Public Notary in Bulgaria: Complete Guide for Foreigners in 2026

When a notary is required, what documents are needed, how property transactions and company registrations work, fees, remote procedures, and the mistakes that invalidate documents

1,000+ Licensed Notaries in Bulgaria (Notary Chamber Register)

0.1–0.3% Notary Fee on Property Transaction Value

Mandatory Notarial Act for Every Property Purchase in Bulgaria

Same day Property Register Records Notarial Transaction

Introduction

Almost every foreigner who buys property, registers a company, executes a power of attorney, deals with an inheritance or completes any other legally significant transaction in Bulgaria will need to work with a public notary. The Bulgarian notary’s role is not identical to notaries in most other countries — and the differences are practically important.

In many common law jurisdictions (the UK, the US, Australia), a notary’s primary function is to witness signatures and verify identity. In Bulgarian civil law, the notary’s role is substantially broader: notaries authenticate the legal validity of transactions, conduct independent legal checks, and have exclusive competence over certain categories of act — most importantly, all property transfers. A Bulgarian property transaction that is not executed before a notary in the form of a notarial act (нотариален акт) is legally void. There is no workaround.

This guide explains the Bulgarian notarial system in full: who notaries are and what they do, when their involvement is mandatory, how the process works in practice, what documents foreigners must prepare, how fees are calculated, and what can and cannot be done remotely.

Section 1. Who Is a Public Notary in Bulgaria?

A Bulgarian public notary (нотариус) is a licensed legal professional appointed by the Minister of Justice to perform specific public functions defined by the Notaries and Notarial Activity Act (Закон за нотариусите и нотариалната дейност). Notaries are not state employees — they are independent professionals who exercise public authority delegated by the state. They are appointed to a specific territorial jurisdiction and can only perform notarial acts within that jurisdiction.

The Notary Chamber of Bulgaria (Нотариална камара на България) is the self-regulatory body that maintains the official register of all licensed notaries, sets ethical standards, and supervises professional conduct. Every practising notary in Bulgaria must be on the Notary Chamber register. The register is publicly accessible at notary-chamber.bg and allows verification of any notary’s licence, jurisdiction and contact details.

Roles and Responsibilities

Role	What They Do	What They Cannot Do
Public notary (Нотариус)	Execute notarial acts; authenticate signatures; certify copies; verify identity and legal capacity; register property transactions; prepare wills; perform inheritance procedures	Provide legal advice as an advocate; represent a party in court; act as an intermediary for one side only — the notary is impartial
Lawyer / Advocate (Адвокат)	Provide legal advice; draft contracts; represent clients; conduct due diligence; negotiate on behalf of a party	Execute notarial acts; register property transactions in the notarial form
Commercial Register	Register companies; record amendments; issue company extracts	Authenticate documents; certify signatures; perform notarial acts
Property Register (Имотен регистър)	Record property transactions after notarisation; issue extracts showing ownership and encumbrances	Perform or verify the notarial transaction itself

TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION: Bulgarian notaries are appointed to a specific district court jurisdiction (районен съд) and can only perform notarial acts within that jurisdiction. For a property transaction, the notary must be from the jurisdiction where the property is located — you cannot use a Sofia notary for a Varna property purchase, regardless of convenience. Bulgaria For Business VCC works with notaries in all major Bulgarian cities and coordinates the process regardless of the property’s location.

Section 2. When Do Foreigners Need a Notary in Bulgaria?

The Bulgarian legal system requires notarial involvement in a broader range of transactions than most foreigners expect. The following are the most common situations.

Common Situations Requiring a Notary

Purchasing Residential Property — Every residential property purchase must be completed before a notary in the form of a notarial act. The notary verifies title, checks for encumbrances, and certifies the transaction. There is no valid property transfer without a notarial act.

Purchasing Commercial Real Estate — Commercial property purchases follow the same notarial procedure as residential purchases. Company purchases require the director to present Commercial Register extract confirming authority to represent.

Registering a Bulgarian Company — The director’s specimen signature (образец от подпис на управителя) must be notarised. Powers of attorney used in registration must be notarised.

Issuing a Power of Attorney — A POA authorising someone to act on your behalf in a property transaction, company registration, or other legally significant act must be notarised.

Certifying Signatures — Signature certification confirms that the signature on a document was made by a specific identified person. Used for director’s specimen signatures, statutory declarations, and bank forms.

Certifying Copies of Documents — Certified copies are used when a certified copy of a passport, title deed, or other document is required for official purposes.

Inheritance Procedures — Renunciation of inheritance must be made before a notary. Transfer of inherited property into the name of the heir requires a notarial act and Property Register registration.

Mortgage Transactions — Mortgage agreements must be executed before a notary and registered in the Property Register to have legal effect.

Marriage and Family Documents — Prenuptial agreements must be notarised. Consent documents relating to children and certain family law documents also require notarisation.

Section 3. Documents That Can Be Notarised in Bulgaria

Notarisable Document Types

Document Type	Bulgarian Term	Purpose / When Used
Power of Attorney	Пълномощно	Authorising a third party to act on your behalf in a transaction or procedure
Notarial Act (property transfer)	Нотариален акт	The instrument that transfers ownership of property — mandatory for all property sales
Mortgage Act	Нотариален акт за ипотека	Creates a registered mortgage over real property
Director’s Specimen Signature	Образец от подпис на управителя	Mandatory for company registration; certifies the director’s signature
Certified Copy	Нотариално заверено копие	Certified true copy of an original document
Certified Signature	Нотариална заверка на подпис	Certifies that a signature was made by the identified person
Will (Testament)	Нотариално завещание	Notarial will — one of two valid forms of will in Bulgaria
Inheritance Renunciation	Отказ от наследство	Formal renunciation of an inheritance — must be made before a notary
Statutory Declaration / Affidavit	Декларация с нотариална заверка	Sworn or declared statement for official purposes
Shareholder/Company Resolution	Решение на едноличния собственик / Протокол	Company decision requiring certified signature for official use
Prenuptial Agreement	Предбрачен договор	Property arrangement between spouses — must be notarised to be valid
Consent Document	Съгласие с нотариална заверка	Parental consent, spousal consent, or other formal consent
Lease Agreement (long-term)	Договор за наем с нотариална заверка	Long-term residential or commercial leases registered in the Property Register

Section 4. How the Notarisation Process Works

Step-by-Step Process

Step	What Happens	Who Acts	Practical Notes
Document preparation	The notary or the parties’ lawyers prepare the draft document to be notarised	Notary / lawyers	For property transactions, the notary prepares the draft; for powers of attorney, the lawyer or client drafts, the notary reviews
Appointment booking	Both parties (or their authorised representatives) book an appointment at the notary’s office	Parties	For property transactions, appointment must be in the notary’s territorial jurisdiction
Identity verification	The notary verifies the identity of all parties using valid identity documents	Notary	Passport or national ID card required; expired documents are not accepted
Legal capacity check	The notary confirms that all parties have legal capacity to act	Notary	Relevant particularly for elderly parties or those represented by guardians
Document review	The notary reviews the document for legal compliance	Notary	Notary may refuse to proceed if the document or transaction appears unlawful
Reading aloud	For notarial acts, the notary reads the full document aloud to all parties	Notary + interpreter	Mandatory for property transactions; interpreter cost is additional
Signature and seal	All parties sign in the notary’s presence; the notary affixes their seal and signature	Parties + notary	All signatures must be original; electronic signing is not available at this stage
Property Register submission	For property transactions, the notary submits the act for registration in the Property Register on the same day	Notary	Registration is mandatory for ownership to be effective against third parties
Document delivery	The parties receive the registered notarial act and the Property Register confirmation	Notary	Property Register extract showing new ownership typically available within 1–3 days

Section 5. Documents Foreigners Must Prepare Before the Notary

Identity Documents

A valid passport is the standard identity document accepted by Bulgarian notaries for foreign nationals. A national ID card from an EU member state is also accepted. The document must be current — an expired passport cannot be used for notarisation. The notary records the passport number and expiry date in the notarial act.

Apostille and Legalisation Requirements

Documents issued outside Bulgaria that are to be used in Bulgarian legal proceedings or before a Bulgarian notary generally require authentication. The standard authentication mechanism is the Apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention, which applies to documents issued in any of the 125 signatory states. An Apostille is attached to the original document by a competent authority in the issuing country and certifies the authenticity of the public official’s signature on the document.

For countries that are not signatories to the Hague Convention, full consular legalisation is required — a more complex multi-step process involving the issuing country’s foreign ministry and the Bulgarian consulate or embassy in that country.

Authentication Requirements

Authentication Required	When It Applies	Procedure
Apostille	Document issued in a Hague Convention signatory country (most of Europe, USA, UK, Australia, Israel, UAE, etc.)	Obtain apostille from the competent authority in the issuing country; attach to original
Consular legalisation	Document issued in a non-Hague Convention country	Foreign Ministry of issuing country certifies; Bulgarian consulate in that country legalises; more time-consuming
No apostille required	Documents issued within Bulgaria; documents issued in other EU member states for certain EU-harmonised procedures	Present original; certified translation may still be required
Certified Bulgarian translation	All documents not in Bulgarian (even if apostilled)	Must be translated by a translator certified by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; standard commercial translations are not accepted

CERTIFIED TRANSLATION — A CRITICAL REQUIREMENT: All foreign-language documents presented to a Bulgarian notary must be accompanied by a certified Bulgarian translation. The translation must be made by a translator certified by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — this is not the same as a standard translation agency or a bilingual lawyer. Bulgaria For Business VCC coordinates certified translations for all client documents through MFA-certified translators.

Corporate Documents for Foreign Company Shareholders

Where the shareholder or party to a Bulgarian transaction is a foreign legal entity — a company, LLC, or other corporate body — the following documents are typically required:

Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent — apostilled, with certified Bulgarian translation
Certificate of Good Standing or equivalent confirmation of active legal status — apostilled, dated within 3–6 months
Document confirming the representative’s authority (director’s certificate, board resolution, or equivalent) — apostilled, with certified translation
The representative’s identity document (passport)
If a power of attorney is used: notarised, apostilled and certified-translated power of attorney executed by an authorised officer of the foreign company

Section 6. Foreign Documents Before a Bulgarian Notary

Foreign Powers of Attorney

A power of attorney executed outside Bulgaria can be used before a Bulgarian notary provided it meets the formal requirements: it must be notarised by a notary in the country of execution; apostilled; and accompanied by a certified Bulgarian translation. The power of attorney must be specific enough to authorise the exact transaction being performed — a general power of attorney is typically insufficient for property transactions.

For property purchases, the power of attorney must explicitly authorise: the purchase of the specific property (described by address and cadastre identifier); the signing of the notarial act; and the payment of the purchase price and transaction costs. A power of attorney that does not include explicit authority for each of these elements may be rejected by the notary.

POA SPECIFICITY: A general power of attorney — ‘authorising my representative to act on my behalf in all matters’ — is not sufficient for a Bulgarian property transaction. The Bulgarian notary requires explicit authority for the specific transaction: property identification, purchase price authorisation, and signing of the notarial act. Bulgaria For Business VCC prepares property-specific powers of attorney for foreign clients that meet the precise requirements of the Bulgarian notary.

Foreign Company Documents

Foreign corporate documents — certificates of incorporation, board resolutions, directorship certificates — are accepted by Bulgarian notaries when properly apostilled and accompanied by certified Bulgarian translations. The notary will verify that the person signing on behalf of the company has the authority to do so, and will record the basis of that authority in the notarial act.

When Is Consular Legalisation Required?

For documents from countries not party to the Hague Convention, consular legalisation is required. This applies to documents from some post-Soviet states (depending on their Hague Convention accession status), some African and Asian countries, and others. The procedure involves: authentication by the issuing country’s relevant ministry; legalisation by the Bulgarian embassy or consulate in that country; certified Bulgarian translation. This process can take weeks — plan well in advance.

Section 7. Certified Translations and Interpreters

When Is Translation Mandatory?

Any document in a language other than Bulgarian that is to be used before a Bulgarian notary must be translated into Bulgarian by a certified translator. This applies to: foreign passports and identity documents (the notary records translated details in the act); foreign powers of attorney; foreign corporate documents; foreign certificates and official records. The translation must accompany the original apostilled document as a set.

Who Qualifies as a Certified Translator?

Certified translations for use in official Bulgarian procedures must be performed by translators certified by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Министерство на външните работи). The MFA maintains a list of certified translators by language pair. Standard translation agencies — even large and reputable ones — are not authorised to produce certified translations for notarial use unless the individual translators are MFA-certified. This is a common source of rejected documents.

The Interpreter at the Notarial Act

When a party to a notarial act does not understand Bulgarian, the notary is legally required to engage a certified interpreter who interprets the document to the party in a language they understand. The notary reads the act aloud in Bulgarian; the interpreter simultaneously or consecutively interprets. The notarial act records the interpreter’s name, certification number, and the fact that interpretation was provided. The interpreter’s fee is paid by the party requiring interpretation.

PRACTICAL NOTE FOR ENGLISH SPEAKERS: Most Bulgarian notaries in major cities (Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv, Burgas) have working relationships with certified English interpreters. However, for less common languages, finding a certified interpreter requires advance arrangement. Bulgaria For Business VCC coordinates certified interpreters for all languages for client notarial appointments, ensuring the correct person is available on the day.

Section 8. Buying Property Before a Bulgarian Notary — The Full Process

The property purchase before a Bulgarian notary is the most commonly encountered notarial procedure for foreign buyers. Understanding the full sequence prevents surprises and delays.

Pre-Notary: Legal Due Diligence

Before appearing before the notary, the buyer’s lawyer should have completed full due diligence on the property: verified the seller’s title through the Property Register; confirmed the absence of mortgages, seizures, servitudes or third-party rights; verified the building permit and Act 16 status; and confirmed the absence of outstanding municipal tax debts. The notary will conduct their own checks, but these are not a substitute for independent legal due diligence — the notary does not represent the buyer’s interests.

The Day of the Notarial Act

Both seller and buyer (or their authorised representatives with valid powers of attorney) appear before the notary. The notary has prepared the draft notarial act, which typically includes: full identification of both parties; full legal description of the property (address, cadastre identifier, area, boundaries); statement of the purchase price; confirmation of payment or payment terms; any conditions or warranties; and representations by the seller regarding the property’s legal status.

The notary reads the act aloud in its entirety. If either party does not understand Bulgarian, a certified interpreter is present. Both parties confirm understanding and agreement. Both parties sign. The notary affixes their seal and signature. The act becomes legally effective at the moment of notary signature.

Property Register Registration

The notary submits the executed notarial act to the Property Register (Служба по вписванията) on the same day. Registration is what makes the ownership transfer effective against third parties — it is legally possible but very risky to complete without immediate registration, since any subsequent claim, mortgage or seizure registered before the buyer’s registration takes priority. Bulgarian notaries routinely submit for registration immediately after the act is signed.

Property Transaction Process

Stage	What Happens	Timeline	Who Pays
Preliminary agreement	Binding contract before notarial act; deposit paid; terms agreed	Before the notarial act (weeks to months)	Deposit: buyer
Pre-notary due diligence	Title, encumbrances, permits, tax debts verified	1–2 weeks before notarial act	Buyer (lawyer fee)
Notarial act preparation	Notary drafts the act; parties review	1–3 days before appointment	Included in notary fee
Notarial appointment	Act read, signed, sealed	Typically 30–90 minutes	Notary fee: buyer (by custom)
Property Register registration	Notary submits; ownership recorded	Same day — 1–3 days for extract	Registration fee: buyer
Post-registration	Buyer receives registered act and Property Register extract	1–3 days after registration	—

Section 9. The Notary’s Role in Company Registration

For Bulgarian EOOD registration, the notary’s primary involvement is the certification of the director’s specimen signature (образец от подпис). This document confirms that the signature on company documents is that of the identified person appointed as director, and is submitted to the Commercial Register as part of the registration application.

Where a power of attorney is used for company registration — for example, where the foreign shareholder appoints a representative to sign the founding documents — this power of attorney must be notarised (if executed in Bulgaria) or notarised and apostilled (if executed abroad) with a certified Bulgarian translation. The specific formalities depend on the transaction and must be confirmed with the registering lawyer.

ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION WITHOUT NOTARY: Since 2021, EOOD Articles of Association can be submitted electronically to the Commercial Register using a qualified electronic signature, without requiring a notarised paper document. However, the director’s specimen signature still requires notarisation, and any power of attorney used in the process must be properly authenticated. Bulgaria For Business VCC advises on the most efficient registration route for each client’s specific circumstances.

Section 10. Notarial Fees in Bulgaria

Notarial fees in Bulgaria are regulated by the Notary Chamber’s tariff schedule, which sets fees as a percentage of transaction value for most services. Fees are not freely negotiable — they are set by law. The buyer customarily pays the notary fee in property transactions, though this can be varied by agreement.

Notary Fee Structure — Property Transactions

Transaction Value (BGN)	Notary Fee	Approximate Fee on EUR 100,000 Property
Up to BGN 1,000	BGN 30 minimum	—
BGN 1,000–10,000	BGN 30 + 1.5% above BGN 1,000	—
BGN 10,000–50,000	BGN 165 + 1.0% above BGN 10,000	—
BGN 50,000–500,000	BGN 565 + 0.5% above BGN 50,000	~BGN 1,240 (EUR ~635) for EUR 100,000 property
BGN 500,000–1,000,000	BGN 2,815 + 0.2% above BGN 500,000	—
Over BGN 1,000,000	BGN 3,815 + 0.1% above BGN 1,000,000; max BGN 6,000	—

Other Common Fees

Service	Approximate Fee
Signature certification (per signature)	BGN 10–30 per signature
Certified copy (per page)	BGN 3–5 per page
Power of attorney (for property)	BGN 50–150 depending on scope and number of properties
Director’s specimen signature (EOOD registration)	BGN 20–40
Inheritance procedure	Variable — depends on estate value and procedure
Notarial will preparation	BGN 50–150 depending on complexity
Interpreter fee (per appointment)	BGN 80–200 depending on language and duration

Additional Transaction Costs: In addition to the notary fee, a property purchase involves: a local transfer tax of approximately 2–3% of the transaction value (paid to the municipality); a Property Register registration fee of 0.1% of the transaction value; and stamp duty. Total transaction costs for the buyer — including notary fee, transfer tax and registration — typically amount to 3–5% of the purchase price.

Section 11. Can Everything Be Done Remotely?

This is among the most common questions from foreign property buyers and company founders. The answer: some things can be done remotely; the most important things cannot.

What Can Be Done Without Appearing in Bulgaria

The preliminary agreement for a property purchase can be signed remotely — it does not require notarisation

A power of attorney for property purchase can be executed abroad (notarised and apostilled) and sent to Bulgaria

EOOD Articles of Association can in some cases be executed remotely with properly authenticated documents

Powers of attorney for company registration can be executed abroad and apostilled

Communication, document review and transaction planning can all be done remotely

What Requires Physical Presence in Bulgaria

The notarial act for a property purchase — one or both parties must be physically present, or must have given a valid power of attorney

The director’s specimen signature for company registration must be notarised — either in Bulgaria or abroad before a foreign notary with apostille

Initial bank account opening for a foreign-owned company typically requires in-person or video KYC at the bank

THE POWER OF ATTORNEY SOLUTION: For foreign buyers who cannot travel to Bulgaria for a property purchase, a comprehensive property-specific power of attorney — notarised in the buyer’s home country, apostilled, and certified-translated — is the standard solution. The buyer’s representative (typically a Bulgarian lawyer) then signs the notarial act in Bulgaria on the buyer’s behalf. Bulgaria For Business VCC routinely acts as authorised representative for foreign buyers in this capacity. We prepare the power of attorney, guide the buyer through the execution process in their home country, and complete the Bulgarian transaction.

Section 12. How to Find a Licensed Notary in Bulgaria

The official register of all licensed Bulgarian notaries is maintained by the Notary Chamber of Bulgaria and is publicly accessible at notary-chamber.bg. The register can be searched by name, location and district court jurisdiction. Every practising notary’s registration number, territorial jurisdiction, office address and contact details are listed.

For a property transaction, the notary must be from the district court jurisdiction where the property is located. For other notarial acts (signature certification, powers of attorney, company documents), any licensed notary can be used regardless of location. In practice, for property transactions, the buyer’s lawyer typically recommends a notary they work with regularly — which simplifies the coordination of the process.

Section 13. Common Mistakes Foreigners Make When Working With a Notary

Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake	What Goes Wrong	How to Prevent It
Arriving without an apostille	The notary cannot accept a foreign document without an apostille; the appointment must be rescheduled; often involves delays of weeks	Obtain apostilles on all foreign documents before booking the notary appointment; allow 1–4 weeks for apostille processing in the issuing country
Using a non-certified translation	The notary rejects the translation because it was not made by an MFA-certified translator; the appointment is wasted	Always use MFA-certified translators; verify certification before paying for the translation
Insufficient power of attorney	The power of attorney does not explicitly authorise the specific transaction; the notary refuses to proceed	Have the POA prepared by a Bulgarian lawyer who knows the specific notary’s requirements for the specific transaction
Using an expired passport	The notary cannot certify identity from an expired document; the transaction cannot proceed	Verify passport expiry before booking the appointment; renew if expiring within 6 months
Outdated corporate documents	The notary requires a Commercial Register extract dated within 30 days; an older extract is rejected	Obtain fresh extracts within 2 weeks of the notary appointment
No prior legal due diligence on property	The buyer appears before the notary without having verified title, Act 16, or encumbrances; the notary does not represent the buyer’s interests	Commission independent legal due diligence before the notary appointment — not the day before, but 2–4 weeks in advance
Not understanding the document being signed	The buyer signs a Bulgarian-language notarial act without understanding what they are agreeing to; content surprises emerge after completion	Review an English translation of the draft notarial act with your lawyer before the appointment; ensure the interpreter explains every clause clearly on the day

Section 14. Practical Checklist Before Visiting a Bulgarian Notary

Valid passport — not expired; will not expire during the transaction period

All foreign documents apostilled — apostille on original documents from Hague Convention countries

All documents translated into Bulgarian by an MFA-certified translator

For company transactions: Commercial Register extract dated within 30 days; director’s identity document

For foreign company shareholders: Certificate of Incorporation (apostilled + translated); Certificate of Good Standing (recent); authority document for the signatory

Draft document reviewed with your lawyer in English before the appointment — understand what you are signing

Power of attorney (if applicable): specific to the transaction; notarised and apostilled; translated

Certified interpreter arranged (if you do not speak Bulgarian) — confirmed for the appointment time

Notary fee and transaction costs available in BGN — confirm the exact amount with your lawyer before the appointment

Previous property documents (if selling): original notarial act of ownership; current Property Register extract

For property purchase: preliminary agreement; proof of payment of any deposit; bank confirmation of funds if the bank is involved

For mortgage: bank’s mortgage documentation package, typically prepared by the bank’s lawyer

Section 15. How Bulgaria For Business VCC Assists Foreign Clients

Working with a Bulgarian notary as a foreign national involves a coordination challenge that goes beyond knowing what documents to bring. It requires ensuring that every document from every country is correctly apostilled and translated, that the power of attorney matches the notary’s requirements precisely, that the interpreter is the right person for the language needed, and that the transaction has been properly structured and verified before the parties sign.

Bulgaria For Business VCC manages the complete notarial process for foreign clients across all transaction types:

Property purchase and sale: legal due diligence, preliminary agreement, notarial act preparation, notary appointment coordination, Property Register registration
Power of attorney preparation: drafting the POA to the specific requirements of the Bulgarian transaction; guiding the client through foreign notarisation and apostille
Company registration: Articles of Association, director’s specimen signature, notarial coordination
Certified translations: coordination with MFA-certified translators for all required language pairs
Interpreter engagement: certified interpreters for all major languages for notarial appointments across Bulgaria
Remote transaction management: acting as authorised representative for foreign buyers and investors who cannot travel to Bulgaria
Notary coordination: working relationships with notaries in all major Bulgarian cities — Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Stara Zagora, Ruse and others

Frequently Asked Questions

A Bulgarian notary is a licensed legal professional with public authority to authenticate legal acts, certify signatures and copies, execute property transfers, perform inheritance procedures, and register certain transactions in state registers. The notary is an impartial public official — not a representative of either party.

Yes — without exception. Every property transfer in Bulgaria must be executed before a notary in the form of a notarial act (нотариален акт). A property sale without a notarial act is legally void. There is no substitute procedure.

Yes — a properly executed, apostilled and translated power of attorney authorising a Bulgarian representative to sign on the foreign national’s behalf is widely used and fully accepted. The POA must be specific to the transaction for property purchases.

Bulgarian notaries conduct proceedings in Bulgarian — the notarial act itself is in Bulgarian. Foreign-language documents can be presented with certified translations. If a party does not understand Bulgarian, a certified interpreter translates the proceedings — but the act is in Bulgarian.

Yes — when a party to a notarial act does not understand Bulgarian, the notary is legally required to arrange a certified interpreter. The notarial act records the interpreter’s details and confirms that interpretation was provided.

Notary fees for property transactions are approximately 0.1–0.5% of the transaction value, depending on the value bracket. For an EUR 100,000 property, the notary fee is approximately EUR 600–700. Additional costs include the transfer tax (2–3% of value), Property Register registration fee (0.1%), and interpreter and translation costs if applicable.

For a notarial act in Bulgaria, the director must either be physically present or have given a valid power of attorney to a representative. The director’s specimen signature for company registration can be notarised before a foreign notary with apostille if the director is abroad.

Yes — all official foreign documents presented before a Bulgarian notary must be apostilled (for Hague Convention countries) or consularly legalised (for non-Convention countries). Documents without proper authentication are not accepted.

Yes — a foreign company can be a party to a Bulgarian notarial act. The company must be represented by a person with documented authority (director, proxy), and the company’s corporate documents (Certificate of Incorporation, authority document) must be apostilled and translated into Bulgarian.

Yes — using a comprehensive property-specific power of attorney executed in your home country, notarised, apostilled and translated. Your Bulgarian representative (typically a lawyer) then signs the notarial act in Bulgaria on your behalf. This is a standard and fully legal procedure.

A standard signature certification takes 15–30 minutes. A power of attorney takes 20–40 minutes. A property transaction typically takes 45–90 minutes, depending on complexity and the number of parties. All appointments must be pre-booked.

Bulgarian notarial acts are public documents. For use in countries that are Hague Convention signatories, they can be apostilled by the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice. For use in non-Convention countries, they require consular legalisation through the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the receiving country’s embassy.

Search the official notary register at notary-chamber.bg using the notary’s name or district. Every licensed notary’s registration number, territorial jurisdiction and contact details are listed. Never use an unlicensed person claiming to be a notary — notarial acts performed by unlicensed persons are void.

A notary can prepare the notarial act itself and related documents. However, notaries are not advocates — they do not represent either party’s interests or provide legal advice on transaction strategy. For preliminary agreements, due diligence and contract negotiation, a Bulgarian lawyer is required in addition to the notary.

The notarial act is legally binding from the moment of signature. If a party later claims they did not understand the act, they bear the burden of proving they were not provided with adequate interpretation or were somehow misled — a very high standard to meet. The best protection is to review an English translation of the draft before the appointment and to have a competent interpreter at the signing.

Need help with a Bulgarian notary?

Contact Bulgaria For Business VCC — the earlier you involve us in your transaction, the smoother the process.

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Bulgaria For Business VCC — Your Trusted Partner for Business Expansion into Bulgaria and the European Union. All information is provided for general guidance purposes. For advice specific to your situation, please consult our team directly.