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Bulgaria company formation cost - full 2026 price breakdown
Every fee to register a Bulgarian OOD or EOOD in 2026: state fees, notary, legal, translation, banking, VAT, and ongoing annual costs. Real numbers, not ranges.
Bulgaria company formation is one of the cheapest incorporation processes in the EU - but "cheap" hides a stack of state, notary, and professional fees you should see before you sign anything. Here is the full 2026 breakdown, in euros, for a standard OOD or EOOD registered remotely.
The short answer
A complete remote Bulgarian OOD / EOOD setup in 2026 lands between €650 and €1,600 all-in, depending on whether you handle VAT registration, need a registered address, and choose a traditional bank vs. an EMI like Wise or Revolut. Ongoing costs are €900-€2,400 per year for accounting, filings, and address.
Compare that to a German GmbH (€25,000 minimum capital, ~€2,500 setup), a Dutch BV (€12,000 capital, ~€1,800 setup), or an Estonian OÜ (€2,500 capital, ~€500 setup + mandatory e-Residency). Bulgaria is the lowest-capital, lowest-setup-cost EU jurisdiction that still gives you a fully-fledged EU limited liability company.
One-time setup costs
| Item | Cost (EUR) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Share capital | €1 (2 BGN) | Legal minimum, deposited to a temporary capital account |
| Commercial Register state fee | €55 | Electronic filing |
| Notary fees (specimen signatures + PoA acceptance) | €40-€80 | Depends on number of managers/shareholders |
| Sworn Bulgarian translations | €60-€150 | Passport, PoA, corporate docs if a legal-entity shareholder |
| Apostille of your PoA (home country) | €20-€80 | Only if you don't travel to Bulgaria |
| Legal / registration package | €400-€900 | Drafting, filing, follow-up, name reservation |
| Registered Bulgarian office address | €120-€300 / year | Optional if you rent your own |
| VAT registration (if needed) | €100-€250 | Voluntary or once you cross 100,000 BGN |
| Bank account opening (traditional) | €0-€200 | Some banks charge account-opening fees |
| Typical total (remote setup, no VAT) | €650-€1,200 | |
| Typical total (remote setup + VAT) | €850-€1,600 |
Full step-by-step is in how to register an OOD in Bulgaria. For solo founders using an EOOD, the cost stack is identical - see the EOOD guide.
What actually drives the price
- Are you flying to Bulgaria? If yes, you save €80-€200 on apostille + courier and can sign at a Bulgarian notary directly. If no, budget for a notarised, apostilled Power of Attorney in your home country.
- How many shareholders? Each additional individual shareholder means another set of translated ID docs and notary time. A legal-entity shareholder (foreign company) adds corporate documents that must be translated and apostilled - budget €200-€400 more.
- Do you need VAT from day one? EU B2B activity, EU B2C above thresholds, or import/export effectively require VAT. Voluntary registration takes 7-14 days and adds €100-€250.
- Which bank? A traditional Bulgarian bank (UniCredit, DSK, Postbank) takes 2-4 weeks and often needs an in-person visit. Wise or Revolut Business opens in days, remotely - but is not a substitute if you need cash handling or a Bulgarian IBAN for local payroll.
Recurring annual costs
The registration is the small number. What matters over 3-5 years is running cost:
| Item | Cost (EUR / year) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting (monthly bookkeeping + annual close) | €600-€1,800 | Depends on transaction volume and VAT status |
| Annual financial statements filing | €50-€100 | State fee; usually bundled with accounting |
| Registered office address | €120-€300 | If you don't have your own premises |
| Corporate tax return | Bundled | Included in most accounting packages |
| VAT returns (monthly) | €30-€80 / return | Only if VAT-registered |
| Payroll (per employee) | €25-€60 / month | If you employ locally - see payroll & social contributions |
| Typical total (VAT + no payroll) | €900-€2,400 |
We break the running costs down further in Bulgaria company annual costs 2026, and the accounting side specifically in Bulgarian accounting & bookkeeping requirements.
Taxes on top - what the company actually pays
Registration cost is only step one. What determines profitability is Bulgaria's tax stack:
- 10% flat corporate income tax on profit
- 5% dividend withholding when profit is distributed
- 0% capital gains tax on qualifying EU/EEA participations
- 20% standard VAT (with reduced rates for tourism and books)
Effective tax on distributed profit is roughly 14.5% all-in. The full mechanics live in Bulgaria's 10% corporate tax explained, and you can run your own numbers in the live calculator.
Bulgaria vs the alternatives - setup cost, not just tax
| Jurisdiction | Minimum capital | Typical remote setup | Corporate tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria (OOD/EOOD) | €1 | €650-€1,600 | 10% |
| Estonia (OÜ) | €2,500 | €400-€800 | 20% on distribution |
| Cyprus (Ltd) | €1,000 | €2,000-€3,500 | 12.5% |
| Ireland (Ltd) | €1 | €1,500-€3,000 | 12.5% |
| Netherlands (BV) | €0.01 | €1,800-€3,000 | 25.8% |
| Germany (GmbH) | €25,000 | €2,500-€5,000 | ~30% |
For the full head-to-head numbers, see Bulgaria vs Estonia, Bulgaria vs Cyprus, Bulgaria vs Ireland, Bulgaria vs Germany, or Bulgaria vs Netherlands.
Hidden costs to plan for
- PoA apostille turnaround. Some countries take 2-6 weeks. Plan the PoA first, register second.
- Sworn translation of updates. Any change to shareholders, capital, or address triggers a fresh notarised + translated filing (~€80-€150).
- Bank due diligence. If your business is crypto-adjacent, high-risk, or cross-border-heavy, expect additional KYB questionnaires and possibly a €200-€500 onboarding fee. Full flow in the bank account guide for non-residents.
- VAT return frequency. VAT is monthly in Bulgaria (not quarterly). Every month = an accounting fee. See VAT registration in Bulgaria.
- Substance. A shell EOOD with no real Bulgarian activity risks being challenged by your home tax authority as a CFC. Budget for real substance if you're using the company as a tax base.
What we quote
For most founders our all-in flat fee is €499 for a remote OOD / EOOD setup (Commercial Register filing, drafting, notary coordination, registered address year 1, Wise/Revolut onboarding). VAT registration adds €149. See pricing for the current package.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really register a Bulgarian company for under €700? Yes. The state and notary fees themselves total around €120-€180. The rest is professional service. A DIY registration in Bulgarian is legally possible but every non-resident we've worked with has needed a translator, a notary, and someone chasing the Commercial Register - which is what the €400-€900 legal package covers.
Is the 2 BGN minimum capital real? Yes, it's the legal floor since 2009. In practice we recommend depositing 100-1,000 BGN so the balance sheet looks reasonable to banks and counterparties.
Do I need to visit Bulgaria? No. ~95% of the companies we set up are done remotely via notarised, apostilled Power of Attorney.
When do the ongoing costs start? The month after registration - accounting and address fees are monthly / annual. VAT returns start the month VAT is granted.
Do I pay 10% corporate tax on setup fees? No - setup fees are a deductible business expense. Your corporate tax base is profit (revenue minus deductible expenses), not revenue.
Next steps
Want this handled for you?
Our Varna desk runs the whole process end-to-end. Free 30-minute consultation - no obligation.