Buying a car in Bulgaria

Buying a car in Bulgaria in 2024

Bulgaria is the largest market for second-hand motor vehicles and their prices are sufficiently lower than in most EU and EEA countries. New or second-hand car can be purchased both in car show rooms and from companies dealing in resale, and also directly from the owners.

The most popular sites for buying a second-hand motor vehicle in Bulgaria are www.cars.bg and www.mobile.bg. Alternatively, you may buy a brand new or second-hand car from the official dealer of Mercedes Benz in Bulgaria, Audi dealer in Bulgaria, Porsche dealer in Bulgaria or BMW dealer in Bulgaria.

Buying a car in Bulgaria, you may choose between registering the car as a personal or company asset. If you would like to register your car as a personal asset, you will definitely need to become a resident of Bulgaria. The alternative option is to register Bulgarian limited company. Incorporating a company in Bulgaria become more strict and recently our team assists with ready-made companies. It takes up to 5 working days for a ready-made company to be officially transferred to your name. Ready-made companies can be transferred fully remotely before brining the car to Bulgaria. 

Buying a Bulgaria registered car

The car is purchased by way of a purchase agreement, which needs to be certified by a local notary public. The specified value of the car cannot be lower than the insurance value of the car. The taxes and charges for signing the purchase agreement before the notary public amount to approximately 2,5% from the specified value of the vehicle. If the sum of the transaction exceeds 10000 BGN the payment has to be made only as a bank transfer. After signing the purchase agreement all documents of the vehicle have to be handed over to the purchaser.

To finalize the transaction before the notary public, the following documents are required:

  •  Vehicle Registration Certificate Part I and Vehicle Registration Document Part II;
  •  Document confirming paid vehicle tax for the current year;
  •  Bulgarian Car Insurance ;
  •  Certificate for the insurance value of the vehicle;
  •  Agreement for sale and purchase;
  •  Declaration by the seller for absence of liabilities to the state budget subject to execution (declaration pursuant to Art.264, Para. 2 of the Tax and Insurance Procedure Code, signed when vehicle ownership is being transferred).

What to do after the car is purchased

Within 14 calendar days of completion of the transaction the new owner has to re-register the vehicle with the local Traffic Police Office by providing the below documents:

  •  Agreement for sale and purchase;
  •  Vehicle Registration Certificate Part I and Vehicle Registration Document Part II;
  •  Document confirming paid vehicle tax for the current year plus an extra copy;
  • Bulgarian Car Insurance;
  •  Document and certificate for technical inspection.

Buying a non-Bulgaria registered car

If the car is not registered in Bulgaria you can skip the notary part and proceed straight with the car registration with the local Traffic Office. 

For assistance in purchasing a car in Bulgaria, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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