From 1 March 2017, new, upgraded 2000 and 5000 forint banknotes will be available for consumers to do their day-to-day shopping. In addition to an upgraded design, the new banknotes also incorporate more advanced security features.
The upgraded 2000 and 5000 forint denomination banknotes will enter circulation gradually from 1 March 2017, and are expected to become widely used over the next couple of months.
The 2000 and 5000 forint banknotes currently in circulation, issued before 2016, will be accepted in retail transactions until 31 July 2017. After that date, the MNB will withdraw them, and only the new, upgraded banknotes can be used for cash purchases from 1 August 2017.
It is important to note that the old 2000 and 5000 forint banknotes, not exchanged for new ones until the withdrawal date, will not lose their value. After the withdrawal date, credit institutions and the post office will exchange the old banknotes for legal tender for three years, and the MNB will exchange them for legal tender of the same denomination free of charge for twenty years, i.e. until 31 July 2037.
Further up-to-date, detailed information on the changes affecting forint banknotes is available on the Banknotes and Coins page of the MNB’s website at https://www.mnb.hu/en/banknotes-and-coins.
Magyar Nemzeti Bank