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Owning a Motor Vehicle in 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.

Vehicles have to meet the requirements of the Road Traffic Act, its Implementing Regulations and the Bulgarian State Standards.

Importing a Foreign Vehicle to Bulgaria.

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 bill of sale
• Proof of residency or employment
• A valid road worthiness certificate.
• Vehicle registration documents
• Receipts proving that Bulgarian vehicle tax has been paid.
• 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 (RHD) vehicles must have the headlights adjusted before registration.

At the same time, the owner will be issued with Bulgarian registration plates;
these are paid for at the Road Traffic Office. Present these plates as proof of payment in order to receive the registration documents. 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.



Vehicle Road Worthiness Test in Bulgaria. (M.O.T.)

The vehicle road worthiness test in Bulgaria is a periodic technical inspection carried out on all vehicles over three years old. The test is carried out in authorised garages that are licensed by the Ministry of Transport. This is the equivalent of MOT testing in the UK.

To find a testing center, look out for this sign: Технически преглед.

Taking the Test

New vehicles are exempt from testing for three years from first registration.
• The first test takes place at three years from the date of first registration
• The second test takes place two years thereafter
• Five years after first registration, the car undergoes annual road worthiness tests
The owner/driver of the car should have their vehicle tested before the expiry date on the road worthiness card, however, they have 30 days following the expiry date to carry our the test. After this time the owner/driver is fined if stopped by the traffic police.In the event of a road accident, if the road worthiness test period has expired, the insurance of the vehicle may be considered invalid by the insurance company.

Documents required for the test.

The following documents are needed by the test center:
Proof of identity of the driver/owner
The vehicle's registration documents
Proof of insurance, compulsory for all vehicles, with the sticker on the windscreen
The receipt proving that the vehicle's taxes have been paid .

What is Tested

Brakes
Steering
All Lights
Tyres
Axles
Suspension and wheels
Seat belts, first aid kit, warning triangle.

Passing the test

If the vehicle passes the test, the authorised garage issues a card and a stamp for the car. The card contains information about the month and year of the next test due and the car's number plates. The card must be carried by the driver at all times, and be shown to a traffic police officer on request. The stamp must be stuck to the windscreen of the car. New cars also receive a card and a stamp that shows that they are road worthy by the car dealer.

Failing the test.

If the vehicle fails the road worthiness test, the necessary repairs must be carried out and the vehicle will need to be re-tested and the fee paid again.

Other Requirements.

You are required to carry a Fire Extinguisher and a First Aid kit in your vehicle at all times, though this point is only likely to be enforced during the vehicle test when you take a vehicle to transfer to Bulgarian registration,

There are also specific rules relating to driving during the winter months on Bulgarian roads, though their implementation seems to be very erratic, but here they are.:-

Winter tyres:Bulgaria does not have legislation concerning the use of winter tyres.
Spikes:The use of tyres with spikes is not allowed.
Snow chains:It is compulsory to have snow chains aboard between 1 November and 31 March. At least one set for the driven wheels. Snow chains must be used if a traffic sign indicates this.


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 road worthiness card and sticker/stamp for the windscreen. Although a vehicle does need to undergo a road worthiness 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

• Buying/Selling a Used Car in Bulgaria

There are a number of Internet sites that can be useful in both buying and selling used cars in Bulgaria.

Local newspapers and specialised magazines publish classified advertisements for buying and selling used cars;
Auto Bild, Autoh and Autojournal are among the most popular.
Many people choose to buy a used vehicle from one of the licensed car dealers that can be found in most towns. It is recommended to be accompanied by a mechanic, or someone who knows a lot about cars when buying from one of these places.

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 in front of a Notary Public. 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
• The road worthiness stamp and certificate
• A receipt proving payment of the annual Vehicle Tax - the owner of a car receives this after paying the annual Vehicle Tax at the local Taxes and Fees Office
• 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.

Documents Required

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


Driving Licences

You are OK driving in Bulgaria on your normal EU driving licence from your home country until you are involved in a motoring offence of some kind. If this happens, about a month after the date of the offence you may receive a letter from the Traffic Police advising you that you must surrender your UK drivers licence and apply for a Bulgarian one. This is so that they can register the offence against you within their records. They will keep your UK licence on file and you can apply to have it back when you leave Bulgaria to return to the UK.

It does seem, though is not completely clear, that this rule only applies to those with long term Bulgarian residency. There is a suggestion that you carry your passport with you at all times and show that (rather than your residency card), if you are stopped, though this does seem to rely rather headily on the Police not bothering to check whether you are registered as a long term resident. Presumably if they ask you if you are and you deny it you could be putting yourself in a very awkward position if they do check, so we would not in any way advise anyone to do this.

The Bulgarian penalty points system starts you off with 30 points on your licence and then deducts points for each offence. Once points have been deducted you can apply to take a test and have them re-instated on your licence.


Bulgarian Roads

Years of under investment have also left many roads in a poor state. Bulgarian roads have a reputation for being potholed tracks frequented by farm animals and agricultural machinery. In rural areas and in the mountains, be prepared for numerous hairpin bends and wandering livestock.
The Bulgarian government is working to bring the main roads linking cities up to European standards. These are designated 'E' roads and are being slowly improved with EU funding. While some are in reasonable condition, be prepared to dodge potholes and to be stuck behind slow-moving HGVs en-route to western Europe for long periods.
There are over 8,000 miles of roads in Bulgaria that link the major city centers, the quality of these roads are generally good. Once you are off these major roads, you run into some smaller routes between cities. It takes about 6 hours to drive across Bulgaria.

Rules of the Road.

Drinking and Driving.

I have come across a number of expatriate residents who are convinced that Bulgaria has a zero tolerance policy on Drink Driving, but as far as I can tell this is certainly not the case. The information I have researched all agrees that the limit is 0.5 mg of alcohol per ml., but you can read much more information on the subject at :-
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] ... imits.html
where you will see that Bulgaria shares the same limit level with the majority of other EU countries.

General Road Rules.
Traffic travels on the right and the police strictly enforce posted speeds. Trams always have priority and pedestrians have the right of way in "
zebra striped"
crossings.

Using a vehicle with international license plates could subject you to unexpected police inspections. Be aware of some common violations and the fines for these:
One of the most common violations is exceeding the speed limit. Speed limits in Bulgaria vary as follows:

Populated Areas - 50 km per hour
Main Roads - 90 km per hour
Highways - 130 km per hour

Fines can be quite high for visiting motorists caught speeding, and in general the traffic police are quite vigilant with frequent spot checks being set up, especially during the evening period.

EU breakdown as Tony quotes is a really good idea.We took out a policy with Britannia,which proved to be worth every penny.My partner was recovered,taxied to Sofia,then flown BA and taxied back UK end with 2 passengers.Our Jeep was also recovered back to our BG home and last resting place.One thing I will say is right or left hand drive doesn't seem to matter here in BG as everyone drives in the middle of the road!!! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I'm wondering how the car dealers get round that 6 month rule as they often sell cars in Bulgaria with Spanish plates and have to re-register them when they find a buyer.

Good question

Just bought one imported from Germany.

Answer: Don't know. But I had to pay 140nb import tax at the car dealers.

tonyb60 wrote:

The six month rule is if you want to sell it!!

Just insure the vehicle in the UK. Providing you have a UK registration plate there should be no problems. Make sure your Insurance cover is for the EU as well. Bring all your docs with you (registration docs) receipt of sale etc Mot.

When in BG register your car here and take out Police Third Party Insurance. Then cancel the UK insurance. Job jobbed.

I suggest you use RAC insurance then you could get EU break down cover as well. Thats what I did.

Many thanks tony your information was really useful, it is always best to get knowledge from members like you on the forum who are living in BG and know the system. For us it will be another hurdle to conquer after having done the same thing here in Turkey with a car over here. Brits and other foreigners have to have special registration plates here which usually start with MA, we call them Mug Approaching plates!!

coriolanus wrote:

itchyfeet wrote:

We will be buying a left hand drive car in the UK later this year and after reading some of the comments this is going to be full of problems. It will be difficult to insure a car to bring to BG and then I will have only owned the car for a few days, so some difficulty in bringing the car into BG will also take place I assume. Anyone any ideas??

I don't think you will be doing this in Dobrich, but if you want to, I have a BG "
helper"
who will sort it for you, Eric.

Thanks George - we will certainly contact you if we need help when we finally get into BG. Still showing potential purchasers around our property over here, hopefully next month will see more buyers arriving here, so with luck we may get a buyer early in the year rather than at the end of the year. Fingers crossed!!
Eric

Best of luck with selling things, Eric. Certainly a major problem here as I well know

I don't see you having any problems Eric with any car bought within the Eu it should be as simple as what |Tony is saying