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Country guide · 2026

How to open a Bulgarian company from Finland 🇫🇮

Finland's 20% corporate rate looks moderate until you distribute. Dividends from a private Oy are split between lightly taxed capital income up to 8% of the company's net assets and heavily taxed earned income above it, which pushes effective rates on a service business with few assets toward the top of the scale.

Finnish rate
20% corporate tax plus split capital and earned income on dividends
Bulgaria
10% corporate, 5% dividends
Setup
Remote, 3-7 business days

Why Finnish founders move to a Bulgarian EOOD

  • A flat 5% on dividends instead of the net-asset-linked capital and earned income split
  • 10% corporate tax against 20%, and no YEL-style compulsory entrepreneur pension base
  • No minimum share capital requirement beyond about €1
  • Predictable flat rates rather than annually recalculated dividend thresholds

The remote registration process, step by step

  1. 1

    Reserve the company name

    We check availability in the Bulgarian Commercial Register and reserve your EOOD or OOD name. Takes a few hours; the reservation holds for six months.

  2. 2

    Sign the incorporation pack

    Articles of association, founder declarations and specimen signature. You sign in front of a notary or a Bulgarian consulate near you, or you give us a power of attorney and sign once.

  3. 3

    Open the capital accumulation account

    The statutory minimum share capital is BGN 2 (about €1). The bank issues a deposit certificate the register requires.

  4. 4

    File with the Commercial Register

    Electronic filing at the Registry Agency. Standard processing is 2 to 4 business days, and you receive an EIK (company number) on approval.

  5. 5

    Register for tax and, if needed, VAT

    The EIK doubles as your tax number. VAT registration is mandatory above the BGN 166,000 turnover threshold and voluntary below it; intra-EU sellers usually register voluntarily on day one.

  6. 6

    Open the operating bank account

    A Bulgarian business account for local payments, plus an EMI such as Wise or Revolut Business for multi-currency invoicing. Most non-resident directors need one video call.

  7. 7

    Appoint an accountant and start filing

    Monthly VAT returns, payroll if you hire, and an annual corporate return filed by 30 June. The 10% flat corporate tax applies from your first invoice.

Tax residency

Finland taxes residents on worldwide income and applies a three-year rule to departing citizens, who stay Finnish residents unless they show no essential ties. Vero also examines effective management when a foreign company is owned by a Finnish resident.

Exit tax and leaving Finland

Finland has introduced exit taxation on unrealised gains for individuals leaving with substantial holdings. Model this before restructuring an existing Oy rather than after the move.

Banking and payments

Finnish clients pay a Bulgarian IBAN through SEPA in euro. Most founders add Wise or Revolut Business for non-euro platform income.

VAT on sales into Finland

B2B into Finland is reverse-charged from your Bulgarian VAT number; consumer sales run through OSS at 25.5%.

Mistakes Finnish founders make

  • Relying on the three-year rule ending automatically without proving that essential ties are cut
  • Keeping the Oy alive as a shell while claiming the Bulgarian company is independent
  • Ignoring the new exit-tax rules when transferring shares before departure

Questions Finnish founders ask

How does the Bulgarian 5% compare with Finnish dividend tax?

A Finnish service company with modest net assets sees most of its dividend taxed as earned income at progressive rates. Bulgaria charges 5% flat regardless of the company's balance sheet.

Do I have to leave Finland to benefit?

To move the profit taxation you generally must move residence and management. We run the CFC and management analysis before you commit.

Full Bulgaria vs Finland tax tableRun your numbers in the tax calculatorFormation pricing

Start your Bulgarian company from Finland

We handle the register filing, bank introduction, VAT and accounting in English. 750+ EU founders incorporated, fully remote.

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