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Fines in Bulgaria. A note for drivers!
Careful drivers in Bulgaria may go for years without meeting officers of KAT (the local traffic police) – except during routine roadside checks. As for offenders, they are punished severely.
Bulgarian drivers receive a card with “points” along with their licence. In case of violations, these points are taken away. When none are left, the driving licence becomes invalid and the licence has to be obtained again.
Foreign drivers who are in Bulgaria temporarily and have not exchanged their licence for a Bulgarian one are not at risk of losing points. In such cases, KAT officers limit themselves to issuing monetary fines.
If the car is registered to a Bulgarian company, the notice of the fine will be sent to the company’s registered address, and the company manager is responsible for paying it regardless of who was behind the wheel.
Requirements for drivers and documents
Nothing impossible is expected of car owners. The windscreen must bear stickers showing that the car is roadworthy (has passed its technical inspection) and is insured. Those driving outside the city also need a vignette – another sticker on the windscreen. All stickers are placed in the areas specially designated for them.
A fine must be paid for not having a vignette. The amount depends on the vehicle:
- passenger cars – 300 leva;
- vehicles with 8 passenger seats – 600 leva;
- buses and lorries with a maximum weight of 12 tonnes – 1500 leva;
- lorries with a maximum weight of more than 12 tonnes – 3000 leva.
As for drivers, they must carry all the necessary documents with them – licence, control card, vehicle registration document, insurance policy (compulsory third-party liability insurance). If any of these documents is missing, a fine of 10 leva must be paid.
Many people register a company in Bulgaria in order to buy a car and take it out of Bulgaria. In this case you need a current status certificate for the company with the commercial register’s stamp, translated into English.
Refusal to present documents for inspection is punished severely: a fine of 50 to 200 leva and withdrawal of the licence for up to 6 months. The same penalty awaits those who obstruct the inspection of the vehicle or fail to comply with the instructions of KAT officers.
Driving a car without a licence (after it has been withdrawn or without ever having obtained a driving licence) carries a fine of 100-300 leva.
Drivers and alcohol
The permitted blood alcohol concentration is below 0.5 per mille. If this level is exceeded, a fine must be paid:
0.5-0.8 per mille – 500 leva and withdrawal of the licence for 6 months (holders of Bulgarian licences also lose 10 points).
0.8-1.2 per mille – 1000 leva and withdrawal of the licence for a year.
A repeat offence – 1000-2000 leva, withdrawal of the licence for 1-3 years.
Those who refuse an alcohol or drugs test must pay a fine of 2000 leva and lose their licence for up to two years. If the licence is Bulgarian, 12 points are taken away as well.
Other fines
Failing to have the technical inspection done on time carries a fine of 50 leva. If the car has no number plate or is registered incorrectly, you will have to pay from 200 to 500 leva and lose your licence for six months or a year. Violations such as using a radar detector, talking on the phone while driving, ignoring seat belts and breaking the rules on carrying children are punished with a fine of 50 leva. Each passenger who does not wear a seat belt also pays 50 leva.
The permitted speed in towns and villages is 50 km/h, outside towns – 90 km/h. Exceeding the permitted limits by 10 km/h means paying a fine of 20 leva; exceeding by up to 20 km/h – a fine of 50 leva; up to 30 km/h – 100 leva; up to 40 km/h – 400 leva; up to 50 km/h – 600 leva; more than 50 km/h – 700 leva. Beyond that, an additional 50 leva has to be paid for every 5 km/h and, moreover, such speeding is punished by withdrawal of the licence for 3 months.
Organising races on the roads and taking part in them is not allowed. The penalty is a fine of 3000 leva (5000 for a repeat offence) and withdrawal of the licence for a year (three years for a repeat offence).
From November to March you must change to winter tyres with a tread depth of 4 mm or more. Failure to comply with this rule requires payment of a fine of 50 leva.
If a car is parked incorrectly or in a place not intended for it, the fine will be from 20 to 200 leva depending on the severity of the violation.
Driving in the oncoming lane on a motorway is punished strictly: 1000 leva and 3 months without a licence, and for a repeat offence – 4000 leva and 6 months without a licence. Driving in a dedicated bus lane costs 50 leva.
Running a red light or failing to give way to pedestrians at a crossing means paying a fine of 100 leva, and for a repeat offence – 200 leva and withdrawal of the licence for a month. Any breach of the traffic rules that creates a hazard on the road carries a fine of 150 leva.
Common violations
Bulgarian drivers are not particularly disciplined. The most common violations are speeding, ignoring road signs and improper parking. Sometimes drivers get behind the wheel with clearly more alcohol in their blood than allowed. But this is not a very frequent occurrence. Many people also drive on summer tyres in winter to save money. This is especially common among low-income residents of Bulgarian villages.
For foreigners looking to buy a car and obtain permanent number plates, we will be glad to help with registering a company in Bulgaria.
With us it’s simple!
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