Motor vehicle registration information

All vehicles in Bulgaria have to be insured, registered and must pass a vehicle road worthiness test.

 
Importing a Foreign Vehicle to Bulgaria
 
A private vehicle may be temporarily imported and used on Bulgarian roads for up to six months as long as the vehicle has a minimum third party insurance policy. However, a foreign-registered car can only be used by the owner or someone they give a written permit for limited purposes, for example a mechanic at a garage to carry out a necessary repair.
 
Foreigners moving to Bulgaria with a new or used foreign registered car should go to the local Road Traffic Office to begin the registration process. Once a foreigner becomes resident in Bulgaria, they should register their vehicle on Bulgarian registration plates.
 
EU/EEA citizens do not need to pay import duty on a used car that they have owned for over six months and driven 6,000 Km prior to entry in Bulgaria. Owners of cars brought from outside the EU/EEA will need to pay import duty on the vehicle.
 
Documents Required to Register a Private Vehicle in Bulgaria
 
The vehicle must be registered in the same name as the original registration documents. To register a vehicle in Bulgaria go to the local Road Traffic Office with the following documents:

  • Proof of identity;

  • Original receipt/bill of sale;

  • Proof of residency or employment contract;

  • A valid roadworthiness certificate;

  • Vehicle registration documents;

  • Receipts proving that Bulgarian vehicle tax has been paid. The amount paid depends on the age and model of the car;

  • Proof of minimum third party insurance;

  • Proof of payment of customs duty for non EU/EEA vehicles;

Note: Vehicles imported from outside the EU/EEA will need to undergo a technical test. Right hand drive vehicles must have the headlights adjusted before registration.

 
Once the vehicle has been registered on Bulgarian plates, the owner may not sell it within the first year.
 
Eco-tax
 
An environmental tax called eco-tax must be paid for all cars imported from outside the EU. The amount paid depends on the age of the vehicle. It applies to all vehicles. This tax must also be paid for all cars over ten years old imported from an EU/EEA country.

 

How to buy or sell a used car in Bulgaria

 
In order for the sale of a used car between two private individuals to be considered legal, both the seller and the buyer must sign a vehicle purchase contract (Договор за покупко-продажба на МПС) in front of a Notary Public (нотариус). The contract must be signed by both parties or their legal representative(s) before it can be declared valid by the Notary. (If the car is owned by a company it is not necessary to sign at a Notary Public.) The signed contract is needed for the new owner to register the car in their name at the local Traffic Police Office.
 
The seller provides the following documents:

  • Vehicle registration document (Регистрационен талон)

  • The roadworthiness stamp and certificate (талон за Годишен технически преглед)

  • A receipt proving payment of the annual Vehicle Tax (Данък МПС) - the owner of a car receives this after paying the annual Vehicle Tax at the local Taxes and Fees Office (Местни данъци и такси)

  • Proof of identity

  • Proof of third-party insurance

 
The buyer will need to provide the following:

  • Proof of identity

  • Payment

 
Registering the Vehicle
 
Within 14 days the new owner must go to the local Traffic Police Office to register the vehicle. The vehicle must be registered at the Traffic Police Office in the town of the new owner's permanent address in Bulgaria.
 
Local Traffic Police require the following documents for the registration:

  • A registration application form (provided by the local Traffic Police Office in Bulgarian)

  • The original vehicle purchase contract and a copy

  • Proof of payment of the Vehicle Tax

  • A valid third-party insurance policy, compulsory for all vehicles

  • Proof of identity

  • Proof of address registration obtained from the local Address Registration Office, usually in the corresponding City Hall.

  • The vehicle’s previous registration document

  •  

Buying a New Car in Bulgaria

 
New cars are sold at car dealerships in Bulgaria. When buying a new car without a loan or lease contract, the buyer is only required to present proof of their identity. However, the procedure is more complicated if a loan or lease contract is to be signed. In these cases the following documents are required:
 
Private buyer

  • A copy of the residence permit and driving licence

  • A declaration of consent to provide the car dealer/distributor with the residence permit and driving licence

  • Contact details (telephone numbers, e-mail address)

  • A certificate for temporary or permanent address registration. This can be obtained from the local Address Registration Office, usually in the corresponding Town Hall.

  • A certificate stating that the person has never been subject to legal proceedings, issued by local courts for Bulgarian citizens

  • All documents proving the person’s income, for example, a work contract, tax declaration and any other relevant information

 
Company owner

  • The business registration number

  • Bulstat registration number

  • Certificate presenting the company's current financial status

  • Contact details (telephone numbers, e-mail address)

  • Personal identification documents and a declaration of consent to provide the distributor with copies of identification documents

  • A certificate from the local courts (Trade Law Department) stating that the company has not declared bankruptcy

  • A copy of the annual income declaration

The registration procedures and establishing an insurance policy are generally handled by the dealer on behalf of the buyer.
 
The dealer provides the new owner with the following documents:

  • The purchase contract

  • A vehicle roadworthiness card and sticker/stamp for the windscreen. Although a vehicle does need to undergo a roadworthiness test until it is three years old, this is proof of the due date for the next test

  • The vehicle’s registration document

  • Vehicle Registration Document

 
The vehicle’s registration document contains the following information:

  • Registration plate number

  • The vehicle's unique engine number

  • Type of vehicle

  • Make and model

  • Date of registration

  • Colour

  • Category of vehicle

  • Owner’s name

  • Owner’s address

 

 

Keywords for this page:

About registering your motor vehicle; Registration of Transfer of Motor Vehicle; Application Forms and required documents; Certificates and support documents required; If the new owner is limited company or partnership company; If the new owner is a private person; How and where to buy a new or used car in Varna; What are the prices of new and second hand cars campers trucks vans buses towtrucks; How long does it take to buy and reister a car in Bulgaria; Process Time Line; Costs Related to Service; How much does it cost? May a non resident register a car in Bulgaria? If not should I incorporate a private limited company or a public company? Valid identities and address; How to sell a vehicle if you are a titleholder of a new, pre-owned, built or re-built motor vehicle; Where the motor vehicle registration is made? Vehicle registration numbers and bulgarian number plates; How to apply for registering and licensing a vehicle? Motor Vehicles Act and permit; Permitted alcohol content for driving; Motor cars, Dual purpose vehicles, Motor lorries, Busses, Land vehicles, Tractor trailers, Three wheelers, Motor bicycles