Bulgarian law offers one of the most liberal procedures for obtaining cargo and passenger transport license. The authority that issues the licenses is Executive Agency “Automobile Administration”. The benefits of getting a Bulgarian cargo or passenger transport license is that it is issued relatively quick (within 15-20 days). Once you register a new company, it could obtain a license. Of course, there are mandatory requirements which you need to meet, such as:
- Reliability (reputation) – the requirements are met when the transport managers of the company have not been convicted of a crime of general nature or deprived by a final judgment from exercising transport activity (art. 7, para. 4 from the law);
- Professional competence – the requirements are met when the transport managers of the company have the knowledge and experience acquired through visits to training courses or used in transport practice, successfully passed the written examination in subjects defined in the ordinance of art. 7, para. 3 from the law.
Licensed carriers and persons performing operations on own account, may perform passenger and cargo only drivers who qualify for the minimum age qualification to drive motor vehicles in the category and psychological fitness defined by regulations on Art. 7, para. 3 and art. 12b para. 1 and art. 152, para. 1 pt. 2 of the Law on Road Traffic (Art. 7, para. 2);
- Financial Stability Facility – the requirements are met when the trader has sufficient resources that can guarantee the normal startup and operation of the transport undertaking and no obligations for taxes and social contributions, except when deferred or rescheduled under the Tax and Social Insurance Procedure Code. The capital for the first vehicle and for each additional vehicle must meet the limit set in the ordinance of art. 7, para. 3 from the law (Art. 7, para. 6). Your company must show in its balance sheets possession of at least 9000 Euros if you apply for one vehicle license and + 5000 Euros for every other vehicle you apply for.
- The establishment of the Republic of Bulgaria – the requirement is satisfied where the company is genuinely and permanently established on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, which represents the carrier declaration in a form determined by the ordinance under para. 3 (art. 7, para. 7 from the law);
- They have contracts with professional car repair service and with a parking.
The transportation company should hire a person who has passes the state exams for qualification for transport company management. This is a special license issued upon successful passing of the state exams for transport company management. Anybody can get this qualification certificate if he/she is fluent in Bulgarian and learns the exam prep papers. IF a foreigner applies for such transport management qualification certificate, the high school diploma needs to be legalized in the Bulgarian Ministry of Education.
Innovires lawyers could professionally assist you starting an EU licensed transportation company. We offer:
- Transport company establishment;
- VAT registration and accounting services to transportation company (it has several specifics);
- Obtaining EU transport license in Bulgaria in 20 days period;
- Registration of the trucks and the equipment with the respective authorities;
- Providing full legal and accounting assistance in negotiating with lease companies and banks;
- Drafting/amending transportation agreements with partners and clients;
Please, contact us for more information.
