Service
Company Formation in Bulgaria for Foreign Owners
Registering a Bulgarian company is fast and cheap — the limited liability company, or EOOD when there is a single owner, has a nominal minimum share capital and can be incorporated in about a week. The registration is the easy part. What surprises most foreign founders is that compliance obligations begin immediately, and the bank account is harder to get than the company.
EOOD or OOD — and what you actually get
An EOOD is a limited liability company with one owner; an OOD has two or more. Both give you a full EU legal entity with an EU VAT number, limited liability, and access to Bulgaria's 10% corporate tax rate. Non-residents can own 100% of the shares, and you do not need to be a Bulgarian resident to be the manager.
Minimum share capital is nominal — effectively a formality rather than a funding requirement. The company is registered with the Registry Agency and, once entered, its details including the annual accounts are publicly visible.
The steps, in order
Name reservation, then notarised incorporation documents, then deposit of the share capital into a capital accumulation account, then filing with the Commercial Register. Registration typically completes within three to seven working days once the documents are correct.
If you cannot travel to Sofia, the process is done by power of attorney: documents are notarised and apostilled in your country, then filed here. This adds time — usually the apostille, not the registration, is what determines your timeline.
After incorporation the company needs an operating bank account, a registered address, and, in most cases, a VAT assessment. Bank onboarding is now the slowest and least predictable step for non-resident owners: Bulgarian banks apply substantive checks and will ask what the business actually does, who its clients are, and where its money comes from.
What starts the day after registration
Monthly declarations for the manager's social security begin. If VAT registration is triggered, monthly VAT filings begin. In the first year following incorporation you will file an annual tax return and publish annual financial statements in the Commercial Register.
We set companies up with the accounting already in place, because the most expensive Bulgarian companies we take over are the ones that were registered by a formation agent and then left unattended for eighteen months.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Bulgarian company?
Yes. Non-residents, including non-EU nationals, can own the entire share capital of a Bulgarian EOOD and act as its manager. There is no requirement for a local shareholder, director or nominee.
How long does it take to register a company in Bulgaria?
Registration with the Commercial Register typically completes in three to seven working days once documents are filed. If you are setting up remotely, allow additional time for notarisation and apostille in your own country — that is usually the longest step.
Do I need to travel to Bulgaria to set up the company?
No. The company can be registered by power of attorney with documents notarised and apostilled where you are. Opening the operating bank account is the part where banks increasingly prefer, and sometimes require, an in-person meeting.
What is the minimum share capital for an EOOD?
Nominal — the statutory minimum is symbolic rather than a real capitalisation requirement, and is now expressed in euro. It must nevertheless be deposited into a capital account before the company can be registered.
What are the ongoing costs of a Bulgarian company?
Four recurring items: monthly accounting, the manager's social security contributions, a registered address, and the annual publication of financial statements. What each costs depends on your document volume, whether you are VAT registered and whether you employ anyone — which is why we quote per company rather than from a price list. We will give you a figure on the consultation call.
Related services
Accounting & bookkeeping
Monthly bookkeeping, ledgers and statutory reporting — handled in English, on a fixed fee.
Payroll
Employment contracts, monthly declarations, contributions and payslips — fully compliant.
VAT registration & filings
Registration, monthly returns, VIES and Intrastat — including voluntary registration strategy.
Free consultation
Questions about company formation?
Book a free 30-minute call. We will look at your situation, tell you what is required and what it costs. No obligation, and no pitch if you do not need us.
30 minutes · English and Bulgarian spoken · no obligation