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 | 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 |
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
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 |
| 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. Bilateral treaties, consular certification or other applicable legal regimes may eliminate or modify the legalisation requirement.
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.) – where applicable | Obtain apostille from the competent authority in the issuing country; attach to original |
| Consular legalisation | Document issued in a non-Hague Convention country – where applicable | Foreign Ministry of issuing country certifies; Bulgarian consulate in that country legalises; more time-consuming |
| No authentication required | Documents issued within Bulgaria; documents covered by bilateral treaty exemptions or EU-specific rules | Present original; certified translation may still be required |
| Certified Bulgarian translation | Foreign documents requiring translation for use in Bulgaria | The translation may be performed by an accredited translator appointed through a Bulgarian diplomatic or consular mission abroad or by a translator whose signature on the Bulgarian translation is notarised in Bulgaria, in accordance with the applicable legalisation and translation rules. |
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 – authenticated as required, with certified Bulgarian translation
- Certificate of Good Standing or equivalent confirmation of active legal status – authenticated, dated within 3–6 months
- Document confirming the representative’s authority (director’s certificate, board resolution, or equivalent) – authenticated, with certified translation
- The representative’s identity document (passport)
- If a power of attorney is used: properly executed, authenticated 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 foreign power of attorney must comply with the form required for the intended Bulgarian transaction and with the applicable authentication rules. An apostille is not universally required: bilateral treaties, consular certification or other applicable legal regimes may eliminate or modify the legalisation requirement. The power of attorney must be accompanied by a certified Bulgarian translation.
A power of attorney for a property transaction must comply with the required form and clearly grant authority to perform the relevant disposition or acquisition. Bulgarian Supreme Court case law does not generally require the power of attorney to specify the exact property, price or counterparty for the authority to be valid, unless the principal chooses to impose such limitations or a specific statutory rule requires them.
Foreign Company Documents
Foreign corporate documents – certificates of incorporation, board resolutions, directorship certificates – are accepted by Bulgarian notaries when properly authenticated 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. Bilateral treaties and certain EU rules can remove the legalisation requirement for qualifying documents.
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 authenticated document as a set.
Who Qualifies as a Certified Translator?
The translation must comply with the Bulgarian rules governing official translations. It should not be stated that every translation must be performed by an “MFA-certified translator”; Bulgarian rules also provide for translations made by individual translators or translation-company translators whose signatures are notarised in Bulgaria. Bulgaria For Business VCC coordinates with properly accredited translators for all required language pairs.
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.
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 properly executed and authenticated (if executed abroad) with a certified Bulgarian translation. The specific formalities depend on the transaction and must be confirmed with the registering lawyer.
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 |
| Notarial will preparation | BGN 50–150 depending on complexity |
| Interpreter fee (per appointment) | BGN 80–200 depending on language and duration |
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
What Requires Physical Presence in Bulgaria
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 with a foreign document that has not been properly authenticated where authentication is required | Depending on the issuing country and type of document, an apostille, consular legalisation, treaty exemption or another applicable authentication regime may apply | Verify the applicable authentication requirements with your lawyer before the appointment; allow sufficient time for processing |
| Using a non-compliant translation | The translation does not comply with Bulgarian rules for official translations; the notary rejects the document | Use accredited translators or translation-company translators whose signatures are notarised in Bulgaria |
| Insufficient power of attorney | The power of attorney does not comply with the required form or does not clearly authorise the representative to carry out the relevant transaction | Have the POA prepared by a Bulgarian lawyer who knows the specific notary’s requirements and Bulgarian law |
| 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
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 authenticated, that the power of attorney is compliant with the requirements of the transaction, 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 comply with the requirements of the Bulgarian transaction; guiding the client through proper execution and authentication
- Company registration: Articles of Association, director’s specimen signature, notarial coordination
- Certified translations: coordination with properly accredited 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