Documents for Company Registration in Sofia
Introduction
Preparing the correct documents is a critical step when registering a company in Sofia. Errors in documents can lead to rejection by the Commercial Register and loss of the paid government fee.
In this guide we cover all required documents for EOOD, OOD and sole trader registration.
Business Environment in Sofia
Sofia (over 1.3 million residents) is the capital and largest business hub in Bulgaria, home to over 60% of all registered companies in the country. The city has over 180,000 registered companies, making it an active business centre.
Key Industries:
- IT & Outsourcing
- Finance & Insurance
- Wholesale Trade
- Consulting Services
Office Rents: Average office rents in Sofia are β¬8β20/sq.m., which is competitive compared to other cities in the region.
Bank Branches: UniCredit Bulbank, DSK Bank, Postbank and UBB have central branches on Vitosha Blvd., Tsarigradsko Shose Blvd. and near the National Palace of Culture.
Notary Offices: The highest concentration of notary offices is around the Palace of Justice on Vitosha Blvd., along Dondukov Blvd. and in Sofia Business Park.
Documents for EOOD
To register an EOOD in Sofia you need:
- Articles of association β the core document defining the company's rules
- Resolution of the sole owner β to incorporate the company
- Specimen signature of the manager β requires mandatory notarisation of the manager's signature regardless of the filing method. Sofia has over 200 notaries, making it easy to certify a specimen signature.
- Declaration under Art. 13(4) of the CRRLEA β veracity of data
- Declaration under Art. 141(8) of the Commerce Act β by the manager
- Declaration under Art. 142 of the Commerce Act β no prohibition
- Bank certificate / deposit slip for the capital from the escrow account
- Other documents as applicable β e.g. power of attorney or proof of address
- Application A4 β for entry in the Commercial Register
Documents for OOD
For an OOD in Sofia the same documents are required as for an EOOD, with these differences:
- Partnership agreement instead of articles of association
- Minutes of the founding meeting instead of a sole owner's resolution
- Specimen signature and declarations under Art. 141 and Art. 142 of the Commerce Act from each manager
Document Preparation
You have two options for preparing documents in Sofia:
| Firmify | Lawyer | Do It Yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 15β30 min. | 1β3 days | 1β5 days |
| Cost | from β¬0 | β¬100β250 | β¬0 |
| Error risk | Minimal | Minimal | High |
| Up to date | Always current | Varies | Varies |
Signing the Documents
Registration documents in Sofia are signed in two ways:
- With a QES (qualified electronic signature) β documents are signed by the relevant parties: founders / partners, the manager and the applicant according to the specific document. We recommend a cloud QES from Evrotrust. Important: the manager's specimen signature requires notarisation even when filing electronically.
- On paper β documents are signed on paper, and the specimen signature must be notarised. Sofia has over 200 notaries, making it easy to certify a specimen signature.
Common Mistakes
Avoid these common mistakes when preparing registration documents in Sofia:
- Incorrect company name β check availability in the CR beforehand
- Incomplete declarations β all mandatory fields must be filled in
- Invalid address β the address must be real and you need a document proving legal basis for use
- Missing specimen signature β the most common reason for rejection
- Capital amount mismatch β the amount in the articles of association must match the deposit slip