Frequently Asked Questions

1.Can I give advice as a layperson?

❌ No. Personalized dietary advice is considered a healthcare service, which can only be performed by a person with healthcare qualification and operating license. If someone gives advice without qualification – whether free or for money – it constitutes quackery under § 187 of the Criminal Code.

📚 Legal basis: Criminal Code 2012 Act C. § 187

2.Can I use the title "nutrition consultant"?

✅ Yes, as this is not a legally protected title. However, it cannot be used in a misleading way, it must not create the impression that you are providing healthcare services. If you diagnose, create personalized diet plans, or deal with dietary treatment of diseases, that is already illegal activity.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e)

3.Can I sell recipe collections?

✅ Yes, if it is not personalized for a specific individual, does not contain dietary recommendations for diseases, and does not claim to serve therapeutic purposes. General, educational recipe or diet materials commerce is not considered a healthcare service.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e)

4.Can I create a diet e-book and sell it?

✅ Yes, with the same conditions as recipe collections: general content, not targeted at health conditions, not advice intended for sick people. For example, if you offer material for healthy people about calorie content or vitamin intake, that is not illegal.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e)

5.Can I be punished if I create a diet for someone for a disease?

❌ Yes. Quackery is a criminal offense if someone performs an activity that qualifies as a healthcare service without qualification – for example, recommending personalized diet for diabetics, insulin-resistant patients, or other disease sufferers. This is true even if it's not for money.

📚 Legal basis: Criminal Code 2012 Act C. § 187

6.Can I provide personalized healthcare services?

❌ No. Personalized dietary advice – whether online or in person – is considered a healthcare service, which requires a degree and operating license. As a student, you are not yet authorized for such activity, so you cannot legally invoice or provide services.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act) § 2, Criminal Code § 187

8.Can I give personalized dietary advice if I don't charge for it?

❌ No. The definition of quackery is not tied to payment, but to someone performing healthcare services without qualification. It is also illegal if the dietary advice is free but personalized.

📚 Legal basis: Criminal Code § 187

9.Can I create template diets?

✅ Yes, if they are not personalized, not for therapeutic purposes, and not aimed at health problems. General dietary materials, such as sample diets for healthy people or group advice, can be published.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e)

10.Can I use the title "dietitian student"?

✅ Yes, but only factually – for example, in introductions or during internships. You cannot use it as if you were already a qualified, practicing dietitian, especially not for marketing or advertising purposes.

📚 Legal basis: Act CCIV of 2011 on National Higher Education

11.Can I start a private practice?

❌ No. Completing the dietitian program alone does not authorize independent healthcare service provision. This requires registration in the operating registry, an operating license, and at least 2 years of supervised practice.

📚 Legal basis: ESzCsM Decree 60/2003 (X. 20.) § 3, Act CLIV of 1997

12.Can I invoice as a sole proprietor?

❌ No, if your activity qualifies as a healthcare service. Starting a sole proprietorship alone does not replace the operating license. Healthcare activities can only be performed with a license, especially for independent dietetic counseling.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act) § 3, ESzCsM Decree 60/2003

13.Can I work at a clinic or institution?

✅ Yes, but only under the supervision of another healthcare professional with a license (e.g., doctor, senior dietitian). Independent activity requires completion of the practice period.

📚 Legal basis: Act LXXXIV of 2003

14.Can I consult with a contract?

❌ No, if this covers personalized dietary counseling. The contractual relationship does not override the operating license requirement. The violation exists even if the activity is not in an employment relationship.

📚 Legal basis: Criminal Code § 187, Act CXXIII of 2015 § 2

15.When can I apply for an operating license?

✅ When you have the necessary qualification, and if you are registered in the healthcare workers' operating registry (OKFŐ).

📚 Legal basis: ESzCsM Decree 60/2003 (X. 20.) § 4, Act CLIV of 1997

16.Can I start an online dietetic service?

✅ Yes. If you have a valid operating registry registration, and have received a healthcare provider operating license, you can legally provide online dietetic counseling, even in your own business.

📚 Legal basis: ESzCsM Decree 60/2003 (X. 20.) § 1–4, Act CXXIII of 2015 § 2–3

17.Can I advertise myself on Kukta AI?

✅ Yes, if you obtained your operating license before registration, and your service complies with professional guidelines (e.g., personalized counseling, preventive diet planning, etc.). The advertisement must not be misleading.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act) § 3, Act CLIV of 1997 § 138–140

18.Can I provide personalized diet plans?

✅ Yes, with the license in possession, this is now a diet therapy service within healthcare activities, which you are authorized to perform. During the service, you must follow professional protocols and comply with documentation obligations.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e), Act CXXIII of 2015

19.Can I consult online or via email?

✅ Yes. The form of counseling (e.g., video, chat, email) does not change the nature of the activity. It is important that you continue to provide professionally sound, traceable, and legally compliant services.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act) § 2–3, Act CLIV of 1997

20.Am I required to issue invoices?

✅ Yes. For any paid service, issuing an invoice is mandatory. This applies to dietetic counseling performed as an individual, entrepreneur, or company. Additionally, you have a registration obligation with the tax authority (NAV).

📚 Legal basis: Act CXXVII of 2007 on VAT (§ 159–165), Act CXV of 2009 on sole proprietorship

21.Can I invoice dietetic counseling as a tax-number individual?

❌ No. Personalized dietary advice is considered a healthcare service, which can only be provided by a provider with an operating license – typically a sole proprietor or company. Performing such activities as a tax-number individual is illegal.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act) § 2–3, Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e)

22.If the counseling is not regular, is it legal?

❌ No. The fact that someone does not regularly provide counseling through Kukta AI does not make the healthcare activity legal. The quality of the activity matters (personalized, health-condition-targeted dietary advice), not the frequency. Without a license, entrepreneurial status, and 2 years of practice, this is quackery, even if it only happens once.

📚 Legal basis: Criminal Code § 187, Act CXXIII of 2015 § 2

23.Can I invoice recipe collections as a tax-number individual?

✅ Yes, if the product does not qualify as a healthcare service – meaning it is not personalized, not disease-treating dietary material. For example, selling lifestyle recipe collections or e-books is possible.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e), Personal Income Tax Act 1995 Act CXVII § 16

24.Can I be punished if I don't have a business but create diets for money?

✅ Yes. Your activity may be <strong>illegal</strong> from two perspectives:

1. The <strong>tax authority (NAV)</strong> can impose a penalty for <strong>omission</strong> or <strong>tax evasion</strong> (for failing to pay taxes).
2. The <strong>healthcare authority</strong> (e.g., <strong>Government Office</strong>) can initiate proceedings for <strong>unauthorized healthcare service</strong>.

📚 Legal basis: Criminal Code § 187, NAV information

25.Then what can I legally do as a tax-number individual?

✅ You can only perform activities that do not qualify as healthcare services. For example:

• Selling <strong>general nutrition education e-books</strong>
• Selling <strong>recipe collections</strong>, <strong>downloadable materials</strong>
• Distributing <strong>simple, non-personalized information</strong>

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 § 3 e), Personal Income Tax Act § 16

26.Can I provide dietetic counseling as a sole proprietor?

✅ Yes, if:

• you have a dietitian degree,
• you are registered in the operating registry (OKFŐ),
• and you have a healthcare provider operating license, issued by the public health department of the territorially competent government office.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act) § 2–3, ESzCsM Decree 60/2003 (X. 20.)

27.What TEÁOR code should I choose?

The most common classification for dietitian services:

• 86.90 Other human health activities

📚 Legal basis: KSH TEÁOR list

28.What taxation should I choose?

✅ Possible options:

• Flat-rate taxation (typical choice for service providers, with 40% cost ratio)
• KATA (only available in limited form as a secondary activity, if you don't invoice companies)
• Itemized cost accounting (advantageous if you have many deductible expenses)

📚 Legal basis: Personal Income Tax Act 1995 Act CXVII, NAV flat-rate tax information

30.Do I need any other permits?

✅ Yes. Performing dietitian activities requires a healthcare provider operating license, issued by the district or county government office's public health department. ÁNTSZ no longer exists.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act)

31.Do I need an operating license for online dietetic counseling too?

✅ Yes. Online operation (e.g., services through Kukta AI) does not exempt from the license requirement. Dietetic counseling – regardless of where and how it takes place – qualifies as a healthcare service, which can only be performed with a license.

📚 Legal basis: Act CLIV of 1997 (Health Act) § 2, ESzCsM Decree 60/2003 (X. 20.) § 3