The National Register of Wills is a central electronic registry for the data of notarial or deposited private wills which is governed by the rules laid down in Ministerial Regulation No. 4/2009. (III. 6.) IRM. The Register is maintained by the Hungarian Chamber of Civil law Notaries. The notary is under a legal obligation to register the notarial will (last will and testament, contract of inheritance, testamentary gift, and renunciation of succession), the will deposited with the notary either in an open or sealed envelope, and the amendment, revocation or withdrawal thereof, whilst informing the clients on the registration but carrying it out nevertheless even against their will if necessary.

The Archives of the Hungarian Chamber of Civil Law Notaries registers a will prepared by or deposited with a court, an attorney, or a Hungarian consular representative, if such will is located at the court, the attorney or the National Archives of the Hungarian Bar Association, or at the Hungarian consular representative, and the testator granted his/her consent in writing thereto.

In Hungary all probate proceedings fall within the competence of notaries. The proceeding competent notary simultaneously to filing a docket number for the probate case is under an obligation to make a query whether the deceased had any will registered in the system. In the event of an affirmative answer, the notary has to find the notary or attorney safekeeping the will to attach a copy of it to the probate file.

Registration of a will and retrieval is free of charge.