Hi Guys

Sara and I have had a busy few days. On Wednesday got a translator to take us to VT to apply for our residency permits (Lichna Karta) and today without translator (but with satnav) returned to the KAT office to collect and fill in the second form for the photo ID version of it which we can collect in two weeks.

I have been told that in order to get our car registered with Bulgarian plates at the KAT office they will need the 10 digit number from our Lichna Karta. The card we received today does not have that number on it, but I took note of it from the paperwork that the office kept. Do I need to wait two weeks before applying to get the car re-registered so that I have a photo ID card with my 10 digit number on it or will they re-register the car if I can only quote the number? Reason for asking is that the car insurance from UK runs out on 31/7/13 and from what I have found on Google it is not possible to get car insurance in Bulgaria on the car until it is re-registered.

Regards

Mr Eq

That's a bit of a sticky one Dave..you could try before you get the Card, simply by showing them the number you copied and explaining the situation..I have a very good insurance lady and she accepted all of the above in my case, but I can't begin to guess how it might work for you. In a perfect world, fees paid and you awaiting issue of the card would be enough, especially when you can quote the number, but this is Bulgaria and thinking outside the square is not a specialty.

If worse comes to worst, you may have to park the X-Trail up for 4 or 5 days while you wait for your card..get plenty of goodies in before the end of the month!

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

Cheers BGBazz

this is a sticky situation but we had to insure our veichles before going to KAT so you should be able to get insurance and they should take the 10 diget number from you for the litchna carta They should have asked you if you wanted your carta express because they can be done in three days ours were but of course that was years ago although our new ones last year were 3 days come to think of it Good luck

Cheers Chrissy - the car will still be covered by UK insurance when we get the photo card for a few days and speaking to the guy at the garage they should be able to fit us in for car registration before the insurance runs out.

Mr Eq

Equinus wrote:

Cheers Chrissy - the car will still be covered by UK insurance when we get the photo card for a few days and speaking to the guy at the garage they should be able to fit us in for car registration before the insurance runs out.

Mr Eq

As you know our car had BG plates, but they had to be changed for the area we lived in, from Dryanovo to Pavlikeni. All changes had to be made in VT at the KAT office, so our original plates were changed from EB to BT. We arrived at the KAT office full of trepidation on how long it would take and would they understand us, my Bulgaski is malko. Annette had her white Lichna Karta and we had her 10 digit number written on a piece of paper and as the vehicle was to be registered in her name they accepted her number with the white card no problem.

As far as checking out the vehicle they wanted to see the engine number and chassis number, if you don't know where the chassis number is, try to find it otherwise confusion reigns. Our change over took no more than 75 minutes, so we were well pleased.

Once you have your car tested at the KAT here is something to be aware of that I came unstuck with this Thursday gone. Nobody it seems tells you anything and can cost you money as it has me.Within 2 weeks you must register your vehicle again at your local Goverment tax office where you pay your house tax once a year which I did not know about when I went to pay the "
Danet"
tax. To my dismay it cost me a 100lv fine on top of my Danet tax for not registering my vehicle at my local Goverment office within 2 weeks of the KAT inspection. I think this sort of information should be available on this forum some where or other with a distinctive heading because this also applies to land purchases.
When you go to register the verhicle you will need proof of purchase with you and your ID card and vehicle registraion document and take a note of what Horse power your vehicle is because on my registeration document it doesn't say and it was just as well I knew the Horse power of my vehicle.
Just one more point is that supprisingly to my astonishment the Danet tax for a truck is a lot cheaper than a car.My Danet tax for my 2.5 ltr Mitsibushi l200 was 37lv and my mates car is 240lv! Now I had my truck tested and the propriorter informed me that trucks have to be tested twice a year and as we all know that the tests are on par now with the UK and testing stations has a camera recording all the tests in the testing bays to ensure that the vehicle is tested correctly.

The rates of the Danet tax depends on where you live. For example if you live in a city like Varna the Danet tax will be a lot more exspensive than those of us who live in a village out in the sticks which was explained to me at the Goverment tax office why my Danet tax was so cheap after my Bulgarian friend complained how unfair this was that his car was more exspensive:-)

Totally agree with you speedgunner. Many of my friends and aquaintences have been caught out with this, although I was told at the muncipality building that they had two months to registar the car for the tax.

As you now have to show the payment slip as part of the MOT there are no doubt a lot more people going to be receiving fines.

yes this is very important after getting insurance and then to Kat for new documents and number plates go to your municipality fill out the forms there and pay your municipality tax for the vehicle this has to be paid every year you can drive with in the boundry of your municipality and you can buy vinette tax from Gas station for motor way driving it is cheeper to pay for a year for vinette and not part of the year.