Hungary has published the detailed rules for its HUF 20,000 (EUR 55) diesel fuel subsidy, clarifying who qualifies, how payments will be made and when motorists can expect their money. The new regulation also sets out the conditions for people who acquired eligible vehicles during the year.

As we previously reported, Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the diesel support scheme earlier this month to help motorists cope with rising fuel prices. The detailed rules, published in the Hungarian Official Gazette on Friday evening, now confirm the exact payment dates, eligibility criteria and how the money will be distributed.

The Hungarian State Treasury will distribute the subsidy in instalments, with payments continuing until December. The measure is intended to ease the financial burden on diesel motorists following a significant rise in fuel prices this year.

Under the newly published rules, the HUF 20,000 subsidy will generally be paid in four instalments.

The government has set the following payment dates:

• 30 September 2026
• 30 October 2026
• 13 November 2026
• 7 December 2026

Motorists who already met the ownership or registered keeper requirements on 1 January 2026 are scheduled to receive their first HUF 5,000 payment on 30 September.

However, those who acquired a qualifying vehicle or became its registered keeper after the beginning of the year will receive their first payment on 30 October. The scheme provides for a total of HUF 20,000 in support per eligible person in 2026.

The new schedule brings forward the first payment for existing eligible motorists compared with the October start initially announced by the government.

If you missed it: Social workers protest for pay rise in Budapest, Péter Magyar meets the demonstrators

The subsidy is available to private individuals who operate or own a passenger car powered exclusively by diesel, with a maximum engine output of 110 kilowatts, approximately 150 horsepower.

Eligibility is generally determined using vehicle registration records from 1 January 2026. However, the new decree also covers motorists who acquired a qualifying vehicle later in the year, provided they meet the requirements when the regulation enters into force.

Importantly, the HUF 20,000 subsidy is available per person, not per vehicle. Someone who owns or operates several eligible diesel cars can receive support for only one of them.

Where a vehicle has multiple owners or registered keepers, the payment goes to the person named on its registration certificate.

Eligible drivers will not normally have to submit a separate application. Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) will determine eligibility using vehicle registration records. The Hungarian State Treasury will then distribute the funds automatically.

Payments will primarily be transferred to the bank account recorded by the tax authority. Motorists without a suitable bank account will receive the subsidy by post, using the correspondence address held by NAV. The support is tax-free and will be financed from the central budget.

The government originally announced the scheme on 11 September, saying that it could benefit nearly one million motorists.

Rather than reintroducing the previous regulated fuel price, the government opted for direct financial assistance. Magyar argued that the measure should target drivers particularly affected by rising diesel prices, rather than subsidising the fuel costs of owners of expensive, high-performance vehicles.

The prime minister previously said that restoring Hungary’s former protected fuel prices could cost the state budget between HUF 50 billion and HUF 100 billion per month. Hungarian oil and gas company MOL has also warned that reintroducing a price cap could discourage fuel imports and lead to supply shortages.

Read more from us: Moving to Hungary costs less than Spain – and newcomers bring twice as much stuff, new data shows