The Magyar Nemzeti Bank does not perform any denomination exchange in its retail cash office.
In order to make the denomination exchange service available for the widest possible range of the public, the Magyar Nemzeti Bank rendered the performance of this activity obligatory for credit institutions and post offices in a provision of law. By law, banks, mutual savings banks and post offices are obliged to exchange on one occasion maximum 50 pieces of forint banknotes and forint coins in circulation to different denominations of forint banknotes and – at most 100 pieces of – forint coins. The denomination exchange obligation also applies to the exchange of damaged banknotes and coins and the ones that are difficult to recognise. Credit institutions and the postal service shall not be obliged to accept for denomination exchange forint banknotes and coins whose authenticity or face value cannot be clearly determined as well as intentionally mutilated (e.g. cut into half, perforated or turned) forint coins. Any incomplete forint banknote would be acceptable for denomination exchange if more than half of such forint banknote is submitted.
The MNB decrees that determine the rules of denomination exchange allow credit institutions and post offices to perform the denomination exchange activity with certain limitations and conditions.
Possible conditions and limitations of the denomination exchange performed by credit institutions and post offices:
Denomination exchange fee
A fee may be charged for performing the denomination exchange. The maximum extent of the fee, including any other charges applied in connection with the exchange, shall not exceed
- in the case of denomination exchange of forint banknotes: maximum 3% of the face value of the forint banknotes to be paid to the customer and 10% of the face value of the forint coins to be paid to the customer;
- in the case of denomination exchange of forint coins: 10% of the face value of the exchanged forint coins.
Using other services
A precondition of the performance of the denomination exchange can be the existence of a bank account or the use of services provided by the given credit institutions or post office.
Branches engaged in denomination exchange
Credit institutions with retail customers and the postal service are obliged to carry out the denomination exchange and the exchange of forint banknotes and coins in all their branches, with the exceptions listed in the Banknote and Coin Decrees. A contributor may also be used to fulfil the obligation to carry out the denomination exchange and the exchange of forint banknotes and coins under the conditions specified in the Banknote and Coin Decrees. The postal service may limit the denomination exchange to the post offices under its own operation.
Credit institutions and the postal service are obliged to post a notice about conditions and fees of the denomination exchange service in a clearly visible place of their branches as well as to publish these conditions and fees on their website in a permanently and easily accessible way. It is recommended to inquire in advance about the fee and the conditions of using the denomination exchange service at the nearest branch, customer service call centre or website of credit institutions or the post.
The Magyar Nemzeti Bank does not perform any denomination exchange in its retail cash office (1013 Budapest, Krisztina körút 55.).