Driving Regulations
Driving regulations
Road signs and driving regulations in Bulgaria do on the whole follow international standards, but you may come across some signs might be missing in villages and on rural roads
UK driving licenses which do not include a photograph MUST be accompanied by an International Driving permit.
You may use your GB licence for driving in other European Community/European Economic Area [EC/EEA] member states. However, you should note that while the minimum age for driving a car in GB is 17 individual member states may apply their own age restrictions for entitlements.
The member states are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. Check with a motoring organisation if you want to drive in a non-EC/EEA country. They will advise you whether you need an International Driving Permit.
If your home country has not ratified the 1968 Vienna convention on road traffic, you will have to get your driving license translated into Bulgarian to use it in the country. After a year, you will have to take a driving exam.
For members of the USA their driving licences are only accepted in Bulgaria if accompanied by an International Driving Permit.
International Driving Permits (IDP) are recognised in nearly 150 countries and serve as an official translation of the US driver's licence.
Currently driving test is conducted only in Bulgarian. Foreigners are not allowed to use an interpreter during the test. The situation, however, will change very soon, as Transport Ministry had already translated the tests in English and the tests are being printed.
Transport Ministry plans to translate the driving license tests in German, French, Spanish and Italian, as well.
Drivers should have in mind that any vehicle entering the country needs to have insurance. Drivers entering the country also need to pay an entrance fee, calculated in accordance to the type of vehicle.
International driving permit
An international driving permit (IDP) is a formal document issued to visitors to another country which translates details of a driving licence into several languages, enabling foreign authorities to interpret the driving entitlements held, their validity periods and the identity of the holder. They are issued by the Automobile Association (The AA), Royal Automobile Club (RAC), RSAC and Green Flag Motoring Assistance Recovery Club.
To get an IDP, you must be resident in GB, have passed a driving test and be over 18 years of age. The fee for a permit is £5.50.
Moving to another country
If you move to another country, you should check with the driving licence authorities there for information about driving and exchange of licences.
You don't need to notify DVLA of a change of address when moving to live abroad.
Taking your vehicle abroad for more than 12 months (permanent export)
You can tell DVLA if you’re taking your vehicle out of UK permanently by filling in the purple section (V5C/4) of your registration certificate. which is of course your log book.
Send it back to DVLA, Take the remainder of your registration certificate with you, as you may need to hand this over to the relevant authority when the vehicle is registered abroad.
If you don’t have a registration certificate you’ll need to get a certificate of permanent export (V561). Download and complete the ‘Application for certificate or permanent export’ - form V756 and send to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AG.
If your home country has not ratified the 1968 Vienna convention on road traffic, you will have to get your driving license translated into Bulgarian to use it in the country. After a year, you will have to take a driving exam.
For members of the USA their driving licences are only accepted in Bulgaria if accompanied by an International Driving Permit.
International Driving Permits (IDP) are recognised in nearly 150 countries and serve as an official translation of the US driver's licence.
Currently driving test is conducted only in Bulgarian. Foreigners are not allowed to use an interpreter during the test. The situation, however, will change very soon, as Transport Ministry had already translated the tests in English and the tests are being printed.
Transport Ministry plans to translate the driving license tests in German, French, Spanish and Italian, as well.
Drivers should have in mind that any vehicle entering the country needs to have insurance. Drivers entering the country also need to pay an entrance fee, calculated in accordance to the type of vehicle.
Taking your vehicle abroad for less than 12 months (temporary export)
You’ll need your registration certificate, if you’re taking your vehicle out of the country for less than 12 months.
If you don’t have one, you can get it replaced by phoning DVLA or apply for one by post.
Replacing a lost or stolen registration certificate The registration certificate may take up to four weeks to arrive. If you need to travel during this time you will need to apply for a temporary registration certificate (V379), available from a DVLA local office. You'll need to provide proof of ID and there is a fee for this service.
You should make sure that you meet any international and national conditions for licensing and taxation.
Find your nearest DVLA local office Driving in other countries on a GB licence
Taking a hired vehicle temporarily abroad
The registration certificate for a leased, hired or rented vehicle will normally be held securely by the company that supplied the vehicle. When travelling abroad it’s important that you’re able to show you’re allowed to use the vehicle. The Vehicle on Hire certificate
is available as evidence of this. The certificate, may be obtained from the folowing people and this will incur a small fee.
AA - Automobile Association RAC - Royal Automobile Association RHA - Road Haulage Association
BVRLA - British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association Green Flag FTA - Fleet Transport Association
Vehicle due to expire while your abroad
Vehicle tax due to expire while you’re abroad If you’re going to be abroad when your vehicle tax expires, you can tax online, by phone, tax in advance or get someone to tax your vehicle for you. You can arrange to get the tax disc sent to an address abroad.
Tax in advance
You can renew your tax up to two calendar months in advance in person or by post at a Post Office® branch that deals with advance applications or DVLA local office.
Registration Certificate
completed V10 ‘Vehicle licence application’
insurance certificate or cover note – must be valid when the tax disc comes into force
valid MOT certificate - if the car or motorcycle is over three years old - must be valid when the tax disc comes into force
the payment for vehicle tax
a letter to explain why you’re taxing in advance if you’re making a postal application
Returning to GB
If you return to GB from a non-EC/EEA country and are not in possession of a GB licence, you may:
drive for up to 12 months on your foreign licence
apply for a duplicate of your GB licence on payment of a fee
