Many of our clients come to us knowing that EPR applies to them — but not knowing what exactly awaits them. This article walks you through the entire process, from signing the contract through your first declaration to the MOHU invoice, so you know in advance what is needed and when, and what we take care of on your behalf.

Key takeaways

1. Signing the contract

If you choose us and accept our offer, we first conclude a contract — either a service-fee agreement or a cooperation agreement. Whichever route we take, this is what sets the real work in motion.

2. Registration — two portals

EPR requires registration in two separate systems, which serve different purposes:

2.1 OKIR — the authority's system

a) Creating the power of attorney. For us to act on your behalf, a power of attorney is required. It is not a downloadable template: we generate it individually for each client in the OKIR gate. For this we need the company's name, country and address. We send you the completed document with a link to upload the signed copy back to us.

Important: the power of attorney can only be signed by hand, and a company stamp is also required; without a stamp the authority rejects it in most cases. The exception is a sole trader who does not use a stamp — a specimen signature is usually requested instead.

b) Assessment. The authority decides whether to approve the power of attorney, usually within 3 working days of receiving the signed copy. The approval is crucial because it contains the company's Environmental Client ID (KÜJ) — once we have a KÜJ, we can report data to the authority.

c) Enrolment under the scope of EPR. With the KÜJ in hand, the company is enrolled under Extended Producer Responsibility (an online form that does not need signing). Here the detailed data is required: the tax number, exactly which products you sell — i.e. which EPR material streams apply — and from what date you sell in Hungary. Streams can be amended later at any time. Until this enrolment is in place, no declaration can be submitted. If you are already selling without a registration, declarations can also be filed retroactively.

2.2 The MOHU Partner Portal

MOHU registration is done manually: we log in and register the company. For a foreign company, two documents are needed: a company extract, and a bank document showing the company's name and address (no balance or transactions need be visible — it only verifies name and address). The system sends no confirmation; only a screen confirms the registration, which we can send you on request. Approval usually takes about one week. Afterwards nothing else happens here — this is purely where we receive the invoices.

3. The records — this is where everything is decided

Once the registrations are in place, records must be kept, and the declaration is prepared from them. This is the point most people underestimate. The Hungarian authority does not expect a single figure such as "100 kg of plastic" — itemised records must be kept (which we prepare from the data you provide).

It is not enough to say "packaging": it must be clear whether it is transport packaging or the product's own packaging, because these have separate codes — and this is a cross-check point for the authority. For example, if someone ships an electric toothbrush to Hungary, these items must appear separately:

ItemWhat is it?
the electric toothbrushelectronics — the weight of the product itself
the product's boxproduct packaging
the film on the product's boxproduct packaging
the carton used for shippingtransport packaging
the adhesive tape sealing the cartontransport packaging
the shipping labeltransport packaging

So this does not cause a headache, you receive a template file and a tutorial video from us, from which you can easily assemble the required data. We prepare the records and send them back to you. These records must be retained for 5 years.

4. The declaration and the deadlines

On the basis of the records, we prepare and submit the declaration. Declarations must be filed quarterly, by the 20th day of the month following the quarter:

QuarterFiling deadline
Q120 April
Q220 July
Q320 October
Q420 January

So we can submit by the 20th at a calm pace, we ask for your data by the 10th — leaving time to clarify anything that needs it.

5. The MOHU invoice

The invoice for extended producer responsibility is issued by MOHU after the declaration. It does not happen for every client at the same time — the order is unpredictable and beyond our control. As soon as the invoice is ready, we download it and send it to you. (The MOHU invoice must be paid within 15 days of receipt.)

Summary — who does what?

StepWho handles it?
Signing the contractjointly
Generating the OKIR power of attorneyus
Signing the power of attorney (by hand + stamp)you
Uploading it; assessment by the authorityus
Enrolment under the scope of EPRus
MOHU registrationus (you send the documents)
Providing the data (per template, by the 10th)you
Preparing the recordsus
Submitting the declaration (by the 20th)us
Forwarding the MOHU invoiceus

As you can see, you have only two tasks: sign the power of attorney, and send us the data on time using the template. We take care of the rest.

Frequently asked questions

How long does EPR registration take in Hungary?

The authority usually assesses the power of attorney within about 3 working days, and MOHU registration approval takes roughly one week. After enrolment under the EPR scope, declarations can be submitted.

What documents does a foreign company need for MOHU registration?

Two: a company extract, and a bank document showing the company name and address. No balances or transactions need to be visible — the bank document only verifies the name and address.

What are the EPR reporting deadlines?

Declarations are filed quarterly, by the 20th of the month after each quarter: 20 April (Q1), 20 July (Q2), 20 October (Q3) and 20 January (Q4).

Can I still register if I have already been selling to Hungary?

Yes. Declarations can be filed retroactively, so past periods can be reconciled after registration. It is best to regularise this as early as possible.

How long must EPR records be kept?

Records of the products placed on the market must be retained for 5 years, in itemised form, with product packaging and transport packaging recorded separately.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. EPR rules, fees and deadlines change — always verify your current obligations with the Hungarian authorities (MOHU, NAV) or a qualified adviser.