Customs Clearance in Bulgaria
Who Clears Your Goods in Bulgaria
Customs administration in Bulgaria sits with National Customs Agency (the Bulgarian Customs, part of the National Revenue Agency). The declaration framework is EU Union Customs Code.
Registration You Need in Bulgaria
EU EORI with a BG prefix is required before the first commercial declaration is lodged in Bulgaria, and it is the identifier National Customs Agency expects on the entry. EORI is an EU-wide registration, so a number issued in one member state is generally valid across the union, but declarations are lodged against the national system of the country where the goods are presented — for Bulgaria that is EU Union Customs Code.
The Bulgaria Declaration Sequence
- Register for EORI before the first shipment
- Classify the goods to the correct TARIC commodity code
- Establish the customs value on a CIF basis
- Lodge the declaration electronically
- Assess and pay duty; account for import VAT
- Goods released to free circulation
Documents Checklist for Bulgaria
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or airway bill
- EORI number
- Certificate of origin, where preference is claimed
- Licences or permits for controlled goods
Clearance Points Specific to Bulgaria
Varna and Burgas are Bulgaria's main Black Sea container ports, with Varna serving the north-east and Burgas the south. China-origin containers can discharge directly on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast rather than at a foreign access port, which shortens the inland leg compared with landlocked destinations. From the Black Sea ports, cargo moves inland by road or rail into Bulgaria and onward into the Balkans and Central Europe. Some services transit the Turkish Straits, which is a scheduling variable to plan around.
Beyond the standard EU sequence, these are the Bulgaria-specific points that most often decide how smoothly a first shipment clears:
- Bulgarian standard VAT is 20%, with reduced rates of 9% and 0%
- Varna and Burgas give direct Black Sea access for Bulgaria
- ISPM 15 treatment and marking for all wood packaging
Common Bulgaria Clearance Errors
- Commodity code copied from a similar product rather than classified properly
- Freight and insurance omitted from the customs value
- Invoice values inconsistent with the transport document
- Wood packaging without ISPM 15 treatment and marking
- Missing licences for restricted or controlled goods
Frequently Asked Questions
Customs administration sits with National Customs Agency (the Bulgarian Customs, part of the National Revenue Agency). Declarations are lodged under EU Union Customs Code. Businesses importing commercially need EU EORI with a BG prefix in place before the first declaration.
Commercial invoice, packing list, transport document (bill of lading or airway bill), the EORI number, and a certificate of origin where preferential treatment is claimed. Restricted goods require additional licences or permits.
On the transaction value method — the price actually paid or payable — plus freight and insurance to the point of entry into the EU. This CIF figure is the base against which duty and import VAT are calculated.
Incorrect or incomplete commodity classification, under-declared freight and insurance, missing or inconsistent commercial invoice values, non-compliant wood packaging, and missing licences for controlled goods.
It is separate from the ocean or air leg but is part of door-to-door planning. Clearance duration depends on whether the declaration is complete and whether the goods are selected for examination.