Aka. The re-registration of a UK registered vehicle in Burgas Region, Bulgaria
The new headlights have arrived, were a doddle to fit so there's no more delaying the inevitable ....
It was going to happen one day and we've avoided it for long enough though not wholly intentionally, and for numerous reasons, but it was time to enter the dreaded vehicle registration process at K.A.T. Burgas.
My purpose in writing this is simply to share information and attempt to dispel any concern or confusion over the process of re-registering a UK registered vehicle in Burgas Region (ONLY), Bulgaria. What follows is what happened to us and are our observations but others may have a different experience or view and may like to contribute.
If you think the information might help, that's great, but if you don't agree with anything, that's great too, you've obviously had a different experience which you might like to share. Feel free to take what you need from this and to help others by adding any comments to the thread that may be of interest, appropriate and helpful.
The Six P's – Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance
Vehicle
Headlights – Adjusted for driving on the right or replaced if they can't be adjusted. You can get them checked for alignment at the testing centre in Karnobat for BGN 10 (near ‚ГИГИ' Supermarket).
If necessary (some have two), re-position rear fog-light to the left side of the vehicle.
Check windscreen wipers are serviceable
Tyres – Not sure of the required depth but if you comply with UK law you won't be far wrong I'm sure. Don't forget the spare.
Brakes – If you're in any way uncertain about the effectiveness of your brakes it may be worth getting them checked for efficiency at the testing centre when you're getting your Headlights aligned. No idea if they would do it or the cost because we didn't. We hadn't done any work on them since arriving in Bulgaria for the first time, so it was a bit of a gamble. Better to be safe than sorry – easy to say after the event.
Check that all other fitted lights are functioning
Required Emergency Kit - Fire Extinguisher, First Aid Kit, Triangle, Spare bulbs, Hi-visibility jacket
DocumentationPersonal
Passport & Residency card, but preferably Lichna Karta (Лична карта) if you have one.
If you intend to register your vehicle to your business (there's no need if you have a residency card, which you should have), you will require:
BulstatBusiness Stamp
Business Articles
But why?
I have no clear view of the need to register the vehicle in your business name, and it seems to me that if you operate a non-trading company there is absolutely no financial advantage. I'm told by an insurance agent that company vehicle insurance is more expensive than personal. If your business is non-trading it cannot offset costs against tax, nor can it reclaim VAT. If the rumours are true, it's possible that the need for foreigners to have a company to purchase land in Bulgaria will be scrapped in or around 2014 (give or take 20 years), which begs the question, "Will your business, when dissolved, have to sell the car back to you?" This alone will require a trip to the Notary and re-registration (number plates belong to the person and region, not the car). Now, I know others may immediately have a different view and to be perfectly honest, these are only my initial thoughts so I remain to be convinced …. So convince me that I've made an error - I re-registered my vehicle in my name.
Vehicle (before arriving at KAT)
Insurance
Do not be misled to believe that you don't need Bulgarian Insurance to re-register your vehicle, because YOU DO!! You CAN get Bulgarian insurance which is issued against the vehicle identification/frame/chassis number (VIN). The space for vehicle registration number will remain blank. You will be require to return to the insurer with the new registration number where they will endorse (and stamp) the change/addition. Some insurers say you have 3 days to re-register your vehicle others say a week, though I question that there is any fixed period. However, IT IS TRUE that Bulgarian insurers are no longer allowed to insure foreign (non-Bulgarian registered) vehicles, so I also question the validity of your insurance on Brit plates anyway for any journey prior to registration (i.e. to KAT) – who knows!
UK Vehicle Registration Document (Log Book)Vehicle (on arrival at KAT)
Eco Tax (Еко такса)
This tax must be paid for all cars over ten years old imported from an EU/EEA country, and ALL cars imported from other countries. How much? How long is a piece of string, I'm sure it's written somewhere but where is a puzzle.
We paid BGN 100 but apparently could have paid less if we'd have waited for our friend (we discovered after the fact), who was in Plovdiv at the time so that was a non-starter. Our vehicle is a 3L beast so the prospect of a massive Eco Tax charge was ever in our minds. However, illogically (or is it ironically) considering the prefix 'Eco', if the vehicle is 15 years old or over, you pay a lower fee than a 10 year old car. Another guy from the village paid BGN 155 for a 2.5L vehicle which must have been younger than 15.
Import Declaration
This one was interesting since it was all in Bulgarian and had to be completed in Bulgarian – So get practising. I'm going to 'revisit' KAT to get a copy to translate, but essentially, the form requires you to enter the car details, how long you've had the vehicle, where you got it from (original bill of sale was a previous requirement), the date you imported it into Bulgaria, where (the address) you will be keeping it and the person keeping/importing it. I'll put more meat on the bones when I have a copy of the form because I can't remember every detail and we didn't have a copier in the car , unless of course, someone has already done it (?).
What happened inside K.A.T. – Six Steps to Blessed ReliefStep 1
We joined the queue– Arguably the wise thing to do (if you don't know the process) would be to go to Step 2 first because they tell you which lane (Канал) to go to in the Registration Office. The danger of that is that you end up way down the queue and run the risk of having to come back another day. In our experience, if you arrive well before 8AM there will be a small queue of vehicles. You can get your Eco Tax and Import Documents sorted before the K.A.T. gates open at 8AM (hours of business below), and the process kicks-off at 8.30AM. The 'safe' bet is to go for the middle lane, at least if you're forced to move there would be minimal disruption (or maximum to all if they didn't let you in ). From the left:
Lane 1 – Cars
Lane 2 – Cars, 4x4 & Vans
Lane 3 – Cars, Buses & Lorries
(Pics here)
There were vehicles going through initial registration (foreign plates) in lanes 2 & 3, but not 1.
Step 2Go to the Registration Office (the door to the left of lane 1 garage roller door) - To register and collect paper/documents.
Documents required here (unless they change it in the meantime):
UK Vehicle Registration Document (Log Book)
Passport & Residency Card or Lichna Karta
If you haven't received and completed the Import Declaration (from the Eco Tax office) the 'lady' behind the counter will give you a copy.
You need to know or know where you can find):
Your postal address
Your EGN (citizen) number. I don't have one (no Lichna Karta) and used my passport number
I Paid BGN 12 for the privilege of First Registration (Заявл. първа рег. - BGN5), the 'lady's' effort entering the details into the register (Монтаж рег. таб - BGN4), protocol g.t.p. whatever that is (BGN2.00 - Протокол г.т.п. ) and the photocopying of my Log Book, Passport & Residency Card or Lichna Karta (Копирна услуга - BGN1). I got the import declaration free …… I think – bonus!
Step 3Sit and wait
 |
| Nearly there!! |
Step 4
The Technical Inspection
When the shutters opened, the Vehicle Inspector waved us in and forward to a point. He asked for the documentation received in the registration office, and to open the bonnet of the car. He then disappeared into his little hut for a short time. When he returned he checked the chassis/frame and engine number against the documentation and had a little nosey around the vehicle. He then beckoned us forward to the rolling road. There's a rolling road in each of the three bays but the middle one seemed to be the only one in serious operation. I noticed a Lada being waved through in lane 1 so can only assume that the rolling roads are used for initial registration only …… or is that Lada's are the better car and don't need checking .
The inspector disappeared again for short time while he waited for his boss to stamp the paperwork. He returned to declare that he had spent 2 years in the UK in my part of the world picking strawberries as a student, and spoke perfectly good English. We had a good chat and said one of the things he missed was Cider. Didn't have the heart to tell him you can get in in Penny Markt. Nice guy and really helpful, explaining what else I had to look forward to.
The 'rolling road man' arrived, tested the front then the back brakes, shook my hand then disappeared. My new strawberry picking friend flashed the headlight test unit across the headlights (no adjustment of the test unit), disappeared again to get the papers endorsed by his boss then sent me on my way.
Drove the vehicle out of the workshop and parked to the left of the exit. Removed my old number plates and headed towards the registration office.
Step 5This is the tedious bit. Handed over the usual; Passport, residency card and this time, also the import declaration. That took a little while to get right but got there in the end. One omission, because it wasn't on my UK log book was the engine number. Normally what follows would have made me a smile, this is Bulgaria, but it had been a long day. The woman behind the counter, rather than completing the form with the engine number, which she had in front of her, wrote it on a piece of card about an inch square, passed the card to me and demanded that I go away and write it on the form.
There was a brief interlude where we diverted from the process and went for a chat with Plamen's friend who had arranged a personal registration number. Sadly the number wouldn't fit on the new rear plate so it was back to the standard. Anyway, the process continues ….
Went away and did as I was told, joined the back of the queue which happily wasn't very long, and eventually got to the (very low) hatch. I handed the paperwork back to the lady with the happy demeanour only to cause more debate. This time it seemed to be my passport under discussion ……. by four of them including a Police Sergeant. Eventually I was asked to go to the 'bank' and pay for the registration, still none the wiser what the problem with my passport was, where a very cheery lady (a refreshing change in the process) took my money (I knew there was a reason why she was so smiley).
Three payments/receipts later (all inc. VAT):
New Plates – BGN 38.00
Technical report - BGN 2.80
Other stuff as follows – BGN 23.50
Registration document (BGN 9.00)
Entitlement to registration number (BGN 2.00)
Change of ownership (BGN 4.00)
Tech inspection and identification (BGN 6.00)
Next, off I trot to the next window to the right where another 'happy' person tok one copy of my payment receipts and slammed the window without instruction, officious little toe-rag! At this point I had to ask what was next. Wait to hear my name I was told, which I did.
About 5 minutes later another hatch opened to the right of the previous and my name was duly called. Here I had to sign for three documents, none of which should be left in the car. A two part registration, the main vehicle registration document and a credit card size document to be kept in my wallet, both laminated, these came together with a technical inspection (MOT) card also to be carried by the vehicle owner (for stop checks).
Step 6
Now comes the most pleasurable part of all …… go collect the new plates!!
I returned to the garage exit doors, again to be called forward to have the plates fitted. Waited about 10 minutes …… it's the distance between the office and the plate booth that's the problem ….. all of 10m. Just being sarci now because it's all over ….. near enough.
The plates arrived to find that the rear one wouldn't fit properly but, in true inimitable Bulgarian style, it was made to fit. I just wanted to get out of there so couldn't have cared less. The rear plate was riveted to the car rear hatch so there was no refitting later. The front plate fitted as expected and I breathed a sigh of relief and actually, was quite proud of my new Bulgarian plates.
Conclusion
I suspect that, if you're still awake, you can now appreciate that re-registering your UK imported vehicle is no different to any other bureaucratic process in Bulgaria. Uncertain, tedious, concerning at times, mostly unnecessary, expensive and not very pleasurable ….. but an experience, all of which contribute to life's rich tapestry. A special thanks must go to our great neighbour Penko, and his nephew Plamen, for 'holding my hand' through the process.
Points to Note:
- If you can, always take someone with you who knows the process, preferably someone who speaks fluent English and Bulgarian.
- There's a guy at the Eko Tax office to the left of the main gates of KAT who speaks very good English and will happily take you through the re-registration process, for a price obviously but I don't know how much. I didn't have the presence of mind at the time to ask for his contact details or a copy of the Import Declaration, but Graham knows the guy and may have his details (he says hello Graham). Failing that, I will be going back to see him and will get the information then.
- After re-registration you cannot sell your vehicle for a period of 12 months. Haven't been able to find out why as yet but there's bound to be a monetary reason ……. Maybe it's so you can pay Municipal Tax (Данък МПС) at least once.
- The information above applies to K.A.T. Burgas ONLY!! Other regions have little differences but the process should be roughly the same.
- K.A.T. Burgas Hours of business (Работно Бреме)08.30 – 12.00
10.00 – 10.15 Tea Break
12.00 – 12.30 Lunch
15.00 – 15.15 Tea Break
12.30 – 16.00
P.P.S. I now have electronic copies of the declaration forms. They have been translated and can also be completed electronically if you choose. If you want copies, drop me a comment.
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