A new era of receipts: e-cash registers are now available, will be mandatory from 2026

The purpose of issuing digital receipts is twofold: on the one hand, further whitening the economy, and on the other hand, providing a simpler, more convenient and cheaper solution for entrepreneurs and consumers. According to the State Secretary, the previous, paper-based receipt is now outdated both technologically and administratively. Currently, issuing a single receipt costs around 10 forints, which businesses can save by switching to the new system.

The essence of the system is that receipts can be issued digitally, not in physical form, via a NAV application. The customer can search for all their purchases in the application that arrives on their phone, making it easier to enforce warranty or guarantee rights. The digital solution is also paperless, thus offering a more environmentally friendly alternative.

A small printer can also be connected to the e-cash register, so that a physical receipt can be issued if required. The development does not stop there: from 2028, businesses that still use online cash registers will switch to a hardware-based solution. According to the government’s expectations, these two step-by-step breakthroughs will bring significant changes to both the transparency of the Hungarian economy and the enforcement of consumer rights.

Since the online cash register system was introduced in 2013, the VAT gap in Hungary has improved by more than 20 percentage points. The e-cash register is the next, more digitally advanced level of this process, which covers a wider range of entrepreneurs and provides even greater insight into economic activities for NAV, added Bence Gerlaki.