Transport Licence in Bulgaria — Freight and Passenger Transport (2026)

Legal Framework

The regulation of road transport in Bulgaria is based on a combination of national and European legislation:

• Road Transport Act — the main national law governing the conditions and procedures for conducting public passenger and freight transport, as well as the licensing regime. The Act has been amended multiple times, including the latest changes in SG No. 64/2025, No. 99/2025 and No. 16/2026.
• Regulation (EC) No. 1071/2009 — establishes common rules on the conditions to be met by persons carrying out road transport. Defines the four basic requirements: effective establishment, good repute, financial standing and professional competence.
• Regulation (EC) No. 1072/2009 — governs access to the international road freight transport market, including cabotage.
• Regulation (EC) No. 1073/2009 — governs access to the international coach and bus transport market.
• Ordinance No. 33 on public passenger and freight transport on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria — secondary legislation specifying the requirements and procedures at national level.

With the adoption of the euro from 01.01.2026, all amounts stated in legislation in BGN are converted at the fixed rate of 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN.

Types of Transport Licences

Bulgarian legislation distinguishes two main types of licences for public road transport:

National Licence

The National Licence grants the right to conduct public passenger or freight transport only within the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. It is suitable for carriers that do not plan international operations — e.g. domestic scheduled bus routes or freight transport between Bulgarian cities.

Community Licence

The Community Licence permits the conduct of international road transport within the EU, EEA and third countries with which bilateral agreements exist. This licence automatically covers domestic (national) transport as well. A certified copy of the licence is issued for each motor vehicle used in the activity, which must be kept in the vehicle.

Four Basic Requirements Under Regulation 1071/2009

To obtain a transport licence (national or Community), the carrier must cumulatively meet the following four requirements established in Regulation (EC) No. 1071/2009:

1. Effective Establishment

The carrier must have effective and stable establishment in Bulgaria. This means:

• Having premises (office) in which the core business documents are kept — accounting books, personnel documents, contracts, licence documents;
• Having motor vehicles registered in Bulgaria or authorised for use under Bulgarian legislation;
• Effectively and continuously conducting transport management activities from the territory of Bulgaria, with the necessary administrative equipment and facilities.

2. Good Repute

The transport manager and the undertaking itself must meet the requirements for good repute. This includes:

• Clean criminal record certificate — the manager must not have been convicted of serious offences (including commercial, labour law, traffic rule violations);
• No severe administrative sanctions must have been imposed for violations of transport legislation;
• The good repute requirement is ongoing — compliance is monitored continuously and loss of repute leads to licence revocation.

3. Financial Standing

The carrier must demonstrate sufficient financial resources for the proper launch and management of its activity:

• EUR 9 000 for the first motor vehicle;
• EUR 5 000 for each additional motor vehicle.

Financial standing is demonstrated annually through audited annual financial statements or a bank guarantee. Alternatively, a professional liability insurance or another form of financial guarantee accepted by the competent authority may be presented.

4. Professional Competence

The carrier must have at least one person — a transport manager — who holds a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). To obtain it:

• Successful completion of the CPC examination, organised by the Executive Agency "Automobile Administration";
• The examination covers civil law, commercial law, social law, tax law, commercial and financial management of the undertaking, market access, technical operation and road safety;
• The CPC certificate is indefinite, but competent authorities may require refresher training every 5 years to update knowledge.

Licence Issuance Procedure

The procedure involves the following main stages:

1. Filing the application

   The application is filed with the Executive Agency "Automobile Administration" — at the carrier's registered office. The application is accompanied by a complete set of documents evidencing compliance with the four requirements.

2. Documents

   The application must be accompanied by: a certificate of current status (or UIC), CPC certificate of the manager, criminal record certificate, documents on financial standing (audited annual financial statements, bank guarantee or insurance), evidence of effective establishment, list of vehicles with registration certificates and a payment order for the fee.

3. Decision

   The Executive Agency decides on the application within the statutory period. Upon approval, a licence is issued; upon non-fulfilment of conditions — a reasoned refusal, subject to appeal under the Administrative Procedure Code.

4. Issuance of Certified Copies

   A certified copy of the licence is issued for each motor vehicle to be used for transport. The copy is kept in the respective vehicle and presented during inspections.

State Fees

Both types of licences are valid for 10 years from the date of issuance. Renewal follows an analogous procedure, with the carrier required to demonstrate continued compliance with the four basic requirements.

Changes 2025–2026

The transport sector is undergoing significant regulatory changes in recent months:

• Amendments to the Road Transport Act (SG No. 64/2025) — stricter requirements are introduced for cabotage control, enhanced monitoring of driving and rest time through second-generation digital tachographs (smart tachograph 2).
• Amendments to the Road Transport Act (SG No. 99/2025) — sanctions for transport without a licence and for violations of social legislation have been updated. New obligations for carriers regarding environmental standards of vehicles have been introduced.
• Amendments (SG No. 16/2026) — harmonisation with the EU Mobility Package, including new rules on the posting of drivers and more precise definitions of cabotage operations.
• Euro adoption (01.01.2026) — all fees and financial thresholds are denominated in euros. Licences issued before 01.01.2026 remain valid, with values automatically converted at the fixed rate.

Carriers should pay particular attention to the new requirements for digital tachographs and environmental standards, as non-compliance may lead to serious sanctions, including temporary suspension of the licence.

Frequently asked questions