

Administration deadline: 1 to 2 weeks

Administration costs: registration fee: HUF 15,000, a basic entry level membership fee; in case of admission: HUF 1,500/month; as a supplementary membership fee: HUF 3,500/month/veterinary district

The admission form can be downloaded from the website.

1. Documentation required for administration:
2. copy of a personal ID document
3. copy of a document certifying residence in Hungary (conditions for admission to the Chamber include residence in Hungary)
4. certificate of good conduct
5. copy of diploma
6. copy of a language exam certificate (where applicable)
7. a recent ID-size photograph
8. copy of a valid veterinarian liability insurance policy

 Authorisation of the establishment of a veterinary surgery

The building, extension or reconstruction of a facility containing a veterinary surgery is subject to authorisation by the construction authority. The professional authorities proceeding in first and second instance construction authority procedures are the district animal health and food control office of the county government office, and the food chain safety and animal health directorates of the county government office, respectively. On the application of the client submitted before starting the procedure a preliminary professional authority position is issued by the authority appointed as professional authority.

Manner of administration: May be in person, in writing or electronically, if the proceeding authority provides the conditions for it.

Administration deadline: 15 days

Administration costs: in a construction (further construction) procedure, the basic duty is HUF 5,000, in addition to which HUF 10,000 is payable for the reconstruction, renovation, rehabilitation or modernisation of an existing building facility per every 100 m² started, or HUF 10,000 per every 200 m² started of the land surface involved.

Documentation required for administration:

1. certification of the right for construction,
2. construction engineering documentation,
3. construction designer’s statement,
4. statement of the competent engineering manager,
5. statement of the construction engineering supervisor,construction engineering expert’s statement and opinion,
6. construction administration expert’s statement,
7. planning board professional opinion,
8. certificate of payment of the process fee or administration service fee.

The construction and civil engineering design documentation of the planned construction activity shall be compiled in accordance with the location, environment and purpose of the planned facility and suited to the character of the planned construction activity, the type of design and the nature of the construction authority procedure - as set forth in Annex 5 of Decree 37/2007 (13 December) ÖTM of the Minister of Local Governments and Territorial Development, consisting of documents with the specified content and level of detail done in the Hungarian language.

Application for operation licence

Based on a certificate issued by the regional organisation of the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber on the existence of basic equipment, the establishment of a veterinary surgery is authorised by the food chain safety and animal health directorate of the regionally competent county government office. The basic equipment and personal conditions required for the (authorised scope of activities) of veterinary practice are controlled by the regionally competent organisation of the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber, while epidemiological control and the supervision of the storage and use of veterinary medicinal products, furthermore, the temporary storage and disposal of medical equipment and accessories unfit for further use, and of animal waste generated in the surgery is exercised by the regionally competent unit.

Proceeding body: the food chain safety and animal health directorates of the county government office.

Manner of administration: An application should be submitted, attaching a certificate of the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber on the availability of the necessary equipment. An application may also be submitted without such a certificate, whereupon the food chain safety and animal health directorate of the county government office shall address the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber.

Administration deadline: 1 to 2 weeks

Administration costs: The procedural fee of an operation license is HUF 10,000.

The contents of the application to be submitted: There is no particular form for the application, it should practically contain the name of the veterinarian, and where and what type of activity is intended to be pursued.

Documentation required for administration:

• A certificate of the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber on the availability of the necessary equipment.

Notifying the police on the use of substances containing ketamine

If in a veterinary surgery a private veterinary practitioner also intents to operate on animals, then activities involving the use of substances containing ketamine required for anaesthetic purposes shall be notified to the police. Animal medicinal institutions, retailers selling animal medicinal products and private veterinarians shall notify the police at least 30 days prior to engaging in activities involving narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. Upon complete data supply, the police shall register the submitted data and issue an official certificate of registration within 15 days, valid until withdrawal. The holder of an official certificate shall submit an annual summary report on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances used to the food chain safety and animal health directorate of the county government office and to the police, each year until 31^st January.

Further information concerning administration can be obtained through the following link.

Proceeding body: National Police Headquarters or the regional police headquarters

Manner of administration: The activity shall be reported to the mailing address of the National Police Headquarters, Directorate General for Policing, Public Administration Police Department, Police Division: “Országos Rendőr-főkapitányság Rendészeti Főigazgatóság Igazgatásrendészeti Főosztály Rendészeti Osztály, H-1903 Budapest, Pf.: 314/15.”

Administration deadline: 10 working days

Administration costs: HUF 2,200 in the form of stamp duty

For notification use the form

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.)

Private veterinarian practice in the territory of Hungary as a cross-border service provider practice is deemed an activity subject to notification to the authority stipulated in the decree, i.e. to the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber. Notification of service provider is for a one-year period.

The proceeding authority is the competent body of the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber.

Manner of administration: In person, by post, or electronically, using an electronic signature. Acting by proxy requires authorisation. Such authorisation may take the form of proxy made before a lawyer or a notary public, but it is also deemed sufficient to conclude an agreement before two witnesses. The proxy shall contain the personal data of both the grantor and the proxy (name, mother’s maiden name, place of residence, personal ID number) and own handwritten signature, the purpose of authorisation, the signature of two witnesses, their place of residence and the date of conclusion. The contents of the application to be submitted:

1. the name of the service provider,
2. the address of the service provider, or registered office in the case of a company,
3. designation of the service provision activity intended to be pursued,
4. a statement by the service provider whether an adequate professional guarantee is possessed, including the name of the organisation providing the professional guarantee and data required for identification of the contract establishing the professional guarantee, risks covered by the professional guarantee, the territorial scope of the professional guarantee, its amount and the upper limit guaranteed by it,
5. the planned duration of service provision within the calendar year concerned,
6. the professional address intended to be used for service provision in Hungary,
7. the nationality of the service provider, or in case of a legal person or entity without legal personality registered in another EEA country, the name of the register of their EEA state of establishment and the registration number of the service provider,
8. designation of the EEA country of establishment of the service provider,a statement by the service provider that the activity is intended to be pursues as a cross-border service provision, and
9. designation of the authorising or registering authority and the licence number or registration number of the service provider if the activity of the service provider is subject to authorisation or registration in their EEA state of establishment.

Documentation required for administration:

1. copy of the public document certifying nationali
2. copy and translation of an authentic document certifying that the service provider is authorised to practice the profession concerned in one of the member states as an established entity
3. authenticated copy and official translation of the document certifying the successful completion of education of the service provider qualifying for the provision of the service in a member state
4. in case it is a profession in the member state of establishment, then an authenticated copy and official translation of the document certifying that the service provider has practised the profession concerned in the member state of establishment for at least two years within the last ten years prior to the submission of the registration notification

Legal background:

1. Act LXXVI of 2009 on the general rules of starting and pursuing service provision activities
2. Act C of 2001 on the recognition of foreign certificates and diplomas
3. Act XCIV of 1995 on the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber and on practising as a private veterinarian
4. Government decree 33/2008 (21 February) on the designation of authorities proceeding in cases falling within the scope of Act C of 2001 on the recognition of foreign certificates and diplomas, and on listing services subject to submitting a statement
5. Government decree 142/2004 (29 April) on activities that may be pursued using narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
6. Act LXXVIII of 1997 on the shaping and protection of the built environment
7. Act XCIII of 1990 on duties
8. Government decree 193/2009 (15 September) on construction authority procedures and construction authority control
9. Decree 37/2007 (XII. 13 December) ÖTM of the Minister of Local Governments and Territorial Development on construction authority procedures and on the content of land parcelling, construction and civil engineering documentation
10. Decree 41/1997 (28 May) of the Minister of Agriculture on the issuing the Animal Health Rules