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Attention: Important document to become online-only in Hungary, hundreds of thousands of employees affected
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From 1 January 2026, Hungary will officially discontinue the long-standing paper-based social security booklet, known as the TB kiskönyv or TB Booklet in English, replacing it with a fully digital system called the e-TB booklet. The change will affect hundreds of thousands of employees and employers alike, significantly reshaping how social insurance data is recorded and accessed.
According to information published by the Hungarian State Treasury, the move is part of a broader effort to reduce administrative burdens and modernise public administration. From the start of 2026, employers will no longer be required to maintain the paper document formally titled Certificate of Insurance Status and Health Insurance Benefits. Instead, all relevant data will be available through a central electronic platform operated by Hungary’s National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK).
What happens to the old TB booklet?
According to Pénzcentrum, as part of the transition, employers must return the paper TB booklet to insured employees. This must be done no later than the end of the employment relationship and in a verifiable manner. If sent by post, it must be delivered by registered mail; if handed over in person, the employee’s signature is required as proof of receipt.
If, for any reason, the booklet cannot be handed over, employers are obliged to retain it until five years after the employee reaches the statutory retirement age. Once the document has been returned, employees themselves must also keep the paper booklet for five years following their retirement age, even though it will no longer be actively used.