Bulgaria Company Setup logoBulgaria Company Setup
All country guides

Country guide · 2026

How to open a Bulgarian company from Portugal 🇵🇹

With the old NHR regime closed to most new arrivals, Portuguese founders are re-running the numbers. A Lda pays 20% plus derrama surcharges, and dividends are taxed at 28%, which makes Bulgaria's 10% and 5% newly interesting.

Portuguese rate
20% corporate tax plus surcharges and 28% on dividends
Bulgaria
10% corporate, 5% dividends
Setup
Remote, 3-7 business days

Why Portuguese founders move to a Bulgarian EOOD

  • No municipal derrama or state surcharge stacked on the corporate rate
  • 5% dividends instead of a 28% flat rate
  • Faster registration than the Portuguese licensing and social security sequence
  • Capped social contributions rather than the Portuguese self-employed base

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

Portugal uses the 183-day and habitual-residence tests. Since NHR's replacement is far narrower, many founders now compare Bulgarian residence directly against Portuguese residence.

Exit tax and leaving Portugal

Portugal has limited exit taxation for individuals on shares, but company-level transfers of assets abroad can trigger it. Review before moving an existing Lda.

Banking and payments

Portuguese clients pay a BG IBAN through SEPA. Most founders add an EMI for card and platform revenue.

VAT on sales into Portugal

B2B into Portugal is reverse-charged; consumer sales use OSS at 23%.

Mistakes Portuguese founders make

  • Assuming NHR-style treatment still applies to new arrivals
  • Keeping the Lda open purely to hold a Portuguese bank account
  • Missing the Bulgarian VAT registration deadline after crossing the threshold

Questions Portuguese founders ask

Does Bulgaria have a regime like NHR?

No, and it does not need one. The standard rates are 10% corporate, 10% personal and 5% on dividends for everybody.

Can I live in Portugal and own the EOOD?

You can own it. Whether Portugal taxes its profits depends on management and CFC analysis, which we run before you commit.

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

Start your Bulgarian company from Portugal

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

Book a free consultation Free setup checklist

Other country guides

From the Netherlands 🇳🇱From Germany 🇩🇪From France 🇫🇷From Belgium 🇧🇪
Book a free call - reply in 1 day