Lakhely

Lakhely is the place where a person resides, serving as their home and the location to which they intend to return. In Hungarian law and administration, lakhely is commonly used to denote a person’s place of residence, which can differ from a mailing address or a temporary stay. In international terms, it is often compared to concepts such as domicile or habitual residence, though the precise meaning can vary by jurisdiction.

The term derives from the Hungarian roots lakni, meaning to live, and hely, meaning place. The standard form is lakóhely, but lakhely is also encountered in various contexts. Distinctions are typically made with related terms: lakcím refers to the address where a person lives or is registered for correspondence; állandó lakóhely denotes permanent residence; tartózkodási hely refers to a temporary place where one stays for a finite period. For organizations, the analogous concept is székhely, the registered or principal place of business.

In practice, lakhely is determined by where a person actually resides and where they intend to remain, including factors such as the place where they spend most of their time, maintain a home, have social and economic ties, and participate in local life. It has implications for administration, taxation, jurisdiction, and eligibility for local services and elections. The specific rules and criteria, however, differ by country and sometimes by region within a country.

See also: lakcím, állandó lakóhely, tartózkodási hely, székhely.