Free parking for cars with green license plates in Budapest to end on 1 January 2027

From 1 January 2027, a green license plate alone will no longer entitle drivers to park for free in Budapest’s paid public parking zones. Under the regulations currently in force, parking fees must also be paid for fully electric cars. The change is set out in an amendment to the regulation adopted by the Budapest General Assembly in 2024.

Who will have to pay?

As a general rule, owners of cars with green license plates will pay to park in paid zones just like drivers of petrol or diesel cars. The rules on residential parking permits may still apply if the driver meets the requirements. The change is likely to affect mainly those who do not have a local parking permit and regularly park in paid zones.

The actual cost depends on the parking zone, the duration of parking and the applicable rates. According to the example in the source, parking for two hours a day at an hourly rate of HUF 600 costs HUF 1,200. Assuming 20 working days, this amounts to HUF 24,000 per month, or up to HUF 288,000 over twelve such months. These are example amounts, not uniform Budapest-wide rates. The zone code for a parking zone can be checked using the zone finder.

No decision has yet been made on a possible discount

It has been suggested that environmentally friendly cars could receive discounted parking, potentially at half price, subject to certain conditions, after free parking is completely abolished. However, no final decision has been made: in September 2026, the Budapest General Assembly supported examining the possibility of discounts. This examination must also cover the impact on traffic and practical implementation. A new decision by the Budapest General Assembly would be required to introduce an automatic 50% discount.

Deadline for plug-in hybrids, proposal for heavier cars

License plates on plug-in hybrids in environmental classes 5P and 5N, which are no longer eligible for green license plates, must be replaced by 30 November 2026. Since 1 September 2024, only fully electric and zero-emission vehicles have been eligible for light green license plates; affected hybrids were allowed to use previously issued plates temporarily. The replacement can be arranged at any government customer service office, and the fee is HUF 16,605 or HUF 17,475, depending on the type selected. Anyone who fails to do so may have their license plate and vehicle registration document confiscated during a roadside inspection, and the vehicle may be taken out of circulation.

Budapest is also considering increasing parking fees for cars with an unladen weight of more than two tonnes: under the regulations, the fee could be as much as twice the standard rate. According to the latest proposal, implementation could be postponed to 1 January 2028. This could also affect some electric models because of their unladen weight, which is increased by their batteries.

Failure to pay for parking may result in a notice demanding payment of a parking surcharge.

Source: Hóvége