Registering Property in Bulgaria

STANDARDIZED PROPERTY
Property value: USD 273,754
City: Sofia

Registration Requirements:

Procedure 1*.
The Estate is drafted by the respective Municipality

Time to complete: 14 days
Cost to complete: BGN 10
Comment:
The estate is drafted by the respective municipality.
The draft of the estate is a graphic sketch of the estate with its borders, square meters, number of the area, where the estate is situated. This draft is issued on the grounds of the Cadastre of the real estates.

Procedure 2*.
Obtain a tax valuation of the property

Time to complete: 14 days
Cost to complete: No cost
Comment:
The tax valuation of the property is issued by the respective tax authorities.
A tax valuation is mandatory for every property transfer

Procedure 3*.
Issuance of certificate of good standing for seller and buyer

Time to complete: 3-4 days
Cost to complete: BGN 5 each
Comment:
A certificate of good standing must be issued for seller and buyer.
Companies in Bulgaria are registered with the respective regional court depending on the address of the company. This certificate is issued by the registration court.
The certificate is needed to show that the company is registered and existing, and that the person who signs on behalf of the company is actually the authorized person to sign.

Procedure 4*.
Obtain a Non-Encumbrance certificate from the Real Estate Register

Time to complete: 5 days
Cost to complete: BGN 5.90
Comment:
 
Procedure 5*.
Obtain a certificate of paid taxes

Time to complete: 7 days
Cost to complete: No cost
Comment:
The certificate of paid taxes is obtained from the local tax department for both the buyer and the seller, according to art. 36 par.7 of the Tax Procedure Code

Procedure 6*.
Obtain a Social Insurance Certificate

Time to complete: 7 days
Cost to complete: No cost
Comment:
A social insurance certificate is obtained from the local branch of the National social Insurance Institute for both the buyer and the seller

Procedure 7.
The notary executes the transfer deed

Time to complete: 1 day
Cost to complete: 2% of property price (state fee) + 0.1% of property price (Registration fee) + notary's fees according to the following scale and with a maximum of BGN 3,000: Value of Property Fees Up to 100 BGN 15 From BGN 100 to 1,000 BGN 15 + 1.5% of excess over BGN 100 From BGN 1,000 to 10,000 BGN 28.5 + 1% of excess over BGN 1,000 From BGN 10,000 to 50,000 BGN 118.5 + 0.5% of excess over BGN 10,000 From BGN 50,000 to 100,000 BGN 318.5 + 0.2% of excess over BGN 50,000 Above BGN 100,000 BGN 418 + 0.1% of excess over BGN 100,000
Comment:
The notary executes the transfer deed and collects the money for payment of the state fee (transfer tax) and the registration fee.
The State Fee amounts to 2% of the property price.
The registration fee amounts to 0.1% of the property price.
Usually the notary pays the state and registration fees. This is done for the clients' convenience. The parties can pay themselves the fees at the account of the tax authority where the estate is situated and bring the receipts to the notary.

Procedure 8.
Registration of the notarized deed at the Registry

Time to complete: 1-3 days
Cost to complete: Already paid in Procedure 4
Comment:
The notary will register the notarized deed at the registration office with the respective district court.
This can be done by the parties too, but it is most common that the notary will do it (and it is included in the above fees).
The notary will pay registration and state fees collected previously. Registration usually takes 1 day. However, it can take up to 3 days if there are too many deeds to be registered.

Procedure 9.
Parties receive a copy of the registered deed

Time to complete: 1 day
Cost to complete: No cost
Comment:
Parties will receive a copy of the registered deed the same or next day the deed has been registered by the notary

Note: Procedures sometimes take place simultaneously. Instances of this are marked with an asterisk (*).