Bulgarian insurance and legal services.

08/09/2025

New rules in Bulgaria, effective September 7, 2025.
New rules in the Road Traffic Act affecting drivers of motor vehicles, electric vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists came into force on Sunday, September 7.

Average speed detection
According to the adopted changes, the ban on exceeding the maximum permissible speeds will also apply to the average speed in a given section of the road. The control system will use cameras installed at the beginning and end of the section, with "average speed" defined as the speed at which a vehicle travels a certain section of the road for a certain time, determined by an automated technical device or section control system.

Crossing railroad tracks
It is prohibited to: cross a railway outside of railway crossings; arbitrarily raise a lowered barrier or bypass it; shift gears on a vehicle at a railway crossing and cross it with the gears disengaged; reverse on a railway crossing.

Driving in the emergency lane
When driving on a motorway, drivers are prohibited from driving in the opposite lane or in the emergency lane. This was already prohibited, but with the exception of vehicle breakdowns and health problems of the driver or passengers in the vehicle. No exceptions are now allowed.

Smooth braking
When braking, the speed of the road vehicle must be reduced smoothly. Sudden braking is prohibited, unless it is necessary to avoid a traffic accident. To give way to road users who have right of way, braking must be carried out in the lane occupied.

Prohibition of mobile devices
The driver of a motor vehicle is prohibited from using a mobile communication device or other mobile device while driving the vehicle, except through a device that allows hands-free use or through the communication and control systems of the vehicle.

Pedestrian crossing
When approaching a pedestrian crossing, the driver of a non-rail road vehicle is obliged to give way to pedestrians who are signalling that they are about to cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, who are standing on the pedestrian crossing or who are crossing it, by slowing down or stopping.

Involvement in an accident
A driver of a road vehicle involved in a road traffic accident is obliged: when people have been injured in the accident, not to consume alcohol or narcotic substances or their analogues until the arrival of the control authorities.
When the accident has caused only property damage, if the parties involved in the accident do not agree on the circumstances related to it, they shall, without leaving the scene of the accident, notify the relevant control service of the Ministry of the Interior in the territory where the accident occurred and follow the instructions given to them, refraining from consuming alcohol and/or narcotic substances or their analogues until the arrival of the control authorities.

Child restraint systems
Child restraint systems must be used for children under 150 centimeters tall travelling in motor vehicles of categories M1, N1, N2, and N3.

Technical inspection
A roadworthiness test is carried out after establishing that the owner or the user listed in the registration certificate has no outstanding obligations, as well as the person presenting the road vehicle for technical inspection on the date of the inspection, for payment of a fine or property sanction for a violation of this law committed with the same vehicle, imposed by a final penalty order, ticket or electronic ticket.

Driving with a foreign driver's license
Bulgarian citizens may drive motor vehicles on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria with a foreign national license when it is not issued by a Member State of the European Union or by another country party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, or by the Swiss Confederation within one year of their entry into the country.

Pedestrians
When crossing the road, pedestrians are required to use pedestrian crossings and observe the following rules: before stepping onto the road, they must stop, look left and right, and take into account approaching vehicles; not to use a mobile phone or other mobile communication device or any other device that distracts their attention; to give way to approaching rail vehicles.
Pedestrians are prohibited from: walking in tunnels and on bridges where there are no sidewalks; crossing the roadway immediately behind or in front of a bus, tram, or trolleybus stopped at a regular public transport stop.

Individual electric vehicle
The minimum age for driving an individual electric vehicle is 16 years.
The driver of an individual electric vehicle is required to: drive a roadworthy individual electric vehicle with a maximum speed of up to 25 km/h; wear a protective helmet, regardless of age; when crossing the roadway, to move in accordance with the rules of the road, taking into account approaching vehicles and without taking precedence over them, and if crossing the roadway at a pedestrian crossing, to dismount from the individual electric vehicle and cross on foot.
Valid civil liability insurance is required to cover the insured's liability for damage caused to third parties.
The driver of an individual electric vehicle is prohibited from: driving an individual electric vehicle that is not registered, the terms and conditions for registration being determined by a municipal council regulation; driving during the dark hours of the day; drive the vehicle without holding the handlebars with their hands or in a manner that creates a danger to other road users, including jumping or riding on one wheel; using a mobile phone, other mobile communication device, or other device that distracts their attention, except for devices that allow their use without the use of their hands while driving an individual electric vehicle; leading animals.
It is also prohibited to park the vehicle in parks, gardens, squares, playgrounds, sports grounds, green areas, areas intended for pedestrians only, sidewalks, as well as at the entrances to metro stations or buildings, public transport stops, crosswalks, and in front of ramps for access by persons with disabilities, except in designated areas.

Cyclists
Cyclists are required to: wear a reflective vest or reflective elements on the visible part of their clothing, allowing them to be easily seen when riding outside built-up areas, during the dark hours of the day and in conditions of reduced visibility, to ride their bicycle with a white or yellow light switched on at the front; when crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing, to dismount from their bicycle and cross on foot.
Cyclists are prohibited from: carrying other persons on the bicycle, except for children under six years of age or weighing up to 27 kg in specially designed and certified child seats or seats, unless the bicycle is manufactured for use by more than one person; carry other persons on the bicycle if they are under 18 years of age; using a mobile phone, other mobile communication device, or other device that distracts their attention while riding, except for devices that can be used without their hands; leading animals if they are riding on the roadway.

All changes affecting drivers of motor vehicles, electric vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians can be found on the website of the State Agency for Road Safety.

BTA

10/07/2024

Important notice: In view of the planned launch of the new EU border management systems (Entry/Еxit and the European Travel Authorisation System - ETIAS), please be aware that in order to be exempted from the requirements for third country nationals under the rules of operation of these systems, the UK beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement, residing in Bulgaria, must be in possession of the residence document under the WA, issued by the Bulgarian authorities following the procedures described in this section and be able to present it for the purposes of border control.

In addition to the beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement, UK citizens and their family members who hold a long-stay visa or a residence permit on one of the grounds under the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria are also exempted from the requirements of these systems.

INFORMATION ABOUT BREXIT   This section aims to provide nationals of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement of the United Kingdom from the European Union and their family members with information on the applicable procedures for en...

12/10/2023

From January 1 next year, the minimum wage becomes 933 leva (or 477 euros), which is nearly 20% more than the current minimum wage

12/04/2023

Vehicle insurance
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If you do not have third party liability insurance, the traffic police will ex officio delete the car's registration, but will not remove the number plates or require the owners to return them.

The guarantee fund has a database for all cars with and without third party liability insurance. (MPTL). The information center provides the Ministry of the Interior with data on the current and terminated insurance contracts under the mandatory "Civil Liability" insurance of motorists.
From March 2018, the new rules for registration and de-registration of a car are already in force .
An annual tax is still due for vehicles whose registration has been officially terminated (due to unpaid civil liability) . Only the return of the number plates and the registration certificate exempts car owners from paying tax. If, after the official deregistration, the owner returns the registration plates of the car, no tax is due.

Deregistration procedure
Before proceeding with deregistration of the car, there are two notifications to the owner of the car.

The first notification is from the Guarantee Fund to the owner of the car. Within 14 days after the date of the notification, the car owner must provide evidence of the existence of a concluded and valid insurance contract for this insurance. If, after this period, the car still does not have such insurance, the Guarantee Fund will hand over its available database (for cars without registration) to the relevant 28 regional structures of the Traffic Police.

The regional structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs notify the owner of the car for the second time that he does not have "Civil Liability" insurance and that he must renew it. If, within 14 days after this second notification, the owner does not take action to conclude or renew the insurance and does not provide evidence of valid such insurance, the car will automatically be deregistered (official termination of the car's registration - official stopping of the car from moving), imposing corresponding administrative penalties on the owner.

The official termination of the car's registration (due to the lack of a valid civil registration) does NOT mean the removal of the registration numbers. When a car is officially deregistered (due to lack of valid Civil Liability insurance), it is not allowed to move.

Re-registration
After taking out a Civil Liability policy for your car, the registration will be renewed again in an official way. Currently, information between the Guarantee Fund and the Ministry of the Interior is updated once a week, so the restoration of the registration cannot be done within 24 hours. If the driver wants this done immediately, he must go to the traffic police and submit an application for registration renewal.

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photo credit Bulgaria post BPE

27/12/2022

On the basis of Art. 26 of the Law on the Bulgarian National Bank, the Management Board of the Bulgarian National Bank decided to withdraw from circulation the banknotes with a nominal value of BGN 20, issued in 2005, which cease to be legal tender as of February 1, 2023, the Bank announced.
After this date, banknotes with a nominal value of BGN 20, issued in 2005, will be exchanged at the cash desks of the Bulgarian National Bank at nominal value without limit of quantity, without fee and without a deadline for exchange, reports the BNB.

21/11/2022

Don't get left stranded this winter get your low cost breakdown cover now !
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21/11/2022

INSURANCE
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Property insurance in Bulgaria to suit your budget.

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03/03/2022

Sofia lawyers want a sharp increase in fees

Up to 50% increase in the minimum wage is proposed

Increasing the minimum attorney's fees by 30% to 50% and double payment of emergency or weekend legal aid are some of the changes included in a proposal submitted by the President of the Sofia Bar Association Stefan Marchev to the Supreme Bar Council, announced by the Sofia College.

According to the lawyers, through these changes, their salaries will be in line with the current economic situation

They also demand an increase in all remuneration for advice, inquiries, preparation of papers and contracts and certification of transcripts. The complaint and signal to the prosecutor's office want to jump from BGN 50 to BGN 100, the drawing up of a will to be raised from BGN 150 to BGN 250, and the investigation of a case and giving an opinion on it to increase by BGN 100, from BGN 300 to BGN 400. writes in the proposal.

The lawyers in Sofia are also demanding a significant increase in the fees for "drawing up a written contract, notarial deeds of ownership, sale, exchange, donation, mortgage, superficies and easements, out-of-court settlement, including drafting an agreement reached in mediation, without the participation of the lawyer in it, as well as for carrying out and drawing up an act on circumstantial inspection ".

flagman bg

22/02/2022

I can provide a Health insurance policy that can be used for your D visa application.
Short, or long stay in Bulgaria for foreigners that covers accidents and emergencies.
Payment via bank transfer, or cash with Econt, or Speedy.
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23/01/2022