Climate protection supervision fee: payment deadline approaching

The amendment to the law that significantly transformed the Hungarian regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) entered into force on March 1, 2025. Act LXXXVII of 2024, better known as the Climate Gas Act, and the related 80/2012. (XII. 28.) The amendment to the NFM decree introduced new obligations for businesses working with F-gases.

Who is subject to the payment obligation?

The climate protection supervision fee is not payable by the owners of residential air conditioning systems, but by businesses that manufacture, maintain, sell or dispose of equipment containing or operating with F-gases. According to the new rules, the companies concerned must register in the Climate Gas Database of the National Climate Protection Authority, where data related to the payment of the fee is also provided.

How much is the fee?

The climate protection supervision fee has been set as follows from March 1, 2025:

• Annual fee according to business category: uniformly 40,000 HUF/year

• For registered F-gas applications: 60 HUF/tCO₂ equivalent, at least 4,000 HUF, maximum 2,000,000 HUF/year

• For CO₂-, NH₃- and hydrocarbon-based systems: 30 HUF/tCO₂ equivalent, at least 2,000 HUF, maximum 2,000,000 HUF/year

The fee must be paid annually in two equal installments:

• after the first semester by September 30,

• after the second semester by March 31.

The payment is made to the Hungarian State Treasury’s EM administration account number 10032000–00290713–00000000.

What changed in 2025?

The new regulation is aligned with the amendment to the EU F-gas Regulation and extends the obligation to pay supervision fees to systems using alternative refrigerants (e.g. hydrocarbons, ammonia, CO₂). In addition, the business activity categories, the training and examination system, and the conditions for the distribution of pre-charged devices have also been modified.

The changes aim to achieve more accurate emission records and more efficient control in the domestic management of greenhouse gases.

Important information about payment

The National Climate Protection Authority sends an electronic balance notification to all obligated enterprises via the Climate Gas Database – after the end of the current semester, after August 31 and February 28. The amount included therein reflects the payment obligation valid for the given period.

The fee is always paid pro rata: if a company starts its activities during the given semester, it only has to pay for the relevant period.

The aim of the climate protection supervision fee, which came into effect in 2025, is to better align the operations of Hungarian companies with the EU’s green transition goals and to make the use and emissions of fluorinated gases more transparent. The next payment deadline is March 31, 2026 – failure to do so may result in a default fine.