Bulgaria

Key points for young drivers:

• Motorway: 140 km/h, expressway 120 km/h, outside built-up areas 90 km/h.
• Alcohol: 0.5 ‰ for everyone – but if you cause an accident with victims while over 1.2 ‰, the court takes your car.
• Lights (daytime running lights or dipped headlights) at all times.
• In the car: high-visibility vest, warning triangle, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher.
• Tolls: e-vignette for cars up to 3.5 t (motorcycles exempt) – buy it at bgtoll.bg.
• Trap: a digital licence on your phone isn’t enough in Bulgaria – bring your plastic card licence.

Seat belts and child seats

Seat belts and child seats are compulsory. Exceptions apply to, among others, pregnant women and people whose health doesn’t allow them to wear a seat belt.

Traffic lights

Amber before red means stop, unless you are too close to the traffic lights to stop safely.

Helmet not compulsory

Helmets are not compulsory for cyclists.

Helmet compulsory

• motorcycles (including with a sidecar) and mopeds,
• tricycles and quadricycles.

Compulsory equipment in the car

• high-visibility vest,
• warning triangle,
• first-aid kit,
• fire extinguisher.

Compulsory equipment on a bike

• working brakes and a bell,
• white or yellow light at the front, red light or reflector at the back,
• white or yellow reflectors on the wheels,
• high-visibility vest – outside built-up areas, and at night and in poor visibility.

Winter tyres and snow chains

From 15 November to 1 March, tyres that are not winter tyres must have at least 4 mm of tread. In winter, follow signs requiring snow chains.

Phone, drugs and other bans

Phone only with a hands-free kit. Driving under the influence of alcohol (over 0.5 ‰), drugs and other intoxicating substances is banned.

Slow vehicles keep to the right-hand lane. As a rule you must not drive on the motorway hard shoulder, and public transport lanes are for public transport only.

Vignettes, tolls and low-emission zones

On motorways and first-class roads you need an e-vignette – for cars up to 3.5 t and also for caravans. Motorcycles and vehicles with fewer than 4 wheels are exempt. Buy it online or in the app – officially via bgtoll.bg.

The e-vignette is valid from the moment of purchase or from 00:00 on the day you choose. The weekend vignette is valid from Friday 12:00 to Sunday 23:59.

Documents and insurance

• Bulgaria recognises your EU/EEA driving licence – but only the physical document: a digital licence on your phone is not recognised.
• Vehicle registration certificate with a valid roadworthiness test.
• Valid third-party motor insurance – you don’t need a Green Card in the EU.

What to watch out for

• In cases provided for by law, the police can hold your documents and the car’s documents and remove the number plates.
• Stricter penalties have applied since 8 August 2023: if you cause an accident with injuries or deaths while over 1.2 ‰ or on drugs, the court orders your car to be confiscated.
• The 0.5 ‰ limit also applies to novice drivers – but it’s safer to drive on zero.
• In resorts (Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Nessebar), park only in public or hotel car parks.
• New cars are often stolen in summer – the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises great caution.

Sources

• Your Europe – Road rules: Bulgaria
• Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Odyseusz: Bulgaria (in Polish)
• BG TOLL – e-vignette
• Road Transport Administration Executive Agency – exam materials (tyres in winter, in Bulgarian)
• Road Traffic Act (ZDvP) – rta.government.bg (in Bulgarian)
• Last updated: September 2026.