Public body: Traffic Police
Website: https://www.mvr.bg/opp
1. Environmental tax and 3rd party insurance
It would be advisable that you visit the Traffic police station the day before the day of registration to familiarise yourself with the location. Close by you should find a booth where you can purchase car insurance and pay environmental tax. Look for signs with capital letters that say ‘ЕКО ТАКСИ и ЗАСТРАХОВКИ’. These two are mandatory and you need to attach them to your application. The insurance policy will refer to your current number plates.
Tip: Once you obtain your new number plates you need to re-visit the broker to inform them of the new plates. The environmental tax will be in the region of 200 BGN to 300 BGN. You could consider paying for the car insurance in quarterly installments. A full year would cost circa 270 BGN.
2. Get yourself ready with all the required documents
Prepare a folder with the following:
- ID document and a copy
- purchase agreement/proof of car ownership and a copy
- current registration certificate (both parts if applicable)
- third-party insurance cover, environmental tax certificate
- declaration for acquiring the vehicle (see example below)
- conformity certificate issued by the car manufacturer and proof of roadworthiness
Notice if you have not got the latter, your car would be subject to a technical inspection on the spot.
3. Application form
Prepare for an early start on the day of registration. Most traffic police stations open at 8:30 in the morning. Park your car and head straight to the main entrance. It is likely there will be already people queuing there. The aim of this early exercise is to get a number from the queue management system. There are several different kiosks, for example, car registration and renewing driving licenses will be two different queues. Once at the respective kiosk a member of staff will provide you with the application form. Now you are good to drive your car to the technical inspection point.
4. Technical inspection
A member of staff will validate that the vehicle identification number and the engine number match the number on the current registration certificate. You would be issued an inspection protocol which you hand over in the next step.
Tip: Make sure you have the first aid kit and fire extinguisher ready for inspection. If your fire extinguisher is out of date, you will be charged a small fee to update it.
5. Return the old number plates
Armed with your old number plates, you return to the main hall and wait your turn. This time a member of staff will require all the documents to complete the application process in the system.
Tip: You will be provided with a paper stating the new registration number.
6. Fit the new number plates
Drive your car to the designated area for fitting new number plates.
7. Collect the new documents and pay the fee
Return to the main hall this time to receive your new registration certificate and pay the registration fee, circa 50 BGN. This is it. You have officially done it. Congratulations!
Tip: Make sure to check the newly printed registration certificate details are correct!
Reminder: Few weeks after registration you will be able to pay your annual vehicle tax. The tax is calculated proportionally to the number of months left in the current calendar year.
Notice: Someone else can register a vehicle on your behalf. This person must present an original and a copy of the notarised power of attorney.
8. Change of ownership without changing number plates
- Identity document (original and copy)
- Application for registration (issued on the day of registration by the local office)
- Purchase agreement or contract (original and copy), signed and stamped by a notary
- Registration certificate Part I and Part II (large and small coupon)
- Valid insurance policy with Third-party cover
9. Traffic police addresses by major cities
The working hours are from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:30.
- Burgas > bul. “Yanko Komitov” 34
- Stara Zagora > ul. “Promishlena” 2
- Sliven > ul. “Bansko Shose” 2
- Plovdiv > ul. “Napredak” 2
- Pazardzhik > bul. „Stefan Stambolov“ 4
- Lovech > ul. “Han Kubrat” 12
- Gabrovo > ul. “Bodra smyana” 1
- Veliko Tarnovo > ul. “Belyakovsko Shose” 4
- Varna > bul. “Yan Huniyadi” 5
10. For motorhome enthusiasts
To start with, the vehicle must be a commercially produced motorhome and not a home conversion. Traffic police VIN number search will often show the chassis only (for example Fiat Ducato). Next, the police officer might argue the vehicle is not legally a motorhome but rather a van. At this point, the owner must go back to the manufacturer (for example Hobby, Bailey, Eldis, etc.) and ask for a certificate to prove this VIN number is one of a Fiat Ducato Chassis motorhome.
An example of the import declaration in PDF format is available on request Hello(at)move2bulgaria.com. For other driving-related info visit our Driving page.