How to Register a Company in Ruse, Bulgaria

Ruse is a key Danube city with developed industry, logistics and cross-border trade with Romania. 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 Ruse — what documents are required, the applicable fees and how to file your application online.

Ruse (approximately 150,000 residents) is a key Danube city with developed industry, logistics and cross-border trade with Romania. The city has over 12,000 registered companies, making it an active business centre.

Key Industries:

• Logistics & Transport
• Mechanical Engineering
• Food & Beverage Industry
• Cross-border Trade

Office Rents: Average office rents in Ruse are €3–8/sq.m., which is competitive compared to other cities in the region.

Bank Branches: DSK Bank, UBB and First Investment Bank have branches on Aleksandrovska St., Svoboda Square and Lipnik Blvd..

Notary Offices: Notary offices are concentrated around Svoboda Square, Aleksandrovska St. and the area of Ruse District Court.

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

For most entrepreneurs in Ruse 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 Ruse or Ruse Region. You need a legal basis for using the address (lease, ownership).
3. Open an escrow account — at a bank in Ruse or online. Bank branches in Ruse are concentrated in the centre and around Svoboda Square.
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. Notaries in Ruse are located mainly in the city centre.
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 Ruse 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 Ruse:

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 Ruse.

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

• Register with the NRA — notify the National Revenue Agency office in Ruse Region
• Open a current account — for the company's day-to-day operations in Ruse
• 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