Buying a car in Bulgaria: paperwork and registration with KAT

Purchase

Bulgaria has the largest second-hand car market and prices are fairly low. You can buy a new or used car at dealerships, from resale companies, or directly from owners.

The most popular car market websites: www.cars.bg and www.mobile.bg

Paperwork

A car can be registered to a private individual, to a company registered in Bulgaria, or to an established trade representative office of a foreign company.

A foreign national who is not a Bulgarian citizen and registers a car in his own name, i.e. as a private individual, can only register it in Sofia, receiving blue plates for a fixed period (1–3 years). As a rule, in such cases cars are bought in the name of one's company or trade representative office.

The purchase of a car is formalised by concluding a sale and purchase contract, which must be notarised, even if the transaction takes place between legal entities on both sides, except where a company or representative office buys a car not yet registered in Bulgaria from a company that imports such cars into the country.

The value stated in the sale and purchase contract may not be lower than the insurance value of the car. Fees and duties for concluding the sale and purchase contract before a notary come to about 2.5% of the stated value of the car. If the transaction amount exceeds €7,669.38 (15,000 leva), payment is made only through a bank.

After the sale and purchase contract is signed, all documents for the car are handed over to the buyer.

Documents required for notarising the transaction:

• “голям и малък талон” (the small and large registration certificates for the car);
• a document confirming payment of the vehicle tax for the current year;
• the compulsory motor third party liability insurance policy (civil liability);
• a certificate of the insurance value of the car (can be obtained from an insurance company);
• a document showing the seller's title to the car (sale and purchase contract or other);
• the seller's declaration that there are no debts to the budget subject to enforced collection.

Re-registration of the car with the traffic police (KAT)

Within 14 days of buying the car, the new owner must re-register it in his own name with KAT.

Documents required for re-registration:

• the sale and purchase contract plus a copy of it;
• “голям и малък талон” (the small and large registration certificates for the car);
• a document confirming payment of the vehicle tax for the current year plus a copy of it;
• the compulsory motor third party liability insurance policy (civil liability) plus a copy of it;
• the certificate and document confirming the roadworthiness test has been passed.

If the car was imported into Bulgaria and is not yet registered, all original registration documents from the country it was imported from must be presented. If the car was imported from a country that is not an EU member, it is advisable to have a copy of the customs declaration.

When re-registering to a private individual in Sofia you must have a foreigner's identity card (internal passport).

When registering to a company or trade representative office you must have a certificate of good standing obtained in advance and the company seal.

The full set of documents is submitted at a separate counter; for a small fee they are checked and the re-registration application (Молба КАТ-1) is filled in.

The time needed for re-registration depends on whether the car has number plates, whether it was previously registered in Bulgaria and in which region. If the re-registration takes place within the same region, it will take a minimum of time. The application with the set of documents is handed in at the reception counter, a fee of about €15.34 (30 leva) is paid at the bank, and then after a while you receive the large and small registration certificates in the name of the new owner.

In other cases you have to go through a technical inspection of the car, a check of the engine and chassis numbers, of the brakes and headlights, and show that a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, warning triangle, etc. are present. Based on the results of the technical inspection you receive a diagnostic sheet; after that you have to remove the old front plate and hand it in at the reception counter together with the application and documents, pay the fee for re-registration and new plates, and then after a while receive the new car documents in the name of the new owner. (Environmental fee €40.90–76.69 / 80–150 leva, car inspection ≈ €7.16 / 14 leva, additional fees ≈ €5.11 / 10 leva). You can choose the number plates at your own discretion by officially paying €25.56 (50 leva).

After the re-registration you need to drive to a special area where the new plates will be fitted for you.

Re-registration of the car with the insurance company

If the car was bought with the motor third party liability and casco policies still in force, you must contact the insurance company named in the policies to notify it of the change of car owner and to obtain new registration details for the insured car.

Registration of the car with the tax service (National Revenue Agency (NAP))

Within two months of the date the car is registered with KAT, the new owner must notify the municipality at his place of residence (if registered to a private individual) or at the location of the organisation (if registered to a company or representative office) (the “Местни данъци и такси” department).

To do this, a Декларация по чл. 54, ал. 1 is filled in and submitted together with copies of the sale and purchase contract, the large registration certificate and the document on payment of the vehicle tax for the current year (if it has been paid).

You will be given the incoming number of the declaration, which you can use to view the assessed amounts and pay the vehicle tax. You can view the amounts assessed for your car at http://proverka.eu/, and pay at a bank or through the Bulgarian service https://www.epay.bg

We can help you with everything you cannot handle yourself. We provide services for handling the purchase and sale of a car and its registration with KAT.