Batteries have their own Hungarian EPR stream, their own category structure and their own rates — and from 1 January 2026 two entirely new categories, for light means of transport and electric vehicle batteries. Classification here turns on details that are easy to get wrong: whether a cell is rechargeable, what it is chemically, and what it is used for. Get it wrong and the rate can be more than double. This guide covers the five categories, the tariff headings that drive them, the 2026 rates, and the trap of selling a device with a battery inside it.
- Batteries are a separate EPR stream from the devices they power — the codes are A11, A21, A31, A41 and A51.
- Two tariff headings do the first split: 8506 for primary (non-rechargeable) and 8507 for secondary (rechargeable) cells.
- 2026 rates: portable 160, LMT 239, EV 239, industrial 239 and SLI (starter) 390 HUF/kg.
- LMT and EV batteries became named categories from 1 January 2026 — a change worth checking against how you have been classifying.
- A device sold with a battery may touch three streams at once: the battery, the equipment and the packaging.
Which batteries are covered
Batteries and accumulators form one of the eleven Hungarian EPR product streams. The starting point is the customs tariff heading:
- 8506 — primary cells and batteries, that is, non-rechargeable;
- 8507 — electric accumulators, that is, rechargeable.
From there the product is assigned to one of five categories according to what it is for. That second step is the one that sets your rate, and it is where classification most often goes wrong.
The five categories
| Code | Category | KF groups | Typical products |
|---|---|---|---|
| A11 | Portable | 13 lithium, 14 lead-acid, 15 nickel-cadmium, 16 other | Consumer cells and coin cells |
| A21 | Light means of transport (LMT) | 21–24 | E-scooter and e-bike batteries |
| A31 | Electric vehicle (EV) | 31–33 | Traction batteries for electric vehicles |
| A41 | Starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) | 41 lead-acid, 42 lithium, 43 | Vehicle starter batteries |
| A51 | Industrial | 51–54 | Industrial accumulators |
Mixed battery waste is coded separately in the KF 94–99 range.
The tariff distinctions that decide it
Four tariff subheadings carry most of the weight in practice:
- 8507 10 — exclusively SLI, that is, vehicle starter batteries;
- 8507 20 — all other lead-acid accumulators;
- 8506 50 — non-rechargeable lithium, the CR2032 coin cell being the everyday example;
- 8507 60 — rechargeable lithium-ion.
Two of these deserve a second look. First, lead-acid is not automatically a starter battery: only 8507 10 is SLI, and everything else lead-acid sits under 8507 20 and is classified by use. Second, lithium appears on both sides of the rechargeable divide — 8506 50 non-rechargeable and 8507 60 rechargeable — so "lithium" alone never determines the category.
What changed on 1 January 2026
Light means of transport (LMT) and electric vehicle (EV) batteries became named categories from 1 January 2026. If your e-bike, e-scooter or traction batteries were previously being reported under a broader heading, this is worth revisiting: the categories now exist in their own right, each at 239 HUF/kg.
It is also worth knowing what did not change. Rates were not increased for 2026 — the level set on 1 October 2025 was carried forward unchanged.
2026 rates
| Category | 2026 rate (HUF/kg) |
|---|---|
| SLI (starting, lighting, ignition) | 390 |
| Light means of transport (LMT) | 239 |
| Electric vehicle (EV) | 239 |
| Industrial | 239 |
| Portable | 160 |
The fee is declared kilograms × the rate per kilogram, invoiced quarterly by MOHU on the basis of your declaration. Batteries are heavy relative to their unit price, so the difference between the 160 and the 390 rate shows up quickly in the total.
Batteries inside devices
The most common practical question is what happens when the battery arrives inside something else — a cordless tool, a laptop, an e-bike. There is no single shortcut answer, because the streams are assessed separately: the battery under the battery stream, the device (if it is electrical or electronic equipment) under its WEEE category, and the packaging under the packaging stream, split by material.
The practical implication is that a single product line can generate three sets of weights, each with its own code and its own rate. Which of them actually applies to a specific product is a question that needs an individual check rather than a general rule — the classification, not the product category, decides it.
Legal basis
The EPR framework sits in Government Decree 80/2023 (III. 14.), with the 2026 rates set by Ministerial Decree 33/2025 (XI. 28.). Battery and accumulator waste has its own dedicated instrument, Government Decree 445/2012 (XII. 29.). Fines fall under Government Decree 156/2025 (VI. 23.) and are imposed by the waste management authority, not by MOHU — the standard exposure being 50% of the actual fee for failing to declare, and 50% of the concealed difference for understating.
Frequently asked questions
Are coin cells like the CR2032 covered?
Yes. A CR2032 is a non-rechargeable lithium cell under tariff subheading 8506 50 and falls in the portable battery category, at 160 HUF/kg in 2026.
Which category does an e-bike battery fall into?
Light means of transport, code A21, which became a named category from 1 January 2026. The rate is 239 HUF/kg.
Is a car starter battery treated differently from other lead-acid batteries?
Yes, and the difference is large. Starter batteries fall under tariff subheading 8507 10 and the SLI category at 390 HUF/kg — the highest battery rate. Other lead-acid accumulators sit under 8507 20 and are classified by use.
I sell devices with batteries built in. Do I report the battery separately?
The streams are assessed separately: the battery under the battery stream, the device under its electrical equipment category, and the packaging under the packaging stream. Which apply to a specific product should be checked individually.
Did battery EPR rates go up for 2026?
No. The rates set on 1 October 2025 were carried forward unchanged into 2026. What changed is the category structure: light means of transport and electric vehicle batteries became named categories.
How is the battery fee calculated?
Declared kilograms multiplied by the rate per kilogram for the category, reported quarterly and invoiced by MOHU in arrears, payable within 15 days of receiving the invoice.