Company formation in Bulgaria
A Bulgarian EOOD for foreign founders: 10% corporate tax, an EU and eurozone base, and a registered address in Montana.
As of October 2026. The 5% applies to dividends paid to individuals and to companies outside the EU and EEA. A tax treaty may reduce it for non-residents.
Why Bulgaria
Flat tax rates
A flat 10% corporate income tax. Most personal income in Bulgaria is taxed at 10%, and dividends paid to individuals at 5%.
EU, Schengen and the euro
EU member since 2007, full Schengen member since 1 January 2025 and part of the eurozone since 1 January 2026.
A real office address
Your registered address can be our head office in Montana. We receive the company's mail, scan it and forward it to you.
Low minimum capital
An EOOD needs only EUR 1 of capital, and its registration number (UIC) also serves as its tax number.
Company types
EOOD
Limited liability company with one owner, an individual or a company. The usual choice for a solo founder or a foreign parent's subsidiary.
Minimum capital: EUR 1
OOD
Limited liability company with two or more owners. Suits co-founders and joint ventures that want a simple structure.
Minimum capital: EUR 1
AD / EAD
Joint-stock company; an EAD has a single shareholder. For larger ventures, outside investors and activities where the law requires this form.
Minimum capital: EUR 25,000 (more for banks and insurers), at least 25% paid in before registration
Branch of a foreign company
A registered presence of your existing company, not a separate legal entity. The foreign company remains liable for the branch's obligations.
Minimum capital: None
From first call to a working company
Allow 1 to 3 weeks from your instruction to registration, longer if you sign documents abroad. The operating bank account can take a further 1 to 4 weeks, and the bank decides whether to open it.
Agree the structure
We agree the owners, manager, name, activity and registered address, and check the name is available.
Sign the documents
You sign the founding act, declarations and the manager's notarised consent, in Bulgaria or before a notary abroad.
Pay in capital
You pay the capital into a capital account at a Bulgarian bank, which certifies the payment.
Register
We file with the Commercial Register, with our partner lawyers. The registration number (UIC) is also the tax number.
Bank and VAT
We apply for the bank account with you, register for VAT when required and arrange a local accountant.
What we will ask you for
Signatures given abroad must be notarised there, and the documents apostilled (or legalised in some countries). We arrange the official Bulgarian translations.
- Passport, or EU national ID card, for each owner, manager and beneficial owner
- A short description of the planned business activity
- Details of each beneficial owner: any individual who holds 25% or more or otherwise controls the company
- The manager's notarised consent with a specimen signature
- Notarised power of attorney, if a representative will sign or file for you
- For a corporate owner: a recent registry extract and the board resolution to set up the company
- The founding act and declarations, which we draft for you to sign
Bulgaria questions
Can a foreigner open a company in Bulgaria?
Yes. Company formation in Bulgaria is open to foreign individuals and companies, and the Commerce Act sets no citizenship or residency condition for owners or managers, so you do not need to live in Bulgaria. Documents signed abroad need an apostille, or legalisation, and a certified Bulgarian translation. Non-EU nationals need a residence or work permit to live or work in Bulgaria, and we help with the application.
What is the minimum capital for a Bulgarian EOOD?
EUR 1. Since 1 January 2026, an EOOD or OOD needs at least EUR 1 of capital, with shares of at least EUR 0.01. If the capital is higher, at least 70% of it must be paid in before registration. An AD needs EUR 25,000, with at least 25% paid in. Companies formed before 2026 have until the end of 2028 to update their founding documents for the euro.
What taxes does a company in Bulgaria pay?
A Bulgarian company pays a flat 10% corporate income tax on profits. Dividends paid to individuals and to companies outside the EU and EEA carry a 5% withholding tax, which a tax treaty may reduce; dividends to EU and EEA companies are generally exempt. A proposal to raise dividend tax to 10% was withdrawn, so 5% applies in 2026. Your personal tax depends on where you are tax resident.
When does a Bulgarian company have to register for VAT?
When its taxable turnover in Bulgaria exceeds EUR 51,130 in the current calendar year, or exceeded it in the previous one. It must apply within 7 days of passing the threshold, and registration takes effect the following day. Buying services from abroad under reverse charge, or selling B2B services to other EU countries, requires registration whatever the turnover. A proposed EUR 75,000 threshold from 2027 is not yet law.
How long does it take to register a company in Bulgaria?
Allow 1 to 3 weeks from your instruction to registration. By law, the Registry Agency must decide on a complete new-company application by the end of the next working day, but in July 2026 registrations were taking about a week because of a backlog. We check current times before giving you a date. Signing abroad adds time, and the bank account can take a further 1 to 4 weeks.
Does a Bulgarian company need a registered address in Bulgaria?
Yes. Every Bulgarian company must state a registered address in Bulgaria in its founding act, and the law treats it as the company's management address. Our head office at 4 Lyuben Karavelov St., 2nd floor, 3400 Montana, can be that address. It is a physical office where our team works, not a PO box, and we receive the company's mail there, scan it and forward it to you.
Can you help non-EU founders get a residence permit in Bulgaria?
Yes. We help non-EU founders and managers apply for Bulgarian residence and work permits alongside the company formation. The right route depends on your nationality, your role in the company and how long you plan to stay, so we review your case on the first call.
Do I need to travel to Bulgaria to set up a company?
Not for the registration itself. Our team and partner lawyers can file the application under your notarised power of attorney, and you can sign the other documents before a notary in your own country, with an apostille or legalisation. Banks are different: they generally expect the company's manager to attend in person for identity checks, so plan at least one visit. Each bank decides whether to open an account.
Sources: PwC Tax Summaries: Bulgaria corporate income tax, PwC Tax Summaries: Bulgaria withholding taxes, PwC Tax Summaries: Bulgaria VAT and other taxes, Commerce Act provisions, Bulgarian government services register (in Bulgarian).
Set up your Bulgarian EOOD with us
Book a call. We will recommend the company type, confirm current registration times and send a written quote.