Buying a car in Bulgaria. The process of buying a car in Bulgaria.

You can buy a car at car markets, specialised showrooms, and from private owners. There are people who bring cars in from Germany, Italy, and so on.

The largest car-buying website portals in Bulgaria:

http://www.cars.bg/

http://www.mobile.bg/

Car prices are cheaper for countries that are not in the European Union.

You need to be careful when buying cars at car markets, as almost all vehicles brought in from EU countries have had their mileage rolled back. If you are seriously considering buying one, you should have it checked at a diagnostic centre. On the coast, in the cities of Varna and Burgas, prices at car markets are slightly higher, while the choice is greater in Sofia and Plovdiv.

For foreigners (non-EU), a car is registered in the name of a legal entity.

A company in Bulgaria can be set up in 1–2 days and costs around 250–300 euros. If you have a representative office set up in Bulgaria, the car can be registered in its name.

A sale and purchase agreement must be drawn up and certified by a notary.

Documents required to register a car:

1. The vehicle registration certificate – the large one and the small one;
2. Insurance;
3. A document confirming payment of the annual tax for the previous year;
4. The car insurance policy, which can be obtained at the notary;
5. The sale and purchase agreement.
6. A document on the current status of the company (representative office or firm) and the company seal.

The notary’s fee is around 2–3% of the insurance value of the car stated in the agreement.

Any sum above seven and a half thousand euros (15,000 leva) must be paid through a bank.

Once the car has been registered.

Within 14 days you need to submit documents to KAT (the Bulgarian traffic police, equivalent to the Russian GAI):

1. The vehicle registration certificate – the large one and the small one;
2. Insurance;
3. A document confirming payment of the annual tax for the previous year;
4. The state car insurance policy;
5. The sale and purchase agreement.
6. A document confirming that the vehicle has passed a technical inspection.

*** A copy must be provided for every document.

If you are not a citizen of the European Union, you will need to obtain a document on the current status of your company and the company seal. This document can be obtained from the NAP (National Revenue Agency) or downloaded from the online register.

After you have registered your car with KAT (the traffic police), within 2 months you must notify the local municipal council and fill in an application. You will be issued a number under which you will subsequently pay the vehicle tax.