A Bulgarian company. A clear way forward.
Build your business on a clear legal foundation. We help international founders set up a Bulgarian EOOD or OOD, prepare the documents and handle the Commercial Register application — with support in English.
The next step
Where are the owners based, and what will the company do? A short description is enough to start.
Company formation in Bulgaria
pitai@advokatami.bgPractical help, from the start
We explain what is needed, prepare the incorporation documents and handle the registry application within the agreed scope. You stay informed about what to sign, what to provide and what happens next.
Tell us about the activity, owners, manager and where everyone is based. We clarify the structure, practical requirements and any regulated activities.
We provide a tailored offer, including our fee, VAT treatment and what is included. After agreement and payment, we prepare the incorporation documents.
We guide you through the required signatures, certification and capital deposit. Foreign documents, translations and bank identification are arranged according to the case.
An authorised lawyer submits the application electronically and monitors it. We respond to registry instructions within the agreed scope and inform you of the outcome and next steps.
The essentials
The same core rules apply to an EOOD and an OOD. The document package and practical steps depend on the founders, the manager and the planned activity.
An EOOD has one owner; an OOD has two or more. Foreign individuals and companies can be founders, subject to legal capacity, identification and any applicable restrictions. The company is a separate legal person and answers for its debts with its own assets; limited liability is not a blanket shield from personal responsibility.
The company needs a name in Bulgarian, with an optional additional foreign-language version, and a registered seat and management address in Bulgaria. A name check is not a reservation or a trade mark clearance. The address must be appropriate for management and reliable receipt of correspondence.
The legal minimum capital for an EOOD/OOD is €1; the minimum nominal value of a share is €0.01. The required paid-in amount is deposited before registration. One or more managers are appointed, and each manager provides the legally required notarised consent and signature specimen.
We prepare the founding act or articles of association, incorporation decisions, declarations and the lawyer’s authorisation. Identity documents and capital evidence are needed. For a foreign corporate owner, documents confirming its existence, representation and decision to participate may also be required.
For founders based abroad
Online communication and electronic filing make the process easier. Some formalities still depend on the country, document and bank involved.
Discuss your situationDepending on the document and country, signing may be arranged before a Bulgarian consular officer or a local notary. An apostille, legalisation, a treaty exemption and an appropriate Bulgarian translation may be relevant. We confirm the route before you sign.
Through our banking partners, we arrange a quick, straightforward opening of a capital deposit account remotely, without a branch visit. We confirm the required documents and eligibility in advance. The bank still completes identification and ownership checks; arrangements for everyday business banking are a separate step.
Owning or managing a company does not automatically grant a right to live or work in Bulgaria. Immigration status, personal tax residence and the company’s tax obligations are separate matters. Where you actually live, work and manage the business can also create obligations in another country.
Know what you are paying for
Your quote reflects the ownership structure and the practical steps involved. We confirm the work, expected timing and charges before payment, including any additional services you need.
Our legal service
Scope, professional fee and VAT treatment are confirmed before payment. Foreign owners, corporate shareholders, document formalities and additional services can affect the work required.
Commercial Register application
Official fee for the initial electronic EOOD/OOD application. The corresponding paper filing fee is €56.24. These are authority fees, separate from our professional fee.
Other costs and capital
Bank charges, notarisation, translations and legalisation are separate where needed. Share capital belongs to the company; it is not our fee or a registration tax. Accounting is quoted separately.
Beyond the registration
A company registration is only the beginning. Tax treatment depends on the activity, transactions, shareholders and where the business is actually managed.
10%
The standard rate applies to taxable profit, not turnover. Tax adjustments, special regimes and any foreign tax obligations must be assessed separately.
5%
Generally the Bulgarian final tax on dividends distributed to individuals. Recipient status and applicable tax treaties matter; corporate recipients follow separate rules.
20%
Reduced rates, exemptions, zero-rating and reverse charge depend on the transaction and legal conditions. Selling to an EU customer does not automatically mean 0% VAT.
Keep records and supporting documents from the first transactions, whether or not the company is VAT-registered. We can connect you with a suitable accountant for bookkeeping, payroll and tax filings.
Accounting support (Bulgarian)For a business established in Bulgaria, the general domestic registration threshold is annual turnover in Bulgaria exceeding €51,130, measured under the VAT Act for the calendar year. The application is due within 7 days of exceeding it. Other grounds, including certain Article 97a services, can apply earlier.
Article 97a VAT registration (Bulgarian)Contributions depend on actual work, remuneration, the insurance basis and any cross-border social-security rules. Passive ownership alone does not create a universal monthly contribution. There is no single fixed amount for every owner or manager.
Discuss your accounting needs (Bulgarian)An ordinary active company generally files and pays its annual corporate income tax by 30 June and publishes its annual financial statements by 30 September of the following year. Qualifying inactivity follows different rules. Check permits, beneficial-owner information and GDPR duties for the actual business.
Annual financial statement filing (Bulgarian)Before you decide
Clear answers to common questions from international founders.
Ask about your caseInitial registration applications are legally due for review by the end of the next working day after filing, with a decision immediately after review except where instructions are issued. This is the registry stage, not the entire setup. Preparing documents, bank approval, signing abroad and translations can take longer. We estimate the overall timing after reviewing your case; a two-day registration is not guaranteed.
We arrange remote capital deposit accounts through our banking partners, without visiting a bank branch. The overall incorporation process also depends on the signing route and any foreign-document formalities. We prepare the documents and file electronically, and confirm the remaining requirements for your case before agreeing a timetable.
A foreign founder does not need a Bulgarian personal residential address merely to own an EOOD or OOD. The company itself needs a registered seat and management address in Bulgaria. An address must be usable for its purpose and correspondence. The absence of a general title-deed requirement in the A4 filing does not mean you may use an address without permission.
€1 is the legal minimum share capital, not a realistic operating budget or the total cost of incorporation. If the agreed capital is higher, at least 70% must be paid before registration, and not less than the legal minimum; the balance is due within the agreed period, no later than two years. Budget separately for professional and official fees, banking and the needs of the business.
No. Company registration creates a company identification code (EIK/UIC), not automatic VAT registration. VAT requires a separate assessment and procedure, even where requested alongside incorporation. VIES checks a VAT number’s validity for relevant EU transactions; it is not a separate incorporation licence. Article 97a can apply to certain cross-border services before the general turnover threshold.
No sales alone does not establish inactivity under the Accounting Act. A qualifying inactive company generally files its one-time declaration for the first inactive reporting period by 30 June of the following year. A valid declaration is not repeated annually while inactivity continues. Existing VAT, tax or insurance obligations do not automatically disappear. An accountant should check the specific position.
There is no general GDPR requirement to register every company as a data controller. The company must comply with the duties applicable to its processing: lawful grounds, transparency, security, records and contractual arrangements where required. A data protection officer is mandatory only in the cases set out by law.
Property and land transactions require separate due diligence. The answer depends on the type of property, land classification, ownership structure and applicable restrictions. Incorporation alone is not confirmation that a particular purchase is permitted or suitable.
Go a little deeper
Updated English guides to setting up, managing and moving business activity to Bulgaria.
A practical look at the business benefits, costs and legal limits.
Company structure, documents, signing, capital and the registry application.
Accounting, tax, company records and compliance after incorporation.
What a new Bulgarian company changes — and which Greek obligations may remain.
Remote capital deposit accounts through our banking partners, documents and everyday banking.
Registration grounds, the 2026 threshold, Article 97a and ongoing reporting.
Name checks, corporate decisions and updating the Commercial Register.
Capital increases, reductions and the distinction from euro conversion.
Liquidation stages, creditor protection and the legal and accounting work.
Share capital, governance, incorporation documents and registration.
The foreign parent, the branch’s status, registration and reporting.
What a TRO can do, BCCI and BULSTAT registration, and residence considerations.
Advokatami.bg is a private legal-services platform, independent of the Registry Agency. This overview concerns ordinary EOOD/OOD incorporation; your business and cross-border circumstances may require additional checks.
Your next step
Tell us what you want to build. We will explain the documents, costs and next steps.
