Despite the growing international recognition of Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP), the role and needs of LSP teachers in Hungary remain underexplored. Based on a survey of Hungarian higher education LSP teachers, this study examines their professional characteristics and challenges. The findings reveal that many LSP teachers transition from general language teaching without formal training in their students’ disciplines or LSP-specific methodologies. LSP teaching poses unique challenges, including the significant time required to develop curricula and teaching materials. Beyond preparation, teachers often engage in extensive self-directed learning to acquire specialised content knowledge needed to meet diverse and evolving demands. The study underscores the importance of institutional support, advocating for legal frameworks that recognise that teaching LSP differs from teaching languages for general purposes. The results suggest that it would be crucial to create formal training opportunities, foster collaboration between content specialists and LSP teachers, implement mentorship programmes, and reduce the workload of LSP teachers. This research advocates for establishing LSP teaching as a distinct profession within the Hungarian educational landscape, laying the foundations for future research and contributing to the greater recognition of LSP teaching in national and international contexts.