OBJECTIVES: Organized nationwide screening programme for cervical cancer was introduced in Hungary in 2003. Women between the ages 25-65 are invited by a personal letter and a 3 years screening interval has been applied. The aim of this study is to analyse the three year screening rate (attendance or coverage) of the organized programme according to the age-group of target population. METHODS: The data derive from the financial database of the National Health Insurance Fund Administration (OEP) of Hungary covering the period of 2000-2002 and 2003-2005. We calculated the three-year screening rate for 2003-2005 according to the age-group of women. Screening is defined with cytological examination of Papanicolau smear and includes all smears taken either within or outside of the organized programme. RESULTS: The three-year screening rate of women aged 25-64 years increased from 48, 45 % in 2000-2002 without organized screening programme to 52, 65 % in 2003-2005 following the introduction of organized screening programme. The three-year screening was the following in 2003-2005 according the age-groups: 25-29 years: 64, 24 %; 30-34 years: 66%; 35-39 years: 60, 89 %; 40-44 years: 55, 34 %; 45-49 years: 50, 44 %; 50-54 years: 49, 23%; 55-59 years: 39, 74%; 60-64 years: 31, 80%. CONCLUSIONS: After the introduction of organized cervical screening programme we found the highest screening rate in the age-group 30-34 years followed by a gradually decreasing screening rates in the higher age-groups. In order to achieve the expected mortality decline from cervical cancer, the screening rate (attendance) of women 40-64 should be increased.