How to Register a Company in Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia is the capital and largest business hub in Bulgaria, home to over 60% of all registered companies in the country. 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 Sofia — what documents are required, the applicable fees and how to file your application online.

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 €8–20/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.

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

For most entrepreneurs in Sofia 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 Sofia or Sofia Region. You need a legal basis for using the address (lease, ownership).
3. Open an escrow account — at a bank in Sofia or online. All major banks have head offices in Sofia offering a full range of 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. Sofia has over 200 notaries, making it easy to certify a specimen signature.
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 Sofia 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 Sofia:

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 Sofia.

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

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