How to Register a Company in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, with a rapidly growing IT and industrial sector. Registering a company here follows the general rules of the Bulgarian Commerce Act and is done through the Commercial Register at the Registry Agency.

In this guide we walk you through the steps to register an EOOD, OOD or sole trader in Plovdiv — what documents are required, the applicable fees and how to file your application online.

Plovdiv (approximately 350,000 residents) is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, with a rapidly growing IT and industrial sector. The city has over 45,000 registered companies, making it an active business centre.

Key Industries:

• IT & Software Development
• Food & Beverage Industry
• Light Industry
• Tourism

Office Rents: Average office rents in Plovdiv are €5–12/sq.m., which is competitive compared to other cities in the region.

Bank Branches: DSK Bank, UniCredit Bulbank and Postbank have branches on Knyaz Alexander I St., Maritsa Blvd. and in the Trakia district.

Notary Offices: Notary offices are concentrated around Central Square, Rayko Daskalov St. and Shesti Septemvri Blvd..

Before registering a company in Plovdiv, you need to choose the legal form. The most popular types in Bulgaria are:

For most entrepreneurs in Plovdiv we recommend the EOOD — it provides limited liability and is the easiest to manage.

1. Choose a name — check availability in the Commercial Register. You can reserve a name via a D1 application.
2. Set your registered office address — the management address must be in Plovdiv or Plovdiv Region. You need a legal basis for using the address (lease, ownership).
3. Open an escrow account — at a bank in Plovdiv or online. Major banks have branches in central Plovdiv with corporate services.
4. Prepare incorporation documents — articles of association (for EOOD) or partnership agreement (for OOD), resolution of the sole owner or minutes of the founding meeting, declarations.
5. Prepare the specimen signature — the manager's specimen signature requires mandatory notarisation regardless of the filing method. Plovdiv has sufficient notaries in the city centre and surrounding districts.
6. File application A4 — electronically via the CR portal (fee €28) or on paper (€56).
7. Receive your UIC — upon approval you receive a Unique Identification Code, usually within 3–5 business days.

To register an EOOD/OOD in Plovdiv you will need the following documents:

• Articles of association (for EOOD) or partnership agreement (for OOD)
• Resolution of the sole owner (for EOOD) or minutes of the founding meeting (for OOD)
• Specimen signature of the manager
• Declaration under Art. 13(4) of the CRRLEA — veracity of declared circumstances
• Declaration under Art. 141(8) of the Commerce Act — by the manager
• Declaration under Art. 142 of the Commerce Act — no prohibition on serving as manager
• Bank certificate / deposit slip for capital deposited in the escrow account
• Other documents as applicable — e.g. power of attorney or proof of address

Estimated costs for registering a company in Plovdiv:

The total cost when filing electronically depends on the current external fees, the bank and notary chosen and whether you already have a QES. There is no additional local fee for registration in Plovdiv.

Once you receive your UIC, there are several important next steps:

• Register with the NRA — notify the National Revenue Agency office in Plovdiv Region
• Open a current account — for the company's day-to-day operations in Plovdiv
• VAT registration — mandatory if turnover exceeds €51,130 in the current calendar year, or voluntary
• BULSTAT registration — if applicable to your business activity
• Choose an accountant — mandatory for maintaining accounting records