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Homologating a non-EU car in Bulgaria

Индивидуално одобряване (ИО)

Every road vehicle registered outside the EU, the EEA, or Switzerland needs individualno odobryavane (individual approval, ИО) before it can be registered in Bulgaria: without valid EU type approval, the Executive Agency "Automobile Administration" (or its regional directorates) issues a certificate of individual approval confirming the vehicle meets Bulgarian/EU technical requirements.

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The process, step by step

  1. 1
    Documentation review

    We check whether the vehicle has any valid EU type approval for its manufacture date, or needs the individual route.

  2. 2
    Vehicle identification

    The vehicle is presented for identification as part of the application.

  3. 3
    Application

    An application for a certificate of individual approval is submitted to the Executive Agency "Automobile Administration" or a regional directorate, by the owner or an authorized representative.

  4. 4
    Technical review

    The agency evaluates the vehicle's compliance with applicable Bulgarian/EU technical requirements.

  5. 5
    Certificate issued

    Once approved, the Executive Director issues the certificate of individual approval, needed for registration.

Typical timeline

Varies by regional directorate and vehicle. We give you a realistic estimate after reviewing your vehicle.

Cost

Cost depends on the application fee and any required modifications. We quote after reviewing your specific vehicle.

Authority: Executive Agency "Automobile Administration" (Изпълнителна агенция „Автомобилна администрация")

Frequently asked

Does a vehicle from Switzerland or the EEA need the same process as one from further afield?

No exemption there either: individual approval in Bulgaria applies to any vehicle registered outside the EU member states, the EEA, or Switzerland, so a vehicle from any of those falls under the same ИО process as one from, say, the US or China's domestic market.

What's the legal basis for this process?

It's regulated by Bulgarian Regulation No. Н-3/2013, which sets out the procedure for individual approval of vehicles registered outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland.

Still need to source the vehicle?

HomologateMyCar handles what happens once the car is in Europe. If you haven't sourced it yet, our sister company DriveSino exports vehicles from China to Bulgaria and has a dedicated import guide for it.

DriveSino's Bulgaria import guide

Sources